Everyone would like more time. The question is how to find it. The Pediatric Intensive Care social workers at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital implemented a unique plan to support the hospital’s mission of “Putting Patients and Families First” by making themselves available beyond the 8-to-5 hours that are standard for social workers in most hospitals.

Mott Hospital’s ICU social workers and Mott Hospital’s administration realized the need to have social workers available during evening and weekend hours in the Neonatal/Pediatric Intensive Care Units. And so, all of the ICU team social workers changed their work hours and schedules to accommodate the plan.

Sandra Iaderosa, M.S.W., Social Work Manager in Pediatrics, says that the staff showed “a recognition that in order to put patients and families first we need to respond to families who have needs in the evenings as well as on weekends.” One social worker covers evening hours, and the rest of the team rotates weekends so that a member of the team is always available on Saturdays and Sundays. Iaderosa says the social workers showed a strong commitment to helping patients and families by adjusting their schedules to make this plan possible.

"YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHEN YOU'LL NEED HELP"

Because the rotating schedule works so well, many families might not realize that the transition has happened, but that change has been very important to other families. Jennifer Wood, whose son Nathaniel has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, says, “You can’t predict when you’re going to be there. On weekends, you need help right then and there. It can’t wait until Monday.”

Three years ago Jennifer didn’t even realize how important the availability of social workers would be to her and her family when she met Sarah Lossing, M.S.W., Clinical Social Worker, for the first time. Jennifer’s son had heart surgery just seven hours after his birth. She remembers meeting Lossing and thinking, “Why do we need a social worker?” Over the next few weeks, Jennifer says, Lossing became “a close friend of our family. The biggest thing that surprised me was that she can help with so many aspects.”

One of the critical areas social workers help families with is insurance. Jennifer explains that her family has a $2 million cap on their medical insurance, so she and her husband were surprised when Lossing recommended Children’s Special Health Care insurance. Jennifer recalls thinking, “Oh, we don’t need that.” They are now very grateful they took the time to pursue it. Shortly after Nathaniel celebrated his third birthday, their insurer had already paid $1 million in claims. “You don’t realize all the ways having an ill child will affect you—physically, emotionally, and financially,” Jennifer says.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

There are many more subtle ways families receive support from social workers. Jennifer says, “Sarah always walks in the hospital room at just the right time. She says, ‘Let’s go for a walk,’ and gives me enough time to get calm. Even if you need someone to hold your hand for a little while, Sarah is willing to do that.”

Each member of the team has similar stories of families who are grateful for their contributions and their availability during crises. Allen says, “We are very proud of this expanded service and feel it has made a difference for our families and for the staff.”