Nellukka & Ellukka blog

Nellukka & Ellukka blog 

 

This blog is made by Erika Moilanen and Nella Hanhisalo. We are currently studying to become Bachelor of Social Services. Both of us have worked with humans from babies to elderly people. Within the last year, we were both working in the same day care and got the idea to start following what felt so natural and easy, which is helping people.  Being able to start studying with a dear friend felt so unbelievable to both of us. Now we are here, writing this blog and following our dreams.  

 

Cultural communication 

 

Encountering cultures is an everyday occurrence in today's working life. But every encounter is different, as the client's cultural experiences, as well as their own character and life situations, play a role in the background. As social field workers, the most important thing for us is to create a safe and respectful space in the interaction situation. It’s important that the client feels heard regardless of their cultural background. The first and perhaps most important principle is not to make assumptions. When meeting a new client, we try to approach the situation with an open attitude. Instead of drawing conclusions or making stereotypical assumptions. 

While interacting, attention is often also paid to communication methods. For some cultures, it is natural to express things very directly, while in others, indirectness is a sign of respect. Therefore, it’s important to ensure understanding on both sides. Clear and calm speech and also the possibility of using an interpreter can build trust and reduce misunderstandings. It’s also important to respect the client’s values ​​and beliefs and to show it, even if they differ from our own. When we are open, ask questions boldly, listen carefully and build trust, we can find a common way forward, even if cultural views differ. However, if a situation arises where we don’t understand the client's cultural perspective, for example in the case of a certain illness or problem, it’s significant to remember, that you don’t need to know everything, but an open and respectful encounter is the most meaningful thing. The client will appreciate when you ask about the problem and listen with genuineinterest. However, if we still don’t understand, we can use an interpreter or the expertise of our colleagues. This is responsible and professional work and this way we can find a connection and the customer is satisfied.  

When working, you may sometimes encounter a situation where a client's cultural background strongly influences their perception of age. If a 50-year-old client says they feel old and want to retire, our job is not to question their feelings, but to understand. At the same time, we must calmly explain how retirement age and work capacity are assessed in Finland. This helps the client understand what opportunities and limits there are in the system. We won’t leave them alone with this. We can look for alternatives together with them: reduced work, part-time work, rehabilitation, work capacity assessment or finding a new field. These can all be possible paths. 

 

Customership  Professional dialogue and interactionskills 

 

After watching the videos of professional encounters, we can clearly see how the patient is behaving. In the first video, the questioner is trying to ask what’s going on in the patients life. No matter how many questions the professional asks, the patient won’t answer anything other than “I don’t know” or “I have no idea”. This clearly shows the lack of motive and communication skills from the patent. In this situation a professional social worker needs to have patience and communication skills, to try and get answers from the patient. 

In the second video, the patent is extra talkative and energetic. It almost feels like she doesn’t realize how fast she’s talking, or how much. She’s talking so much that the questioner doesn’t even get a chance to answer or speak. In this situation, the questioner could interrupt the patient and try to tell her to calm down a little, so she could ask more questions. In the other hand, it’s not a bad thing that the patient has lots of topics to talk about. We think it’s better to talk way too much, than nothing at all. A professional should know how to calm down the patient and move forward a bit slower and know when to interrupt again, if needed.  

The third video shows that the patient doesn’t want or know how to talk. They're being asked many questions but doesn’t give any answers back. This is a sticky situation, because you can’t force anyone to talk, if they’re not willing to. As social care workers, we could try changing the subject and talking about something the patient likes, and after a while, we could circle back to the topic. This might help the patient open up a bit.  

The fourth and final video almost made us annoyed, because the patient kept talking over the questioner. We could clearly notice how they would interrupt the question and talk over it. It also seemed like she was defending themself all the time and also not hearing what the questioner was saying. This situation can be frustrating but it’s important to remain calm and maybe ask for the patient to wait for the question to be done, before answering.  

 

What factors contribute to the establishment of a trust relationship? 

The factors that contribute in the establishment of a trusting relationship are pretty simple. Starting conversations positively, remaining calm and showing interest in what the patient is saying are super important. Also, reminding the patient of confidentiality agreement is significant, so that the patient remembers this. Building trust isn’t a one time thing, it takes time so showing that you care and understand might be a key factor in the situation. Listening to our patient and showing that you care means more than you might think. In the social field, you might never know what the patient is really going through, so being open and interested in the conversation is very important. 

 

What is the relationship between power and trust? 

The relationship between power and trust is close and two-way. Power needs trust to function, and trust in turn determines how power is accepted and used. Trust is the foundation & power is the structure built on top. If we think about being a boss in the social field, coming off to your employers too powerful, it might make you look bad and too arrogant. If you make sure to build trust and show that you care, it makes you look trustworthy and caring.  

