I
A nursing home social worker is assessing a client who is oriented and alert. The client has terminal cancer. The client declines a medical procedure that most likely will prolong his life. An adult child tries to persuade the social worker to change the client’s mind about the decision. The social worker should:
A) Respect the client’s right to make the decision regarding the procedure.
B) Explain to the client the treatment choice that has been made by the child.
C) Allow the client’s family member to make an appropriate choice.
D) Allow the child to assist the father in making the decision unless it violates the Code of Ethics.
A
RATIONALE: When working with adult clients we need to respect the right to self-determination. Even though the procedure could prolong the client’s life we respect self-determination and let the client make the medical decision on their own accord. The opinion of the child is not relevant in this question.
According to Freud, which of the following is an example of how a person would behave if their id went unchecked?
A They see a cake and want to eat it so they go ahead and eat the entire cake.
B They see a cake and want to eat it but wait a few hours to have a piece.
C They see a cake and want to eat it so they walk away and do not have a piece.
D They see a cake and want to eat it but offer it to a friend instead.
A
RATIONALE: According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories. The id works on the pleasure principle and acts on impulses and desires.
Which of the following is the MOST important benefit of community participation in social work practice?
A It puts the decision-making power partly or fully with the community members.
B It shows politicians that individuals want to get involved and need change in their communities.
C It informs community members about the work that needs to be done to create change.
D It helps manage workload to be divided up amongst community members.
A
RATIONALE: When community members are involved in the decisions of their community, they will be empowered to make lasting changes. When working in communities it is essential that social workers work WITH community members and respect their involvement in the decision-making process.
The classic features of depression include all of the following EXCEPT?
A
Significant weight loss or weight gain.
B
Fatigue or loss of energy reported on most days.
C
Longer periods of deep sleep with inability to regain energy when waking.
D
Loss of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable.
C
RATIONALE: Longer periods of deep sleep with the inability to regain energy MAY be a symptom of depression. However, it is not a classic feature because some people may experience sleep disturbances that cause hypersomnia (excessive tiredness) OR insomnia (difficulty sleeping). The other answer choices are “classic” depression symptoms included in DSM 5 diagnostic criteria.
This is the primary purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics
To provide a set of standards for social work practice and to help navigate ethical dilemmas.
You are volunteering to work on a crisis hotline. You receive an anonymous call and the caller discloses his wife has made threatening comments and he is worried she may have a plan to commit suicide. As you are taking down the information you realize that this man’s wife is your client. Ethically speaking, what is the best course of action?
A) Hang up. Taking the call would be a conflict of interest.
B) Suggest ways the caller can help protect the safety of his wife.
C) Tell the caller you are his wife's therapist and ask to speak to the wife directly.
D) Continue the call and collect information about the wife so you can bring it up in your next therapy session.
B
Answers C and D would violate the ethical principle of confidentiality. Answer A is not appropriate as we would never hang up on a client in crisis. B is the most appropriate answer as it provides safety planning support for the client.
Define informed consent in social work.
Ensuring clients understand the risks and benefits of services and are able to consent willingly.
An adult client with little support from family and friends is being discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation program. Which of the following social work activities will BEST contribute to the client’s successful reentry into the community?
A Establishing permanent housing resources for the client.
B Ensuring that discharge is the appropriate step for the client.
C Collaborating with community agencies.
D Helping the client obtain financial resources.
C
RATIONALE: This question is asking for the best way to help the client re-enter into the community. Because the question states that the client does not have strong family ties and is being discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation program, it will be important to connect the client to community agencies to provide additional support.
A 13-year-old male is referred to the social worker by a teacher. The student struggles with personal hygiene, getting to school on time, rarely turns in homework, and is constantly falling asleep. What should the social worker assess for FIRST?
