Social workers: Guiding care beyond the bedside

The role of a social worker reflects the modern affirmation: “I am a lighthouse rather than a lifeboat. I do not rescue but instead help others to find their own way to shore.”

Social workers are essential in delivering well-rounded, person-centered care at Sharp HealthCare. While patients often spend more time face-to-face with doctors and nurses when hospitalized, social workers are among the caregivers who work behind the scenes to ensure every need is met — both inside and outside the hospital. At Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, Rhaelynne Scherr, a senior social work specialist, and Desiree Orozco, a medical social worker, are part of a larger team that supports patients hospitalwide from the emergency room to specialty care units. Whether supporting a family after a difficult diagnosis, coordinating resources for a safe discharge, or helping patients overcome barriers to care, their day-to-day work is far from routine.

Nothing routine about it

Scherr has been a social worker for her entire career and has worked at Sharp Chula Vista since 2023. When asked to describe her role, she smiles.

“What don’t we do? I feel like we wear many hats,” she says. “We’re constantly moving throughout the hospital, supporting patients and families in many different ways to make sure they’re set up for success, not just medically, but in their overall well-being once they leave the hospital and return to their daily lives.”

Social workers partner closely with case managers, though their roles differ. While case managers typically focus on coordinating clinical discharge needs, social workers step in when there are social, financial or emotional barriers to care. This can include food insecurity, housing instability, behavioral health needs and challenges with transportation.

No two days look the same, but the goal remains constant: to empower, enable and encourage patients to access resources they might not know exist or may be unfamiliar to them, but that are within their systems of care.

“Every day is a new experience, and you never know what it will hold,” Scherr says. “We just have to be flexible and ready to step in to help our patients who need extra support.”

Making what seems impossible, possible

The impact of a social worker can sometimes extend far beyond traditional care and may even include granting wishes.

Orozco supports patients and families at Birch Patrick Skilled Nursing Facility. She knows firsthand the lengths care teams will go to support patients while delivering The Sharp Experience.

In August 2025, Orozco helped coordinate a special trip home for a patient with cerebral palsy receiving hospice care at Birch Patrick. Working closely with American Medical Response (AMR) and the patient’s family, she helped fulfill his birthday wish to return home for a few hours, with all the necessary medical support and safety measures in place.

What may have seemed like a simple visit required months of planning, coordination and advocacy. But for the patient, his family and Orozco, it meant everything.

“Coordinating his trip home is a reminder of why we do this work,” she shares. “Being able to give him the chance to be home and surrounded by loved ones is something I’ll never forget.”

In celebration of social workers

The act of compassion is one of the reasons Orozco was selected as one of four recipients of the 2025 Daniel L. Gross Spirit of Caring Award, which recognizes individuals across Sharp who go above and beyond to provide exceptional, compassionate care. More recently, she and Scherr were among 25 social workers systemwide nominated for the 2026 Linda White Social Worker of the Year Award, which was celebrated at the annual Social Work Celebration during National Social Work Month in March at the Sharp Prebys Innovation and Education Center.

While honored, Orozco is quick to shift the spotlight. “The Spirit of Caring Award I received last year may have my name on it,” she says. “But it represents the work that all of our social workers are doing every day for our patients and their families. We often lean on each other to find ways to overcome hurdles to benefit the patient, and we can’t do our jobs to the best of our ability without one another.”

From the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sharp Mary Birch Center for Women & Newborns Chula Vista to the Birch Patrick Skilled Nursing Facility and the Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center, social workers at Sharp Chula Vista like Orozco and Scherr play a critical role in supporting patients at every stage of care.

Learn more about recognizing a social worker at Sharp who has made a difference in your care or the care of a loved one through the Guardian Angel program, which provides patients and families an opportunity to honor caregivers while supporting programs and services at Sharp.