Five panelists will share their experiences using social workers to recruit research subjects and collect data in gerontological and/or end-of-life settings. Featured projects have been conducted in a wide range of settings, including inpatient and home hospice care, nursing homes, hospitals, and community agencies. The projects have also varied greatly in scope; while some were predominantly descriptive in nature, others were designed to evaluate specific programs or interventions. Each panelist will provide a brief summary of his/her experiences, characterizing the scope and purpose of the research, the populations involved, and the geographic location. In addition, they will address four questions:

1) In what settings have you used social workers to collect data and/or recruit subjects?

2) How would you characterize your level of success in using social workers to collect data and/or recruit subjects?

3) What challenges have you faced in these efforts?

4) What strategies have you used that successfully addressed these challenges? What strategies were not successful?

The panelists have experienced different levels of success in their field research. Some common challenges involved social workers' discomfort with the research process, heavy caseloads and lack of time for research tasks, and protectiveness toward clients and families that often precluded involvement in research. Strategies associated with increased levels of success included: securing administrative buy-in and support for research; implementing extensive training, supervision, and monitoring of data collectors; and altering subject recruitment and data collection procedures in response to social worker feedback.

Following panelists' presentations and a brief question and answer period, the moderator will facilitate a large group discussion involving panelists and audience members. Several questions will be used to guide this discussion:

1) How are the field-based research experiences of panelists similar to (or divergent from) the experiences of audience members?

2) To what extent are some of the identified challenges related to, or influenced by: a) perceived vulnerabilities of the populations under study (e.g., older adults, persons with sensory impairments, dying persons)? b) characteristics of the service setting(s)? c) education and experience levels of social workers in these settings?

3) What are the benefits of using social worker practitioners to collect data and/or recruit subjects? And, under what circumstances do these benefits outweigh some of the challenges encountered in these efforts?

4) What other strategies might be used to enhance the success of these field research efforts?

5) What are some of the implications of these experiences, in terms of: a) social worker education and training? b) funding sought for primary data collection in field settings? c) training and supervision of field research staff? d) research collaborations between academia and field settings?