SOCW 6070-week 4 discussion 1 Looking Through Different Lenses I have provided the case study and all resources I work for hospice and my lens is meeting people where they are in their journey and trying to help the whole person and family As a social worker, you bring your own lens—that is, your own set of assumptions, biases, beliefs, and interpretations—into your interactions with clients and the human services professionals with whom you collaborate. Human services organizations have their own cultures that influence their organizational lenses. An organizational lens reflects key assumptions about the individuals to whom the organization provides services. These assumptions influence the organization’s policies and procedures which, in turn, impact service delivery. For example, an organization that focuses on understanding the perspectives of the clients it serves may allow clients to provide feedback about their client experience through membership on advisory boards or boards of directors. The clients may have the power to make recommendations and decisions about the organization’s policies and procedures. Understanding cultural lenses—your personal lens, as well as those of the organizations and other individuals with whom you work and interact—will enable you to better serve your clients. Focus on the Paula Cortez case study for this Discussion. In this case study, four professionals present their perspectives on the Paula Cortez case. These workers could view Paula’s case through a variety of cultural lenses, including socioeconomic, gender, ethnicity, and mental health. For this Discussion, you take the role of the social worker on the case and interpret Paula’s case using two of these lenses. Post how you, as a social worker, might interpret the needs of Paula Cortez, the client, through the two cultural lenses you selected.  Then, explain how, in general, you would incorporate multiple perspectives of a variety of stakeholders and/or human services professionals as you treat clients. Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references. CASE STUDY also read Culture and Leadership chapter 15 pages 383 to 421 Paula has just been involuntarily hospitalized and placed on the psychiatric unit, for a minimum of 72 hours, for observation. Paula was deemed a suicidal risk after an assessment was completed by the social worker. The social worker observed that Paula appeared to be rapidly decompensating, potentially placing herself and her pregnancy at risk. Paula just recently announced to the social worker that she is pregnant. She has been unsure whether she wanted to continue the pregnancy or terminate. Paula also told the social worker she is fearful of the father of the baby, and she is convinced he will try to hurt her. He has started to harass, stalk, and threaten her at all hours of the day. Paula began to exhibit increased paranoia and reported she sta.

1. SOCW 6070-week 4 discussion 1 Looking Through Different
Lenses
I have provided the case study and all resources I work for
hospice and my lens is meeting people where they are in their
journey and trying to help the whole person and family
As a social worker, you bring your own lens—that is, your own
set of assumptions, biases, beliefs, and interpretations—into
your interactions with clients and the human services
professionals with whom you collaborate. Human services
organizations have their own cultures that influence their
organizational lenses. An organizational lens reflects key
assumptions about the individuals to whom the organization
provides services. These assumptions influence the
organization’s policies and procedures which, in turn, impact
service delivery. For example, an organization that focuses on
understanding the perspectives of the clients it serves may allow
clients to provide feedback about their client experience
through membership on advisory boards or boards of directors.
The clients may have the power to make recommendations and
decisions about the organization’s policies and procedures.
Understanding cultural lenses—your personal lens, as well as
those of the organizations and other individuals with whom you
work and interact—will enable you to better serve your clients.
Focus on the Paula Cortez case study
for this Discussion. In this case study, four professionals
present their perspectives on the Paula Cortez case. These
workers could view Paula’s case through a variety of cultural
lenses, including socioeconomic, gender, ethnicity, and mental
health. For this Discussion, you take the role of the social

