Field Instruction: A Guide for Social Work Students

Field Instruction is a comprehensive, student-friendly guide for those beginning their first social work field experience. The text addresses the most common questions, concerns, and problems students encounter in their field practicums and provides them with essential information for completing the field experience successfully. It is structured so that "early" questions about preparing for the first interview are presented ahead of more complicated issues such as resolving ethical dilemmas. However, the convenient table of contents and index make it easy for students and instructors to access information outside this chronological system whenever necessary. Questions for class discussion and experimental assignments for students are provided to enhance the learning experience for both students and instructors.

Table of Contents:
Each Chapter begins with "Overview" and ends with "Ideas for Enriching Your Practicum Experience," "References," and "Additional Readings." Preface. 1. Field Instruction and the Social Work Curriculum. Why Do Social Work Students Have Field Instruction? What Is the Role of the Faculty Field Liaison? What Is the History of Field Instruction in Social Work? What Are the Current Standards for Field Instruction? Are There Different Types of Field Placement? How Are Students Prepared for Field Instruction? How Are Practicum Students Supervised? How Are Classroom Learning and Field Instruction Integrated? What Is the Purpose of Field Seminars? Do Students with Undergraduate Field Instruction Get Credit When They Work Toward a Master's Degree in Social Work? Is It Possible for a Graduate Student to Have a Placement Where He or She Is Also Employed? 2. The Partnership with Social Service Agencies. Why Do Agencies Accept Student Interns? How Are Field Agencies Chosen? How Are Field Instructors Selected? How Are Agencies and Students Matched? What Specifically Are Social Service Agencies Looking for in Student Interns? How Will the Agency Evaluate My Performance as a Student Intern? What Do I Do if the Field Instructor Becomes Incapacitated? 3. Getting Started. How Do I Find an Agency That Meets My Needs? How Do I Prepare for the Practicum Interview? What Can I Do to Deemphasize Little or No Work Experience? Is it Wise to Admit My Weaknesses? How Should I Respond to Questions About My Educational Preparation? How Should I Dress for the Practicum Agency? How Do I Make a Good Impression? Getting Oriented: What Can I Expect on the First Day? How Do I Develop a Learning Contract? Points to Remember about the Learning Contract. 4. The Student Intern: Learning New Roles. How Much Will I Be Given to Do? How Much Will I Be Supervised, and by Whom? How Do I Make Supervision Work for Me? How Will My Faculty Field Liaison Evaluate Me? How Do I Juggle All My Roles Simultaneously? How Do I Know if I'm Stressed Out? How Can I Effectively Manage the Stress in My Life? The Student Intern's "Bill of Rights." Myths You Can Do Without. 5. Professional Boundaries. What Are the Differences Among Volunteer, Student, and Employee Roles? Do Students Have the Same Privileges as Staff Members? What Do I Need to Know About Interdisciplinary Team Meetings? Can a Friend Supervise Me? Should I Contract with Clients? What Do I Need to Know About Agency Recording? How Do I Refer a Client to Another Agency or Professional? What Is Managed Care? How Does Managed Care Affect Social Work Practice? What Specialized Knowledge and Skills are Important in a Managed Care Environment? Should I Share Personal Information with Clients? 6. Client Systems: Serving the Recipients of Service. Who Are Clients? What Is it Like to Be a Client? What Do Clients Expect from Me? Should I Inform Clients that I Am a Student? How Do I Know if I Am Helping My Clients? What Do I Do when a Client Won't Talk? What Do I Do when the Client Who Won't Talk Is a Child? Do I Need to Worry About My Personal Safety? How Do I Manage Angry and Hostile Clients? How Do I Protect Myself? How Do I Deal with Noncompliant Clients? Why Do I Need to Work with Clients Who Are Different from Me? How Can I Reduce My Sense of Inadequacy About Working with Diverse Clients? What Are the Most Important Practice Principles for Working With Clients Different from Me? What Do I Need to Know to Work with People with Disabilities? What Is it Like to Work with Small Groups of Clients? Will I Be Working with Families? Are There Special Considerations for Working with Minority Families? What Is Macro Practice? 7. Acquiring Needed Skills. Do Most Student Interns Feel Nervous and Inadequate? What Skills Might I Be Expected to Develop? How Do I Start Interviewing a Client? How Do I Begin to Help the Clients Who Are Assigned to Me? What Is Process Recording? I'm Self-Conscious About My Ability to Write Well. Will This Be a Problem? What Should I Keep in Mind when Making a Home Visit? Am I Likely to Deal with a Client Who is Suicidal? How Can I Prepare to Deal with Suicidal Clients? What Do I Do if I Suspect My Client Plans to Attempt Suicide? How Do I Transfer a Case? How Do I Terminate Services with a Client? 8. Legal and Ethical Concerns. What Happens if I Make a Mistake? What Is Malpractice? Do I Need Liability Insurance? Can Confidential Client Material Ever Be Shared? May I Audio- or Videotape Clients? What Is an Ethical Dilemma? Can Ethical Dilemmas Be Avoided? How Do I Avoid Rushing into Ethical Dilemmas? How Do I Resolve Ethical Dilemmas? May I Accept a Gift from a Client? Is it Ever Permissible to Date Clients or Co-Workers? What Do I Do if I Overhear Something That Is Illegal or Unethical? How Do I Handle Agency Secrets? How Do I Handle Sexual Harassment? 9. Pragmatic Concerns. What Do I Do if I Get Sick or Am Running Late and Miss My Appointments? Will I Be Asked to Share a Desk or Office? How Do I Keep Track of Time in the Practicum? Am I Permitted to Accumulate Overtime or Compensatory Time? How Do I Learn to Leave My Work at the Agency? What Do I Do if I Am Given Too Much or Too Little Responsibility? What Do I Do When I Am Having a "Down" Day? What Do I Do When Things Are Not Going Well? How Do I Plan for My Next Practicum? Am I Cut Out for Social Work? How Do I Prepare for Social Work Practice in the Next Century? Appendix A: Problem-Oriented Recording. Appendix B: National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. Appendix C: Evaluation of Student Performance Form. Index.