A
Child abuse
B
Child neglect
C
Substance abuse
D
Level of motivation
B
RATIONALE: Signs of child neglect may include: Consistently poor hygiene, poor sleep habits, lack of appropriate clothing for weather or season, frequently unsupervised, left alone or allowed to play in unsafe situations, and lack of needed medical or dental care. The stated signs indicate an assessment for neglect is needed.
Name one of the core values identified by the NASW Code of Ethics
Service, Social Justice, Dignity and Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, Integrity, Competence.
What is the guideline on physical contact in social work?
Social workers should avoid inappropriate physical contact with clients.
What steps must be taken for clients who lack decision-making capacity?
Protect and ensure decisions are made with the client’s best interests in mind, often involving a legal guardian or family.
What are the requirements for ethical termination of services?
Clients should be notified in advance, and services should be terminated in a way that minimizes potential harm.
A social worker is working in a community mental health setting with a client who has previously met with several other social workers in the agency. After the second session, the client calls and leaves a message with the receptionist stating he wants to discontinue services. What should the social worker do?
A
Wait for the client to reconnect with services if requested.
B
Ask the client to schedule a session to discuss the decision.
C
Contact the client to explore referral options for continued treatment.
D
Discuss the issue with the clinical supervisor.
B
RATIONALE: The social worker needs to collect more information on why the client wants to discontinue services. This would be best done by scheduling a meeting to discuss this decision. Answer A is not an appropriate response. C may be done at a later time but not until a meeting is set. Seeking supervision does not handle the client’s problem and is not necessary at this time.
A new social worker at a Head Start program has been assigned to work with an African American woman and her two young children. The social worker is a white female from a rural town who has never worked with an African American client. The social worker feels unsure of her abilities to connect and provide services to this client. In order to build cultural competence, the social worker should FIRST?
A
Explore her own self-identity and how her beliefs may affect the therapeutic relationship.
B
Obtain literature on best practices for working with diverse clients.
C
Identify cultural norms that may help her connect with the client.
D
Ask the social work supervisor to co-treat the family.
A
RATIONALE: Cultural competence is the ability to comprehend, interact, and communicate with individuals regardless of their cultural background. Cultural competency starts with an awareness of one’s own cultural views. The social worker needs to explore her self-identity to determine where areas of need may lie.
What should social workers do if unable to provide services due to a lack of competence in a specific area?
Refer the client to another professional who is qualified to address those specific needs.
How does the NASW Code of Ethics guide social workers in handling service fees and inability to pay?
Encourages use of sliding scale fees and requires that social workers do not terminate services solely because a client cannot pay
What is the "empty chair" technique associated with in therapy?
Gestalt therapy, which emphasizes personal responsibility and experience in the present moment.
A family who has just immigrated to the United States from Mexico comes to the hospital for medical care for their son. He repeatedly has stomach pains and headaches and they are worried something more serious may be going on. In the intake with the parents, the social worker determines that they have previously tried taking the son to a local spiritual healer but he still continues to get sick. What would be the BEST course of action for the social worker to take?
A
Report the family to CPS for medical neglect.
B
Explain to the family that it is not acceptable in the US to go to spiritual healers.
C
Acknowledge the family’s concerns and explain to them what will happen next at their visit.
D
Refer the family to a support group for children with medical needs.
C
It is important to respect the client's cultural background. Acknowledging their concern and explaining what will happen next is the BEST response. There is no indication that medical neglect is occurring. Answer B is inappropriate and places personal assumptions on the client. Referring the client to a support group is not needed at this time.
What is the focus of Narrative Therapy?
Helping clients reframe their life stories in a more positive way.
This is the goal of Motivational Interviewing.
To enhance motivation by helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence towards behavior change.
Describe what emotional regulation is in DBT?
Techniques used to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life.
What is COMPENSATION in defense mechanisms?
Making up for perceived weaknesses by excelling in other areas.
Explain the defense mechanism of CONVERSION.
Physical manifestation of repressed events or feelings, like nausea before a test.
Refusing to acknowledge the reality of a painful or threatening situation.