Social Welfare Workers and Complex Patient Needs at Sekou Toure Regional Referral Hospital in Mwanza Region, Tanzania

This study examined how social welfare workers cope with complex patient needs at Sekou Toure Regional Referral Hospital in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. The study was guided by Role Strain Theory. A qualitative case study design qualitative research approach were adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with social welfare workers, key informant interviews with supervisory staff, and document review. The data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that social welfare workers operate in a demanding environment characterized by staff shortages, unpredictable working hours and complex psychosocial cases. These conditions contributed to physical fatigue, emotional exhaustion, reduced time for individual clients and feelings of professional inadequacy. Workers coped through task prioritization, emotional regulation, peer support, collaboration, referral, professional boundary-setting, self-counselling and spiritual practices. However, most coping mechanisms were informal and largely depended on individual resilience and collegial support, while structured institutional support for workload management and emotional well-being remained limited. The study concludes that coping with complex patient needs was a relational and professional process rather than an exclusively individual psychological response. Recommendations were drawn to various institutions and stakeholders to collaborate strengthen policy guidelines and interventions which prioritise staff welfare and workload in hospital settings in Mwanza Region.