Example Questions Flashcards
Who is your first obligation to when it comes to risk - yourself, the client or the community?
FIRST obligation as a psych if anyone at risk in community - COMMUNITY is first obligation
If there is no community member involved who is your first obligation to in a situation of risk? Yourself or the client?
The client
When answering questions what is the best type of answer to choose?
When answering questions for the board in all areas - think about what is the most conservative and complete answer eg fax and call, email and call or always document information.
In multiple-choice questions what are the likely option and which ones would you not choose?
Minus one Plus one = 0 principle (2 equally wrong or right questions)
None is likely to be the right answer - 2 answers worded similarly
5 options - 2 answers that are equal they seem the same - are NOT the answer
Q;If you are rural and no-one there you may be able to see this client….in which conditions;
Would you a) get extra education b) see them and read everything and supervision c) will you tell them you don’t have experience but if they give consent seek SV and do training in area d) send back to GP and say we cant see them, tell them closest person is 300 km’s away
C)Consent to understand limitations - doing the best for client
In terms of competence why do we do CPD (continuous professional development) - a) it’s a requirement of the board b) it’s a requirement of Medicare c) we need to demonstrate we are scientist practitioners d) we need to maintain provision and quality of improvement of psychologist services e) or psych practice is continually peer reviewed?
Hints and clues - everything we do is based on the ethical code - why would you do it anyway - to deliver the best services to clients -
d) BEST answer is the “because it’s in the best interest of the client”
THAT”S why we do it +1 - 1 AHPRA and Medicare
Q. 17yr old at school disclosed they will bash someone who is part of a different ethnic background - he hasn’t participated
Keep conf and work with him b) do anger mgt c) talk to principal or d) police e) ring the parents
c) AT SCHOOLS INVOLVE THE PRINCIPAL - they are the boss at school
Do you advise the client? - no not if there is a risk to you or a safety risk to you
If exam asks what to do as a school psych; inform the principal
E.g. Nazi example of graffiti and singing - CALL PRINCIPAL - principal will call police and they will decide how to deal with it
Before involving child protection - involve the principal
E.g. drugs at school - need to inform the principal
Previous exam: if a case is discussed in peer supervision and client is de-identified do you still need to mention to the client
Do the most conservative
Document everything and be the most protective -ANSWER; yes- tell client and document in file
Don’t mention it at all
Include in consent form - if I consider it helpful your de-identified may be discussed in supervision
IN PRIVATE practice you don’t need to tell anyone - except for risk of harm
From exam
Q Husband of client calls and threatens to harm client - ringing and threatening, a) call police immediately b) calm client down and advise your client c) don’t worry about it d) politely as the client to call back later
FIRST THING INFORM THE POLICE TO PROTECT FROM THE THREAT
Police will talk to your client - all based on Tarrasof Case Uni of California was - no laws in Australia with the same issue - if someone threatens - ethical maintain confidentiality - legally let someone know POLICE in this case legal issue trump ethical
If violent or threatening people
What should you do if you come across an ethical dilemma and you don’t know what to do?
Always choose to talk to a supervisor to discuss options - use ethical decision-making model
From exam Q: There was a question where psych is in session with a client when clients husband comes in to the practice demanding to speak to see his wife (history of aggression towards wife). what do you do? do you ask him to wait; do you call the police; do you continue session with client?
If an AVO call Police - I can’t say yes or no - leave the practice - otherwise, I will have to call the Police because you are trespassing
RULE OF THUMB - Risk, threat AVO breaching AVO - call the Police (most protection for 1- client 2- yourself)
Q: You are seeing a person for a work cover issue - and relationship issues come up can you help them with their relationship as well?
YOU CAN NOT HELP THEM WITH THESE ISSUE WITH WORK COVER - once you finish you can help them (you can only do the work injury so far) come back and I could see you under Medicare or private health insure
A client has asked for a copy of his file. While I am happy to talk to him about my documentation, I do not want to give him a copy. Must I comply?
As a general rule, under legislation such as the Privacy Act’s Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), Freedom of Information (government sector) and Health Records Acts, clients have a right to access their personal information. The recent amendments to the APPs have also made it clearer that clients have a right to a copy of that information “in the manner requested by the individual, if it is reasonable and practicable to do so”. It is important, therefore, to always write your notes as if the client will have access to them.
There are some exceptions to providing access to client notes, which are associated with issues of risk, the impact on another person’s privacy, and legal matters. In addition, psychologists should not provide access to protected psychological test material or information that has been provided by a party other than the client (e.g., a family member who has provided additional information to the psychologist) unless this is under a legal request such as a warrant or subpoena.
I have conducted an assessment of a client and prepared a report that was commissioned and paid for by an accident compensation provider. The client has asked for a copy of her file. Does she have a right to have a copy?
As indicated in response to the above question, generally legislation supports clients’ right to access their personal information. In this case you should also check your contractual arrangement with the accident compensation provider. This may, for example, specify that you inform them of any requests for access. In most cases, even though the report was commissioned and paid for by a third party, the client’s right to access endures (with the normal exceptions).
