Thursday, December 27, 2012

5 Types of Mobile Phone Apps for Social Workers


Edralyn Chan acknowledges social workers by searching through applications for ones which will specifically be helpful to our profession. Below you will find the article with specific examples of Apps for social workers.





Reference Apps

New graduates and veterans alike can benefit from a wide range of reference apps. Social Work Exam Pro is only one of many iPhone apps that helps in preparation for state licensure. Other exam reference apps have been developed for every platform. PocketPharmacist, iPharmacy and iPrescribe are all prescription drug reference apps allowing you to check for side effects and contraindications quickly in the field. If you need access to special terminology or legal definitions, be sure there is an app that can help.

Tracking Patient Data

Clients are often given homework by their social workers. This might involve a daily recording of mood or tracking of symptoms. Moody Me is used by some professional social workers and even psychiatrists. It tracks and stores data on your mood and asks pertinent questions about the surrounding conditions in order to provide a form of biofeedback.

Sharing Apps with Clients

Moody Me is a great app useful for both clients and their social workers. Other trackers make it convenient for clients to log the appropriate information required by their worker. This is especially useful for patients who routinely forget to log data. Some professionals have resorted to an automatic texting service www.mood247.com, which reminds patients of their responsibilities.

Self-care Made Convenient

Social workers are more prone to job-stress than most other professionals. Certain jobs take social workers into horrific situations on a regular basis, so self-monitoring and care are essential to avoid burnout or worse. Live Happy is an app that prompts you to engage in periodic activities proven to ward off chronic stress. Tactical Breather was developed by the National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder as a guided relaxation app.

Communication Facilitation

Social workers sometimes find communication with recent immigrants, cultural enclaves, and the disabled to be difficult if not impossible. Fortunately, there are literally hundreds of apps available for every type of mobile device to help with communication problems. You won’t have to coordinate efforts with a linguist or waste time searching for writing supplies with the right app. Another series of programs allows you to record sessions and take easily referenced notes.
Advances in mobile technology bring an array of tools to the field. The biggest hurdle for social workers who could benefit from these apps is simply a lack of knowledge on what is available. A little research reveals numerous apps capable of helping with every aspect of social work!

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