O trabalho do (a) assistente social no Hospital de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal da Bahia

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This research was motivated by the concerns and questions raised from the insertion of this researcher as a Social Worker at the Veterinary Medicine Hospital of the Federal University of Bahia (HOSPMEV/UFBA). In order to explore the issues arising from the development of professional practice, the following research question was proposed: what are the particularities of the professional work of the social worker at the Veterinary Medicine Hospital of the Federal University of Bahia? Thus, the central objective of this study was defined as analyzing the particularity of the social worker's professional practice at HOSPMEV/UFBA, understood as a socio-occupational field with specific characteristics that require analysis and characterization. The specific objectives included: describing the activities carried out by the social worker at HOSPMEV/UFBA; demonstrating the manifestations of the social question that are brought to the attention of Social Work; identifying the work processes in which the social worker is involved; and identifying the main limitations and possibilities for the development of professional practice at HOSPMEV. This study is grounded in the historical and dialectical materialist method, which is understood as the most appropriate path to understand reality, considering it as a construct whose structure demands an analysis of totality, universality, negativity, and singularity, as defined by Marx (2011). The approach is qualitative in nature, since the main interest lies in understanding and interpreting the phenomena that emerge from reality, rather than merely describing them. As for the technical and operational procedures, a bibliographic and documentary review was conducted to map the state of the art on the topic and to examine institutional documents that support the development of the professional work at HOSPMEV. Subsequently, data analysis was carried out through the systematization of the professional experience within the institution, in line with the approach discussed by Almeida (2016). A central aspect in the systematization process is the clear identification of the theoretical and methodological frameworks that guide professional practice. This includes the conscious choice of theoretical foundations, the definition of action strategies, and the recognition of the object of professional intervention. By doing so, the social worker can anticipate both the limits and possibilities of their practice, establishing clear objectives and continuously evaluating the results achieved. Throughout this study, it became evident that the practice of Social Work at HOSPMEV is an expression of a professional project committed to the principles of equity, social justice, and the universalization of rights. The analyzed experience shows that the social worker’s role goes beyond the execution of technical procedures, such as conducting socioeconomic evaluations. It assumes a broader and more strategic dimension that involves conflict mediation, the reception of complex demands, qualified listening, and participation in a multidisciplinary team. This study underscores the need to broaden the debate on the socio-occupational spaces of Social Work, considering the complexity of social demands that emerge in the contemporary context. This reflection not only highlights the importance of Social Work in new socio-occupational fields, such as animal health, but also enables the construction of more integrated, critical, and responsive professional practices—reinforcing the commitment to the guarantee of rights and the pursuit of social justice.

Keywords: Work; Veterinary Hospital; Social Work.