2. worker on the case and interpret Paula’s case using two of these
lenses.
Post
how you, as a social worker, might interpret the needs of Paula
Cortez, the client, through the two cultural lenses you selected.
Then, explain how, in general, you would incorporate multiple
perspectives of a variety of stakeholders and/or human services
professionals as you treat clients.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be
sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
CASE STUDY also read Culture and Leadership chapter 15
pages 383 to 421
Paula has just been involuntarily hospitalized and placed on the
psychiatric unit, for a minimum of 72 hours, for observation.
Paula was deemed a suicidal risk after an assessment was
completed by the social worker. The social worker observed that
Paula appeared to be rapidly decompensating, potentially
placing herself and her pregnancy at risk.
Paula just recently announced to the social worker that she is
pregnant. She has been unsure whether she wanted to continue
the pregnancy or terminate. Paula also told the social worker
she is fearful of the father of the baby, and she is convinced he
will try to hurt her. He has started to harass, stalk, and threaten
her at all hours of the day. Paula began to exhibit increased
paranoia and reported she started smoking again to calm her
nerves. She also stated she stopped taking her psychiatric
medications and has been skipping some of her HIV
medications.
The following is an interdisciplinary team meeting being held in

3. a conference room at the hospital. Several members of Paula’s
team (HIV doctor, psychiatrist, social worker, and OB nurse)
have gathered to discuss the precipitating factors to this
hospitalization. The intent is to craft a plan of action to address
Paula's noncompliance with her medications, increased
paranoia, and the pregnancy.
TEEM Dialogue
Physician
Dialogue 1
Paula is a complicated patient, and she presents with a
complicated situation. She is HIV positive, has Hepatitis C, and
multiple foot ulcers that can be debilitating at times. Paula has
always been inconsistent with her HIV meds—no matter how
often I explain the need for consistent compliance in order to
maintain her health. Paula has exhibited a lack of insight into
her medical conditions and the need to follow instructions.
Frankly, I was astonished and frustrated when she stopped her
wound care treatments and started to use chamomile tea on her
foot ulcers. Even though we have educated her to the negative
consequences of stopping her meds, and trying alternative
medications instead, she continues to do so.
Psychiatrist
Dialogue 1
As Paula’s psychiatrist for close to 10 years, I have followed
her progress in and out of the hospital for quite a while—and I
know her very well. She is often non-compliant with her
medications, randomly stopping them after she reports she
doesn’t like the way they make her feel. She has been
hospitalized to stabilize her medications several times over the

4. last 10 years, although she has managed to stay out of the
psychiatric unit for the last three. Recently, she had seemed to
appreciate the benefits of taking her medications and her
compliance has much improved. She had been seeing her social
worker regularly, and her overall mental health and physical
health were improving. This has changed recently, after several
stressful life events. We learned that Paula was pregnant by a
man she met briefly at a local flower shop. She also reports he
has been harassing her with threatening phone calls and
unwarranted visits to her home. Paula disclosed to the social
worker that she was neither eating nor taking her medication—
and she had not gotten out of bed for days. Her decompensation
was rapid and extremely worrisome and, therefore, called for a
72-hour hold.
OB Nurse
Dialogue 1
I have not known the patient long, but it does appear that she is
trying her best to deal with a very difficult situation.
Pregnancies are stressful times for even the healthiest of
women. For Paula to learn she is pregnant at 43—in addition to
her HIV and Hepatitis status and her bipolar diagnosis—must be
so overwhelming. Adding to this, she has come to her two
appointments alone and stated she has no one to bring along
with her. When I inquired about the father of the child, she said
he’s a bad man and he won’t leave her alone. She seemed truly
frightened of him and appears convinced he will hurt her.
Social Worker
Dialogue 1
When Paula came to me and told me she was pregnant, I was
indeed shocked by this announcement. She had never mentioned

5. dating anyone, and with her multiple medical and psychiatric
issues, I never thought this would be an issue we would address.
Paula and I have developed a strong working relationship over
the last two years, and she has shared many private emotions
and thoughts. This relationship has been tested, though, since I
suggested she be admitted to the hospital. Paula was furious
with me, accusing me of locking her up and not helping her. It
will take time to repair our working relationship. Once I rebuild
that rapport, we will need to work together to find a way to
address all of her concerns. We will need a plan that will
address her medical needs, her psychiatric needs, and the needs
of her unborn child.