On the ASWB exam, you’ll likely see questions involving collaboration—because in real-world practice, social workers rarely work alone. Section 2.03 of the NASW Code of Ethics outlines how social workers should ethically engage as part of interdisciplinary teams, especially when professional values clash.

Here’s the full standard:

2.03 Interdisciplinary Collaboration
(a) Social workers who are members of an interdisciplinary team should participate in and contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of clients by drawing on the perspectives, values, and experiences of the social work profession. Professional and ethical obligations of the interdisciplinary team as a whole and of its individual members should be clearly established.

(b) Social workers for whom a team decision raises ethical concerns should attempt to resolve the disagreement through appropriate channels. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, social workers should pursue other avenues to address their concerns consistent with client well-being.

What It Means in Practice

Social workers bring a unique lens to interdisciplinary teams—one rooted in ethics, empowerment, and advocacy. This section reminds you to:

  • Speak up in team settings

  • Know your professional responsibilities

  • Raise concerns when client well-being or ethical principles are at risk

  • Navigate disagreement constructively and responsibly

Key Guidelines

(a) Participate actively and represent social work values

  • Don’t defer blindly to medical, legal, or administrative decisions

  • Offer a client-centered, systems-aware perspective

  • Ensure team goals align with social work ethics (e.g., dignity, informed consent)

(b) Address ethical concerns thoughtfully

  • Try resolving conflicts through respectful dialogue

  • Use supervision, ethics committees, or formal procedures if needed

  • If necessary, take further steps to protect client welfare (e.g., documentation, reporting, escalation)

Practice Question

On the licensing exam, a question based on this standard might look like:

A social worker on a hospital discharge team is concerned about a recommendation to send a medically stable but housing-insecure patient to a shelter known for unsafe conditions. The rest of the team supports the decision. What is the most ethical next step for the social worker?

A. Remain respectful silent, since the decision was made by medical staff

B. Document the concern and escalate it through appropriate channels

C. Follow the majority decision to preserve team cohesion

D. Override the plan and discharge the client to a safer placement

How to narrow it down: A and C avoid ethical responsibility; D bypasses collaboration and may exceed the social worker’s authority. Ethical collaboration means speaking up when client well-being is at risk—even when you're outnumbered. Escalating respectfully is the next right step.
The correct answer is B.

Want to practice more situations like this—where ethics and teamwork intersect? SWTP’s full-length ASWB practice tests are built to challenge your judgment across all content areas .

Take your first step toward passing—start practicing today.




June 6, 2025
Categories :
  ethics  
  practice  
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