 

Can you show emotions while acting as a professional? 

We express emotions in a way that is natural and ethical for a social worker. Showing them should be empathetically, calmly, and respectfully of the client's experience, but without crossing professional boundaries. Shedding few tiers while listening to client’s stories isn’t bad, it just shows that we listen & care truly.  

 

What are the key factors in customer orientated approach? 

The key elements of a customer-centric approach are listening and understanding, so that the customer's perspective and experience are truly taken into account. Customer involvement and participation in decision-making strengthens their influence and trust in services. 

 

What is the difference between discussion and dialogue? 

Discussion and dialogue are both ways of communicating, but they differ in their purpose and depth. In a discussion, people exchange information and opinions, often focusing on their own views and solving problems superficially. Dialogue, on the other hand, is built on listening, openness, and understanding the other. Its goal is to achieve a deep understanding, allowing participants to also change their own perceptions. Discussion is often a rapid and varied sharing of information, while dialogue requires calm, patience, and focus on the other person’s perspective. 

What is the difference between a dialogue and debate? 

The difference between the two is primarily seen in the attitude towards the other party. Dialogue invites participation, while argument challenges. Both have their place, but they produce different interactions. Dialogue builds connection and understanding, while argument clarifies differences and sharpens thinking. Arguments can be constructive, but it’s goal is competitive. Dialogue, on the other hand, provides a space where both parties can express their ideas without fear of being rejected 

 

Social Media and in Social and Health Care 

 

Using social media in healthcare field is very important. In work life, we might have to fill out documents, emails and use social media platforms. As an example, Kokkola’s multi-professional Anchor Team, which includes representatives from the police, social services, healthcare and youth services. They specialize in youth well-being and crime prevention. They solve all criminal activities from 18 years to younger kids and also help with problems, including problems at home, substance abuse, violence and guidance.  

 

They post pictures on Instagram and share their activities and thoughts. They also attend events, that are directed to teenagers. They usually have a stand, where kids can go ask questions from them. This is very important, because it’s a good and safe way for teenagers to get knowledge about bothering things. What we would change about their doings, is being more active in social media, so young people could see their posts and find help from them. Their latest picture is posted in May,2025, which is quite long ago. Kokkola's official website has all their information and where + when to contact them, which is good to inform about. Their activity and doings are good, because their target is young people.  

We think it’s important for young people to know where to find help, so the fact that they post pictures and texts on social media, is a good source for teenagers to find help & reliable content. It shows that the Anchor Team have thought about how to spread their information and for whom to spread it to, because using social media is contemporary these days. Also knowing how to use social media is significant, because we use it in the working field almost every day. It’s important to know where to get right information. If you can’t help, you should know where to direct the one asking for help. If you are able to help, remember to use reliable recourses, so the information can be trusted. 

 

 

Criteria of good service in Social and Health care.  Act on the Status and Rights of Patients and Social Welfare clients. Complain about treatment 

 

A high-quality social and health care service means that the client receives the service they need at the right time and in the right place. The service must be based on the best available information or researched evidence that promotes the well-being, health and safety of the clients and aims to minimize risks. Quality also includes the fact that the activity is carried out efficiently and economically within the available resources. The quality of the service is assessed using several criteria. Customer orientation is key, taking into account the client's needs, wishes and life situation. Patient and client safety are also essential, as are fairness and equal treatment. Care and service must be timely, and the competence of the staff and the smoothness of operations have significant impact on the overall quality. In addition, services are required to be effective. It means that they must be beneficial to the client's well-being.  

Staffing, enough resources and the client's ability to choose services support high-quality implementation. Social health care is also guided by legislation, such as the act on the status and rights of patients. According to this, everyone has the right to appropriate care and equal treatment. The client or patient must be treated with respect, without violating their human dignity, beliefs and privacy. In addition, possible cultural and linguistic backgrounds and family needs must be taken into notice, especially when it comes to children. Good care and service have great practical significance from the perspective of both the clients and the entire service system. First of all, it supports their health, well-being and coping with everyday life. When the service is high quality, the client feels heard, understood and respected & it increases trust. Good care and service also prevent problems from getting worse and reduce the need for more expensive services. For example, early support, clear guidance and competent advice can prevent crises and increase a sense of security. Overall, the practical significance of good care and service is that it improves both the well-being of the clients 

However, if the customer is not satisfied with the treatment, it is worth discussing the matter first. The customer also has the right to make a written feedback, which must be responded to within a reasonable time. If the reminder does not help or the situation is serious, a complaint must be filed.  
 
