LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: 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?
- Confront the colleague privately and urge them to end the relationship
- Report the situation to a supervisor or ethics committee (Correct answer)
- Document the observation and take no further action
- Discuss the situation with the client to assess harm
Correct 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.
Question 2: 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?
- Beneficence
- Self-determination (Correct answer)
- Nonmaleficence
- Justice
Correct 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.
Question 3: 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?
- Whether the client can afford other services
- Ensuring the client does not feel abandoned and facilitating appropriate referrals (Correct answer)
- Whether the worker has documented all sessions properly
- Obtaining written consent from the client to terminate
Correct 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.
Question 4: When a social worker's personal religious beliefs conflict with a client's lifestyle, the ethical course of action is to:
- Refer the client to another worker who shares their values
- Set aside personal values and provide professional services (Correct answer)
- Disclose the conflict to the client and let the client decide
- Integrate religious perspectives into the treatment approach
Correct 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.
Question 5: Under HIPAA and social work ethics, a client's medical records can be disclosed without consent in which situation?
- When an employer requests information for a background check
- When required by a court order or subpoena (Correct answer)
- When a family member claims they need the information for caregiving
- When another healthcare provider is curious about the client's history
Correct 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.
Question 6: A client in group therapy discloses information about another group member outside the session. The social worker's best response is to:
- Terminate the client from the group immediately
- Address the importance of confidentiality within the group in the next session (Correct answer)
- Contact the other group member to inform them of the breach
- Document the incident and take no further action
Correct 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.
Question 7: According to the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers must seek supervision or consultation when:
- They are working with a new client population or facing complex ethical dilemmas (Correct answer)
- Their caseload exceeds 30 clients per month
- A client requests a second opinion on treatment recommendations
- They are considering changing jobs or practice settings
Correct 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.
LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values 2
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?