Abstract：
The social work profession is dealing with an increased rate of turnover, due largely in part to the pandemic. A recent study showed that U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient social workers utilized strategies of \"emotional preparedness\" to retain their job during the pandemic. The aim of this current study is to explore if outpatient social workers utilized similar strategies for their own job retention. There may be differences in the strategies utilized because outpatient and inpatient social workers tend to work in different environments. In this qualitative study, authors conducted interviews with (N = 13) outpatient social workers from a VA site in the Southwestern region of the United States. Findings were analyzed thematically. Authors conducted open coding and applied a priori themes/strategies from extant research among VA inpatient social workers. Most of the a priori themes/strategies were prevalent among outpatient social workers, and two emerging themes were (1) acknowledging shared trauma and (2) human connection to overcome isolation. Strategies of emotional preparedness should be implemented on a grander scale to facilitate job retention since there is an expected deficit in the social work workforce until at least 2030.
摘要：
社会工作行业正在应对更替率的上升，很大程度上是由于大流行。最近的一项研究表明，美国退伍军人事务部（VA）住院社会工作者利用“情绪准备”策略在大流行期间保留工作。本研究的目的是探讨门诊社会工作者是否使用类似的策略来保留自己的工作。由于门诊和住院社会工作者倾向于在不同的环境中工作，因此使用的策略可能有所不同。在这项定性研究中，作者对来自美国西南地区VA站点的（N=13）门诊社会工作者进行了访谈。对调查结果进行了主题分析。作者进行了开放编码，并在VA住院社会工作者中应用了现有研究的先验主题/策略。大多数先验主题/策略在门诊社会工作者中普遍存在，和两个新兴的主题是（1）承认共同的创伤和（2）人与克服孤立的联系。应在更大范围内实施情感准备战略，以促进保留工作，因为至少在2030年之前，社会工作劳动力预计会出现赤字。
