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Emergency Department
After 5 p.m., Kathy Lynch is the only social worker in the hospital. She works the 4 p.m-to-12:30 a.m. shift in the busy Emergency Department, where two nights are never the same.
She is the person who helps patients through the moment of crisis that brought them to the ED. Trauma, addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, sexual assault and depression are just a handful of the challenges Lynch assists patients and families with during the night.
“Knowing you made a difference for a patient or family in a moment of crisis is rewarding,” said Lynch, who began in this position seven years ago after working with inpatients at Deaconess Hospital for 23 years. “I love the night shift.”
The shift is challenging because many resources are unavailable at night. “Not being able to connect people in that moment to local community services such as counseling is difficult,” she said. “I have to empower the patient to follow up.”
On a typical night, Lynch—who also responds to emergencies in the Tower and Connors Center—sees eight to ten ED patients and provides services to about half, depending on their needs. She helps domestic violence victims find safe places to stay and connects them with Passageway services, for example. She also serves as a liaison between medical staff and families of trauma patients anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.
“What drives Kathy is her desire to make a difference in the lives of patients, families and staff,” said Martha Burke, MSW, LICSW, director of Social Work and Clinical Services. “She has incredible skill in connecting with patients and families in such vulnerable situations. Her true strengths are compassion, skill, advocacy and caring, as well as a welcome sense of humor.”