Kimberly Giamportone, PhD
SHE | HER | HERS
- Assistant Professor
Education
- PhD, Widener University, 2020
- Zelda Foster MSW Fellowship in PELC, NYU Silver School of Social Work, 2014
- MSW, Marywood University, 2008
Dr. Giamportone is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. Her clinical experience in medical social work was honed in the areas of hospice and palliative care departments prior to moving into academia full time. In addition to her social work responsibilities, Kimberly served as faculty for the physician hospice/palliative fellowship and was an integral member of the hospital ethics committee. Prior to USM, Kimberly was an Assistant Director of Field Education and an adjunct social work instructor for many years. She is passionate about elevating students on a path of continued life-long learning and critical thinking. She incorporates real world examples into the curriculum and has taught on a wide range of courses including Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Field Education, Grief & Loss, and Medical Social Work.
Kimberly’s dissertation and continued research interests are focused on the facilitators and barriers to medical team cohesion within interprofessional teams. Additional interests include application of the code of ethics in guiding social work practice, and preparing social work students for future employment in healthcare settings.
Selected Publications
Take a look at Dr. Kimberly Giamportone's most recent publication on her work in hospice!
Giamportone, K.E. (2021). A journey to hospice: Reflection on one patient’s barriers to service. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2021.1977762
In this reflection, I highlight how a well-informed cancer patient faced barriers to receiving specialist palliative care and hospice services. The information adds another voice and perspective regarding the importance of disseminating information about the benefits of specialist palliative services to a broader base than just patients. Oncologists are often the gatekeepers to patients' access to services including palliative care and hospice. As social workers in this field, we have a responsibility to facilitate more meaningful connections between palliative care, hospice, and oncology practices in order to address the systemic and social barriers blocking inclusion of specialist services to patients in need.
USM School of Social Work MSW students participate in a virtual interdisciplinary simulation event.
Professors Kimberly Giamportone, PhD and Donna Wampole, DSW assisted in the facilitation and inclusion of MSW students participating in the 2021 virtual platform simulation event hosted by Tufts School of Medicine Maine Track and MaineHealth. The simulation exercises provided an opportunity to practice interdisciplinary communication and coordination skills with students from medical, nurse practitioner and physician assistant programs using actors in the role of patient and family members.
Education
- PhD, Widener University, 2020
- Zelda Foster MSW Fellowship in PELC, NYU Silver School of Social Work, 2014
- MSW, Marywood University, 2008