Hospital social work education in Vietnam: achievements, challenges, and lessons learned

ABSTRACT

Hospital social work education plays a crucial role in improving human resource quality in social work units at Vietnam’s hospitals. This study aimed to describe the achievements and challenges of hospital social work education in Vietnam. This was a cross-sectional study with 6 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions. In addition to the achievements, Vietnam is also facing challenges in hospital social work education, such as reference materials on hospital social work, social work field education, teaching and student evaluation methods under the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provided important lessons for the social work institutions worldwide on social work education, especially social work field education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• Hospital social work education
• students
• achievements
• challenges
• Vietnam

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the kind cooperation and participation of respondents.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nam Pham Tien

Pham Tien Nam, MSW., PhD., Lecturer, Social Work Department, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. His main interests are in hospital social work, social work with mental health, and social work education.

Nguyen Hung

Nguyen Tuan Hung, MD, PhD., Associate Professor, Deputy Director of the Department of Organization and Personnel, Ministry of Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. His main interests are in human resources and healthcare management.

Song Giang Tran

Tran Song Giang, MD, PhD., Head of Social Work Department, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. His main interests are in cardiovascular disease and hospital social work.

Nguyen Dung

Nguyen Hanh Dung, Ph.D. candidate, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in hospital social work and social work with mental health.

Vui Le

Le Thi Vui, PhD., Lecturer, Department of Population-Reproductive Health, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in population, reproductive health, and mental health with children.

Thi Khanh Ha Tran

Tran Thi Khanh Ha, MSW, Staff of Social Work Department, FHI 360, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in social work with addicts, people infected with HIV/AIDS.

Kim Oanh Nguyen

Nguyen Kim Oanh, MSW, Lecturer, Social Work Department, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in hospital social work and social work with mental health.

Thi Thanh Mai Vu

Vu Thi Thanh Mai, MSW, Lecturer, Social Work Department, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in hospital social work and counseling.

Thi Phuong Nguyen

Nguyen Thi Phuong, MA, Lecturer, Social Work Department, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main interests are in hospital social work, counseling, and social work with children with special needs.

Long Nguyen Xuan

Nguyen Xuan Long, Vice-Rector of University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam. His main interests are in psychology, education, and mental health.

Nguyen Liem

Nguyen Khac Liem, MD, Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam. His main interests are in pediatrics and hospital social work.