Correct Answer: C

Rationale: This is the best answer because it acknowledges the ethical complexity of the situation. The patient is a minor, which means their legal right to make independent medical decisions is limited, even though they are 16 and expressing mature reasoning. At the same time, the principle of self-determination and respect for autonomy is central in social work and healthcare ethics. The parents’ strong disagreement introduces a conflict between parental authority, the patient’s voice, and best practices in end-of-life care.

By bringing the matter to the hospital’s ethics committee, the social worker is following professional protocols for handling value-laden conflicts. Ethics committees are specifically tasked with reviewing such cases, ensuring that all perspectives: patient, family, medical team, and ethical standards are considered. This allows for an informed, balanced, and ethically sound resolution, rather than placing the burden solely on the social worker.

Why the Other Options Are Less Appropriate

A. Advocate for the patient’s right to make their own health decisions, aligning with the principle of self-determination.

• While self-determination is a core social work value, in this case, the patient is a minor, and the law typically grants parents authority over medical decisions. A 16-year-old may be heard and respected, but they usually cannot unilaterally decide to end or refuse treatment. Advocating solely for the patient risks ignoring legal realities and escalating conflict with the parents, without resolving the ethical dilemma.

B. Seek a case consultation with a senior social worker for guidance, avoiding involvement in the patient-parent disagreement.

• Consulting with a senior colleague can be helpful, but this option avoids the central issue. It removes the social worker from the conflict rather than facilitating resolution. Ethical dilemmas in healthcare require structured processes, not just informal peer guidance. While consultation might be a step, it doesn’t address the urgency or complexity of this high-stakes situation.

D. Offer psychoeducation to the family about terminal illness and end-of-life care, discussing potential options for care.

• Providing psychoeducation is valuable, but on its own, it is insufficient in this situation. The conflict isn’t simply about lack of information; it’s about values, autonomy, and authority. Education may help reduce distress or misunderstanding, but it won’t resolve the fundamental ethical disagreement between the parents’ insistence and the patient’s expressed wishes.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: This is the best answer because effective treatment planning with a client who has a disability must be person-centered. Disabilities manifest differently for each individual, and two clients with the same diagnosis may have very different capabilities, needs, and goals.

By tailoring assistance to the specific needs and preferences of the client, the social worker ensures that interventions respect the client’s individuality, autonomy, and lived experience. This aligns with best practices in disability-informed care and avoids a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

In short, B captures the essence of individualized, responsive, client-driven planning.

Why the Other Options Are Less Appropriate

A. Recognizing the client’s abilities alongside the disability.

• This is important, as it emphasizes a strengths-based approach, which helps avoid viewing the client solely through the lens of their disability. However, on its own, it is too general. Simply recognizing abilities does not necessarily translate into concrete, personalized planning. While valuable, it is not as actionable for treatment planning as tailoring assistance to specific needs and preferences.

C. Implementing an individualized approach.

• This sounds correct, but it is too broad and vague. Every treatment plan should be individualized, not just for clients with disabilities. The answer lacks specificity to the disability context. B is stronger because it emphasizes how to implement that individualization: by focusing on the client’s specific needs and preferences. In other words, C points in the right direction, but B operationalizes it.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The principle of beneficence refers to a professional’s ethical obligation to promote the well-being of clients and act in their best interests. In social work, this includes providing services that enhance quality of life, protecting clients from harm, and ensuring that interventions are supportive and purposeful. Beneficence goes beyond “do no harm” (nonmaleficence) by requiring social workers to take active steps to foster positive outcomes.

This directly matches the question’s phrasing: promoting clients’ well-being and ensuring their best interests.

Why the Other Options Are Less Appropriate

A. Autonomy

• Autonomy is about respecting the client’s right to self-determination and independent decision-making. While autonomy is central in social work ethics, it focuses on honoring the client’s choices, even when those choices may not align with what others believe is in their “best interests.” Therefore, autonomy is related but does not capture the emphasis on actively promoting well-being in the way beneficence does.

B. Fidelity

• Fidelity is about loyalty, trustworthiness, and keeping commitments. In social work, it refers to being reliable, honoring professional relationships, and maintaining confidentiality. While important, fidelity does not directly address the obligation to promote client well-being or act in their best interests.

C. Justice

• Justice refers to fairness, equality, and equity in service provision and resource allocation. Social workers uphold justice by advocating for marginalized groups and working to reduce systemic inequalities. While justice is a crucial value, it is more about fair treatment in the social context than about the individualized focus on promoting a specific client’s well-being.