The social and patient ombudsman advises and supports customers and patients in matters related to their rights in social and health care. They provide information about rights, helps to understand decisions and advises on how to act if there are shortcomings in the services 

The ombudsman also helps to prepare reminders, complaints and requests for corrections, but does not make or change decisions themself. They monitor the implementation of the rights of customers and patients in the welfare area and providesfeedback for the development of services. It is worth turning to the ombudsman when you have doubts about the treatment or service, decisions are unclear or you want help with an appeal. 

 

 

Professional Growth 

 

We are currently halfway through our first year as a social workers. Everything is new but things are already starting to feel familiar and safe. It’s wonderful to realize how quickly the first half of the year has gone by and that we have made it through, even though it was stressful and felt difficult. We’ve learned lots of new things and have already noticed a change in our language. We’ve started to use social work dialogue in our conversations. We have both chosen to focus on social guidance, because we find it more suitable for us, even though we love working with children. We hope to work in child welfare in the future, helping children and young people who need us and our support & help. We both want to do something meaningful and rewarding. Even though it can sometimes be really hard on our minds. 

Patricia Benner's theory describes how a nurse's competence develops with experience. According to Benner, true expertise is only created in practical work in situations where the nurse encounters patients and learns by doing. Benner divides the development of a nurse's competence into five levels. The first is the novice, a beginning nurse who does not yet have practical experience, so they need clear instructions and rules to support them. The second is the advanced beginner, experience has begun to come and the nurse recognizes recurring situations. Decision-making is strongly dependent on support and guidance. The third is the competent, with about 2–3 years of experience. The nurse is able to plan their work, prioritize and make considered decisions. The work is systematic and calm. The fourth level is skilled, meaning situations are perceived as whole, and the nurse acts proactively. Intuition and situational sensitivity is starting to strengthen. The fifth level is expertise, meaning the expert nurse understands situations deeply and acts flexibly without rule-based instructions. Competence is based on strong practical experience. Benner's model helps to understand how nurses can be supported at different career stages. It emphasizes that experience plays a huge role in clinical competence and that learning continues throughout the entire working career 

Becoming an expert as a social worker requires both extensive professional expertise and personal growth. The work of a social worker is built on a strong theoretical foundation, which helps us understand social structures, the social service system and the factors that affect clients' life situations. However, knowledge alone is not enough, because we also need to have interaction and guidance skills, as the work is based on meeting people and supporting them in everyday challenges. Expertise also requires continuous reflection on one's own activities. Ethical competence is a key part of the professionalism of a social worker, because in the work one often encounters people in a vulnerable position and makes decisions that have a great impact on their lives. In addition, expertise is built in multidisciplinary co-operation, which requires the ability to work with different professionals and networks to achieve common goals. Expertise is also not a permanent state, but a continuous process that requires a desire to learn new things and the ability to adapt to changes. Self-management skills such as time management, maintaining resilience and recognizing professional boundaries also support growth as an expert. Through all of this, the social worker strengthens their own professional identity and develops into a responsible, reflective and humane expert. However, in our opinion, implementing all this knowledge and skills in working life is the most important skill. That is what makes a real expert in the end. 

 

Ethics 
 

As social service workers, one of the most important qualities is ethics. Treating everyone equally and respectfully is common sense that we should all remember. While learning from the given materials, we found that human rights, humanity, values and equality are pretty much the strongest pillars in the social field. Ethics in the social welfare and health care field, should not be considered just from the perspective of the service or treatment received by an individual patient or client. As professionals, we have to look at situations from multiple perspectives and sides.  

A big question in ethics is what is right, and what is wrong? It's important to learn the rules of the place you work in or go to practice at. Everyone has their own history and traumas. We don’t really know what might be going on in the patients life, so remembering to be polite and understanding is the key. Our ethical views are based on our view of the world and the concept of the human beings.  

Because we work among such deep and harsh topics sometimes, it’s super important to remember beneficence. Always be positive and spread it around yourself. Our obligation is to do good and prevent bad thoughts and doings. Following the legislation, rules, and the values is very important in the social field. Treating everyone equally and ethically with our whole hearts and understanding the basics of professional interaction. We know how to face our clients within their own needs, wishes and experiences.  

• Everyone is equal. 

• Morals are based on our ethics. 

• We have to remember to be respectful always, even if a patient is treating us wrong at the moment. Being a professional is the key. 

• Values and equality! 

• It's better to ask and be respectful other than assume, because we might be wrong and offence the patient. 

 

At the end of our blog, we can say, that what is taught to us in school, isn’t always enough. Especially in our field, it’s important to know how to improvise in different situations and clients. What we would like to bring up is to always be positive with no prejudices and to be kind. Thank you for being on this journey with us. With love, Erika & Nella.