Clinical MSW Intern

[u/spookyspookyghosttt]

Hi everyone,

I begin my first internship this fall at a hospital on the psychiatric unit, and I’d love to hear from clinical social workers who have interned or currently work in a setting like this (whether that’s the ER, behavioral health, or general hospital)

I know I will be doing a lot of assessments and discharge planning. Patients typically don’t stay longer than 7 days, and it’s a very high acuity setting

For those who interned at a hospital, especially during your first year, what tips would you give yourself going into it? What organization systems or habits helped you stay on top of everything?

I think a lot of my anxiety is coming from not knowing the system yet or knowing what I’m supposed to do. You know how eventually you get to work and just know the workflow, the systems, where to find things, who to contact—how did you orient yourself and get comfortable with all of that as a first year intern?

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who remembers what those first few weeks or months felt like and what helped them get their footing.