Social Work Ethics and Values Flashcards
7 cards from real LMSW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Social Work Ethics and Values flashcards as text
A social worker discovers that a colleague is romantically involved with a current client. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, what is the social worker's primary obligation?
Answer: Report the situation to a supervisor or ethics committee
The NASW Code of Ethics requires social workers to take action when they have knowledge that a colleague is engaging in unethical conduct, which includes reporting to appropriate supervisory or ethics bodies.
Which ethical principle in social work practice is best illustrated when a social worker supports a client's right to make choices that the worker personally disagrees with?
Answer: Self-determination
Self-determination is the ethical principle that affirms clients' rights to make their own choices and decisions, even when those choices conflict with the worker's personal values.
A social worker in private practice wants to terminate services with a client who has been making slow progress. What is the primary ethical concern the worker must address before termination?
Answer: Ensuring the client does not feel abandoned and facilitating appropriate referrals
The NASW Code of Ethics requires social workers to avoid abandonment and to take reasonable steps to ensure continuity of care, including referrals, when terminating services.
When a social worker's personal religious beliefs conflict with a client's lifestyle, the ethical course of action is to:
Answer: Set aside personal values and provide professional services
Social workers are ethically obligated to provide services regardless of personal religious or moral beliefs, setting aside personal values to serve clients professionally.
Under HIPAA and social work ethics, a client's medical records can be disclosed without consent in which situation?
Answer: When required by a court order or subpoena
Court orders and subpoenas are legal mandates that require disclosure of protected health information, overriding the general confidentiality protections under HIPAA.
A client in group therapy discloses information about another group member outside the session. The social worker's best response is to:
Answer: Address the importance of confidentiality within the group in the next session
Social workers should reinforce confidentiality norms within groups, as they cannot guarantee that all members will maintain confidentiality but must educate members about its importance.
According to the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers must seek supervision or consultation when:
Answer: They are working with a new client population or facing complex ethical dilemmas
Social workers are ethically obligated to seek supervision or consultation when facing situations outside their competence or when confronting complex ethical dilemmas.