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Work Plan for MSW Field Internship SW 651/652 SAMPLE
MSW Supervisor:
Task Supervisor:
Name:
Agency: Clinic
Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Supervisor Email:
Faculty Field Liaison:
Intern Email:
CSWE Educational Policy 2.3—Signature Pedagogy: Field Education
Signature pedagogy represents the central form of instruction and learning in which a profession socializes its students to perform the role of practitioner.
Professionals have pedagogical norms with which they connect and integrate theory and practice.4 In social work, the signature pedagogy is field education. The
intent of field education is to connect the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classroom with the practical world of the practice setting. It is a basic
precept of social work education that the two interrelated components of curriculum—classroom and field—are of equal importance within the curriculum, and
each contributes to the development of the requisite competencies of professional practice. Field education is systematically designed, supervised, coordinated, and
evaluated based on criteria by which students demonstrate the achievement of program competencies.
Educational Policy M2.2—Advanced Practice
Advanced practitioners refine and advance the quality of social work practice and that of the larger social work profession. They synthesize and apply a broad
range of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge and skills. In areas of specialization, advanced practitioners assess, intervene, and evaluate to promote
human and social well-being. To do so they suit each action to the circumstances at hand, using the discrimination learned through experience and self
improvement. Advanced practice incorporates all of the core competencies augmented by knowledge and practice behaviors specific to a concentration.
Directions for completing Work Plan:
1. This work plan covers Fall and Spring semester. Field hours should be completed each semester before the last day of final exam period.
2. Student and field supervisor(s) discuss and complete work plan together prior to initial field visit by faculty field liaison.
3. Student’s field experience is measured by the competencies specified by the Council on Social Work Education. Field supervisor and student will develop
success indicators based on the stated competencies.
4. Field liaison will review and approve work plan - making sure that it addresses the core competencies.
5. Field supervisor and student will discuss student progress mid Fall semester and the end of Fall semester. The Work Plan Form will be discussed and
completed by field supervisor and student prior to conference with the field liaison. Field supervisor will recommend grade and discuss with faculty field
liaison and students.
6. At end of Spring semester supervisor and student will complete the final evaluation prior to final visit by faculty field liaison.
7. Supervisor will make recommendation for final S/U grade. Signed evaluation is returned to NCSU field office at end of Spring semester.
Outcome
Competency 1
Identify as a professional social
worker and conduct oneself
accordingly.
Social workers serve as
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
• advocate for client access to the
services of social work;
• practice personal reflection and selfcorrection to assure continual
professional development;
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Follow Clinic policies and procedures
on a consistent basis.

If conflicts or concerns arise, speak
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representatives of the profession, its
mission, and its core values. They
know the profession’s history.
Social workers commit themselves
to the profession’s enhancement
and to their own professional
conduct and growth.
• attend to professional roles and
boundaries;
• demonstrate professional demeanor in
behavior, appearance, and
communication;
• engage in career-long learning; and
• use supervision and consultation.
with Clinic Director to gain a better
understanding and process these
conflicts or concerns in a professional
manner.

Get tasks done in a timely manner.

Maintain appropriate attendance at the
Clinic and keep Clinic Director
abreast of any conflicts in scheduling.

Attend at least two professional
workshops.

Dress appropriately for the
populations served taking into
consideration the majority served and
their cultural norms and values.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
Outcome
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
Competency 2
Apply social work ethical
principles to guide professional
practice.
Social workers have an obligation
to conduct themselves ethically and
to engage in ethical decisionmaking.
Social workers are knowledgeable
about the value base of the
• recognize and manage personal values
in a way that allows professional values
to guide practice;
• make ethical decisions by applying
standards of the National Association of
Social Workers Code of Ethics 2 and, as
applicable, of the International
Federation of Social Workers/
International Association of Schools of
Social Work Ethics in Social Work,
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:
 Work with clients, fellow social workers
and clinic staff to maintain an ethical code
of conduct when dealing with clients.

Keep records and medical information
confidential among staff.

Work with client’s personal experiences
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profession, its ethical standards,
and relevant law.
Statement of Principles;3
• tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical
conflicts; and
• apply strategies of ethical reasoning to
arrive at principled decisions.
disclosed in a timely, considerate and
whenever possible, confidential manner
that upholds professional ethics of Social
Work.

Capability to question policies and
procedures as appropriate and can
verbalize opinions and decisions based
on the NASW Code of Ethics as
discussed with field instructor.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
Outcome
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
Competency 3
Apply critical thinking to inform
and communicate professional
judgments.
Social workers are knowledgeable
about the principles of logic,
scientific inquiry, and reasoned
discernment. They use critical
thinking augmented by creativity
and curiosity. Critical thinking also
requires the synthesis and
communication of relevant
information.
• distinguish, appraise, and integrate
multiple sources of knowledge,
including research-based
knowledge, and practice wisdom;
• analyze models of assessment,
prevention, intervention, and evaluation;
and
• demonstrate effective oral and written
communication in working with
individuals, families, groups,
organizations, communities, and
colleagues.
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Assess clients during interviews to
identify individual needs of clients of
the Clinic and assist these patients on
meeting these needs.

