Real-Life Communication
You are a social worker with a Children's Aid Society. A nurse from
the local hospital calls. She says her name is Susan Wells and she has been
talking with a patient, a young woman who has just given birth.
The
woman did not admit to herself that she was pregnant until the baby was nearly
due, so she has not thought at all about her options for the baby. She told
the nurse that she was wondering about adoption, but she wouldn't let her
call the CAS to send a counselor over.
When the nurse
asked her why, it became clear that the young woman was afraid the CAS would
immediately label her as unable to parent because she has not faced up to
the reality of the pregnancy. She was very afraid her baby would be taken
away from her before she had a chance to decide.
How can you help the
nurse help this young woman if she is unwilling to talk to you herself? The
nurse knows that you would not take the child just because the young woman
has expressed an interest in adoption, but she isn't sure how to reassure
her patient of that.
How can the nurse go about learning more herself
so she can help her patient understand more about her options and make the
decision she has to make?
You decide to send the nurse an information
kit about the adoption process and about the Children's Aid Society. You should
write a cover letter with the information kit to give the nurse a better idea
how to use it. In this letter, you will want to:
- Explain what is in the package.
- Suggest that she go through the material with the young woman.
- Let her know that by calling you, she has shown that she understands that
the young woman is afraid and needs to feel in control. The patient probably
trusts her and it is important she not break that trust.
- Let her know you still hope that the young woman will let you counsel
her yourself before making a decision.
- You are sending this information because if she understands more, the
young woman might be more open to talking to you. Your goal is to inform her
so that she can make her a choice based on the facts rather than on her fears.
- Tell the nurse that if you get that chance, you will let the young woman
know the decision is hers.
- The CAS can also help her prepare for parenting if that is her choice.
- Mention that the information kit is also useful for the nurse -- she may
be faced with a similar situation again.
Write a letter outlining these points. Then compare it to the letter
in the solution.