Baptism by Fire: Field in the Time of COVID-19

Authors

  • Diane Griffiths Christopher Newport University
  • Jill Russett Christopher Newport University
  • Sequoia Benhart Colorado Department of Human Services
  • Michele Black Youth Villages
  • Georgia Bransford Christopher Newport University
  • Emerald Cheesbrew Inova Fairfax Hospital
  • Ashley DuVall Nayer Hospice Care
  • J'Keyah Gaskins Central Virginia Health Services
  • Emily Hewett Henrico County Public Schools
  • Anna Junkins Altmeyer Funeral Home
  • Kisha Lim DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education
  • Delaney Menoher University of Michigan Hospital
  • Emily Miller ChildNet
  • Emma Miller Christopher Newport University
  • Charlotte Patterson INOVA Partial Hospitalization Program
  • Madison Porter Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center
  • Madison Pozner Christopher Newport University
  • Oltar Quintanilla Healing Circle Counseling
  • Hannah Steelman Happy Haven Childcare
  • Miriam Stump Community Reach Center
  • Lillian Tyson Christopher Newport University
  • Emily Weatherholtz Northern Virginia Family Service
  • McKenzie White South Carolina Department of Mental Health
  • Anna Wilcox U.S. Army

Keywords:

undergraduate students, social work, shared trauma, practicum placement

Abstract

This paper explores our lived experiences as undergraduate social work students in our practicum placements during the first year of COVID-19, including our reactions to seeing COVID-19 unfold in our agencies, the impacts on clients, how we developed social work skills given all of the restrictions, and how we managed our own physical and mental health. We struggled with getting sick—and so did family, clients, and co-workers, some of whom did not live. We highlight the importance of support networks, supportive supervision, and self-care. We utilize the concept of shared trauma to illustrate how, despite the collective nature of the pandemic, each of us brings a unique perspective, especially given the wide range of practicum placements. Finally, we include reflections on systemic vulnerabilities that COVID-19 revealed and frustrations with engaging and supporting client needs.

Author Biographies

Diane Griffiths, Christopher Newport University

Diane Griffiths, PhD is Social Work Program Director, Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA (757-594-8483, diane.griffiths@cnu.edu).

Jill Russett, Christopher Newport University

Jill Russett, PhD, LPC, MAC is Field Instruction Coordinator, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA (757-594-7111, jill.russett@cnu.edu).

Sequoia Benhart, Colorado Department of Human Services

Sequoia Benhart, BASW is Intake Caseworker III, Department of Human Services, Teller County, CO (sequoia.benhart@gmail.com).

Michele Black, Youth Villages

Michele Black, BASW is Lifeset Specialist, Youth Villages, Asheville, NC (540-656-0173, michele.black@youthvillages.org).

Georgia Bransford, Christopher Newport University

Georgia Bransford, BASW is Dining Manager, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Pittsburgh, PA (703-789-6060, georgia.bransford@yahoo.com).

Emerald Cheesbrew, Inova Fairfax Hospital

Emerald Cheesbrew, MSW is Social Work Case Manager, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Annandale, VA (540-419-1971, emerald.cheesbrew@inova.org).

Ashley DuVall, Nayer Hospice Care

Ashley DuVall, MSW is Medical Social Worker, Nayer Hospice Care, Mechanicsville, VA (757-506-2644, aduvall@nhc.life).

J'Keyah Gaskins, Central Virginia Health Services

J’Keyah Gaskins, MSW is Behavioral Health Clinician, Central Virginia Health Services, Henrico, VA (j_gaskins108@gmail.com).

Emily Hewett, Henrico County Public Schools

Emily Hewett, MSW is School Social Worker, Henrico County Public Schools, Henrico, VA (804-878-5435, emy93099@gmail.com).

Anna Junkins, Altmeyer Funeral Home

Anna Junkins, BASW is Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer, Altmeyer Funeral Home, Newport News, VA (757-620-5712, ajunkins@altmeyer.com).

Kisha Lim, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Kisha Lim, MPAP is Early Intervention Service Coordinator, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Washington, DC (703-973-5308, kisha.lim@dc.gov).

Delaney Menoher, University of Michigan Hospital

Delaney Menoher, MSW, LCSW is Inpatient Pediatric Social Worker, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI (910-584-5000, dmenoher@umich.edu).

Emily Miller, ChildNet

Emily Miller, BASW is Lead Dependency Case Manager, ChildNet, West Palm Beach, FL (804-317-4699, ejmiller12321@gmail.com).

Emma Miller, Christopher Newport University

Emma Miller, BASW is Graduate, Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA (703-981-2004, emma@fivamillers.com).

Charlotte Patterson, INOVA Partial Hospitalization Program

Charlotte Patterson, MSW, Behavioral Health Therapist I, Inova Health System, Fairfax County, VA (charlotte.patterson@inova.org).

Madison Porter, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center

Madison Porter, MSW is Medical Case Manager, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA (703-397-4382, madison.e.porter_1@ou.edu).

Madison Pozner, Christopher Newport University

Madison Pozner, BSW is Graduate, Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA (poznermadison@aol.com).

Oltar Quintanilla, Healing Circle Counseling

Oltar Quintanilla, MSW is Supervisee in Social Work, Mental Health Therapist, Healing Circle Counseling, Richmond, VA (804-924-9300, oquintanilla@healingcirclecounseling.com).

Hannah Steelman, Happy Haven Childcare

Hannah Steelman, BASW, Owner, Happy Haven Childcare, Hopewell, VA (804-691-5069, hannah.happyhavenchildcare@yahoo.com).

Miriam Stump, Community Reach Center

Miriam Stump, MSW is School-Based Therapist, Community Reach Center, Thornton, CO (m.stump@communityreach.center.org).

Lillian Tyson, Christopher Newport University

Lillian Tyson, BSW is Graduate, Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA (lillian.tyson.17@cnu.edu).

Emily Weatherholtz, Northern Virginia Family Service

Emily Weatherholtz, MSW is Therapeutic Foster Care Case Manager, Northern Virginia Family Service, Falls Church, VA (703-403-4067, emilyholtz10@gmail.com).

McKenzie White, South Carolina Department of Mental Health

McKenzie White, MS is Employment Specialist/Counselor 1, South Carolina Department of Mental Health, Aiken, SC (mckenzie.white@scdmh.org).

Anna Wilcox, U.S. Army

Anna Wilcox, BASW is Medical Service 2nd Lieutenant Officer, U.S. Army, San Antonio, TX (703-859-1927, annajwilcox.1@gmail.com).

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Published

2024-07-15

How to Cite

Griffiths, D., Russett, J., Benhart, S., Black, M., Bransford, G., Cheesbrew, E., DuVall, A., Gaskins, J., Hewett, E., Junkins, A., Lim, K., Menoher, D., Miller, E., Miller, E., Patterson, C., Porter, M., Pozner, M., Quintanilla, O., Steelman, H., Stump, M., Tyson, L., Weatherholtz, E., White, M., & Wilcox, A. (2024). Baptism by Fire: Field in the Time of COVID-19. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 30(3), 59–75. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2077

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