I am working with a 10-year-old child with anxiety and her parents have challenged me about her rate of improvement, particularly now that her Medicare-funded sessions have been used up and their GP indicated that 10 sessions would suffice. How should I respond?
According to the APS Code of Ethics and Charter for clients of APS psychologists, psychologists are required to inform clients about the services they will receive, including an estimate of the number of sessions that might be required to meet their goals. In providing this information it is important to use language that does not provide a guaranteed outcome, although you might talk about a period of time in which improvement would be expected. In addition, clients should be informed that goals and treatment are reviewed regularly, which is an opportunity to provide additional information about progress.
If you have followed such a process when informing your client’s parents, then remind the parents of the information that you provided to them, identify progress that has occurred and discuss any recommendations you have for moving forward. Separate to discussions with the parents, it may be useful to have a tactful discussion with the referring GP about not pre-empting the outcomes of treatment.
QUESTION: E.g. a woman remembers being abused as a 3 year old what is the main thing to do
- Get consent to work with memory maybe EMDR
- Discuss with client properties of previously unreported memories
- Explore the meaning of the memory instead of the details
- She needs to find a way to prove the accuracy of this memory
- Talk to her about what will happen with this memory and what your role is there
You need to understand about memory and how it is fallible and there is no way to prove whether it happened or didn’t - you can not know with certainty what happened in the past
Find an answer where MEMORY IS FALLIBLE - you can not know with certainty
Q; What is one of the most important things to discuss with client’s Eg PTSD client - you decide to do EMDR with the client
A)Client obligations at least ten sessions and book ahead
B)Client making a commitment to change
C)How successful the treatment is in the community and how much success in the past
D)Any extra charges
E) Any negative outcomes which can be gained from EMDR
E) Any negative outcomes which can be gained from EMDR
Any time you go from initial assessment to targeted intervention - you need to talk about adverse effects - or discuss verbally and document
Similar to medical procedures
Think about this in more specific terms - the same for EMDR CBT, Exposure e.g. might increase anxiety for a while , NEED TO WARN THE CLIENT OF ADVERSE OUTCOMES
Q: What happens when you need to make complex decisions?
2 types of questions in the exam
1. Where you know the situation is pretty clear 13 year old abused by 25 year old - need to report; Ethics guideline says you can’t have sex with clients - is a definite no - need to report
- Maybe with peers ethical grey area; someone talking about seeing adolescent client and the Mum wants you to see another one of her children? What should you say? Are there any guidelines or laws that make it illegal to see two people from the same family - no legal rules there I NEED TO USE AN ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING MODEL
E.g. Organisation psychology with coco cola - sent to do something
The company charges $800 per hour for you
You realise there are needs in the company - that goes against the company you are working for
This company doesn’t need to see you 5 hours a day every day - or you are not appropriate
What do you do in this case?
A) Do you go with the needs of your organisation. Is. A plus one - minus one answer
B) Go with needs of coca-cola
C)Talk to senior colleagues about making an ethical decision
Choose an answer where you are going to use a decision assistance model
Peer supervision
Q: Once EAP finished they kept seeing the EAP client and they kept seeing you for other issues - the client is now paying for the sessions
What do you discuss??
A)Why is the client dependent?
B)Why are they having therapy?
C)Discuss having Medicare with this client?
D)Discuss ethical considerations of taking them on privately?
D)Discuss ethical considerations of taking them on privately?
EAP is not forever - is it ok if I continue seeing them, do I need to continue treatment- is this overservicing the client - does this client really need my support
Q. E.g. you get referred a client and then as you are talking to them they tell you he is a builder and her was getting free sessions from your colleague because she didn’t need any more renovations - he was hoping for free sessions for a renovation that you needed
What is the first thing you would do?
- Tell the client you can’t take him on you don’t need reno’s
- You would tell the client that you can not accept that arrangement and fee is $280 per session- if you get a MHCP you can get a rebate
- You tell the client you are concerned about this other psych exploiting him
- Not say anything and go ahead because you need renovations
- Discuss with colleague concerns about the builder and their ethical issues related to their arrangements / service delivery (risk of exploitation here)
- Discuss with colleague concerns about the builder and their ethical issues related to their arrangements / service delivery (risk of exploitation here)
Some answers will be report straight away
Q;What is a client you are seeing for a while and she invites you to her graduation - she says you have helped her and she really wants to invite you
A)Politely decline and explain why - you’d want to see pics or diploma’s
What if you see someone at a coffee shop and he invites you for a coffee to thank you - and you stay and he makes a business proposition
ALL NO NO NO NO - no coffee, no mental health appointment
E.g. 13 1/2 yr old bullied online, feel hopeless and some one they know is harming themselves and please don’t tell parents and they are worried they would make things worse -
What do you do?
A)Tell child you have to parents and explain
B)Encourage child to talk to school counsellor
C)Teach client strategies to deal with bullying
D)Talk to the school and report what’s happening
A)Tell child you have to parents and explain