Ethics and Professional Standards Flashcards

The ethical concept of 'least restrictive environment' in clinical decision-making means:

Answer: The least intensive appropriate level of care should be used

Least restrictive environment means using the lowest level of care that can safely and effectively meet the client's needs.

An LCSW discovers that a supervisee has been romantically involved with a client. As supervisor, the LCSW should:

Answer: Address the violation, remove the supervisee from client contact, and report as required

Supervisors have an ethical and legal obligation to address boundary violations that harm clients, including removing the supervisee and reporting as mandated.

Which of the following BEST describes the ethical obligation of social work advocacy?

Answer: Promoting social justice and challenging unjust policies on behalf of clients and communities

Social work ethics require advocacy at individual and systemic levels, including challenging policies that perpetuate oppression and injustice.

When a client is unable to provide informed consent due to cognitive impairment, the LCSW should:

Answer: Obtain substituted judgment from a legal guardian or healthcare proxy

When a client lacks decision-making capacity, a legally designated surrogate uses substituted judgment to make decisions in the client's best interest.

Documentation in clinical social work serves all of the following purposes EXCEPT:

Answer: Sharing clinical impressions with the client's employer

Clinical records are confidential and cannot be shared with an employer without the client's specific written consent.

The concept of 'reasonable care' in malpractice applies when an LCSW's conduct is compared to:

Answer: What a reasonably competent social worker would do in similar circumstances

Malpractice standards measure conduct against what a competent professional with similar training would do under the same circumstances.