Provide services to clients by
identifying and minimizing identified
barriers under the supervision of clinic
director.

Communicate with field instructor a
minimum of twice per month and with
clinic director on Sundays during
clinic hours.

Communicate with Field liaison once
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a month minimum in seminar.

Communicate
needed
with
classmates
as
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
Outcome
Competency 4
Engage diversity and difference
in practice.
Social workers understand how
diversity characterizes and shapes
the human experience and is critical
to the formation of identity. The
dimensions of diversity are
understood as the intersectionality
of multiple factors including age,
class, color, culture, disability,
ethnicity, gender, gender identity
and expression, immigration status,
political ideology, race, religion,
sex, and sexual orientation. Social
workers appreciate that, as a
consequence of difference, a
person’s life experiences may
include oppression, poverty,
marginalization, and alienation as
well as privilege, power, and
acclaim.
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
• recognize the extent to which a
culture’s structures and values may
oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create
or enhance privilege and power;
• gain sufficient self-awareness to
eliminate the influence of personal
biases and values in working with
diverse groups;
• recognize and communicate their
understanding of the importance of
difference in shaping life experiences;
and
• view themselves as learners and
engage those with whom they work as
informants.
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Gain exposure to people of different
backgrounds and cultures.

Demonstrate sensitivity and
competence when working with
multiple cultures, religions and
lifestyles in the provision of services.

Assist clients in dealing with issues
related to privilege, power and
oppression by providing education and
resources needed for them to empower
themselves to reach their goals.

Use knowledge of the historical
perspective of social welfare to
maintain ethical practices and cultural
competence as it relates to persons
served.
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
Outcome
Competency 5
Advance human rights and social
and economic justice.
Each person, regardless of position
in society, has basic human rights,
such as freedom, safety, privacy,
an adequate standard of living,
health care, and education. Social
workers recognize the global
interconnections of oppression and
are knowledgeable about theories
of justice and strategies to promote
human and civil rights. Social work
incorporates social justice practices
in organizations, institutions, and
society to ensure that these basic
human rights are distributed
equitably and without prejudice.
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
• understand the forms and mechanisms
of oppression and discrimination;
• advocate for human rights and social
and economic justice; and
• engage in practices that advance social
and economic justice.
Identification of personal bias and not
having bias interfere with professional
values
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

The ability to assist clients in
identifying and dealing with issues
related to privilege, power and
oppression.

Exposure to people/clients of different
cultures and backgrounds.

Within the clinic setting, advocate for
change as needed.

Raise awareness of the services that
are provided at the Clinic among the
general population

Assist clinic director with volunteer
training as needed.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
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Outcome
Competency 6
Engage in research-informed
practice and practice-informed
research.
Social workers use practice
experience to inform research,
employ evidence-based
interventions, evaluate their own
practice, and use research findings
to improve practice, policy, and
social service delivery. Social
workers comprehend quantitative
and qualitative research and
understand scientific and ethical
approaches to building knowledge.
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
• use practice experience to inform
scientific inquiry and
• use research evidence to inform
practice.
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Compile data from interviews and
surveys to present recommendations
to the Clinic director for review
regarding patient experience, clinic
policies and procedures, behavior of
clinic staff as well as well as patient
needs.

Review Strenghts/Needs Assessments
of clients receiving services at Clinic
and determine the most significant
needs to be addressed for a
focus/support group to be created.

Ask questions/research social
constructs, faith, age and other factors
that represent the populations served
(i.e. research Islam as little knowledge
of the population exists).

Review five scholarly articles
regarding clinic’s population and its
correlation with the creation of a
focus/support group. Discuss findings
from the literature review with the
other MSW.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
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Outcome
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
Competency 7
Apply knowledge of human
behavior and the social
environment.
Social workers are knowledgeable
about human behavior across the
life course; the range of social
systems in which people live; and
the ways social systems promote or
deter people in maintaining or
achieving health and well-being.
Social workers apply theories and
knowledge from the liberal arts to
understand biological, social,
cultural, psychological, and
spiritual development.
• utilize conceptual frameworks to guide
the processes of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation; and
• critique and apply knowledge to
understand person and environment.
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Review and discuss normal
development in adulthood and its
relation to the medical needs
presented.

Understand end of life issues within
populations served especially with
older adults.

During assessment, identify family
stressors and to help strategize with
that family to come up with
interventions and offer referrals as
necessary.

Offer referrals as necessary to ensure
human behavior across the life span is
promoted and well being of the client
is protected.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
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Outcome
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
Competency 8
Engage in policy practice to
advance social and economic
well-being and to deliver effective
social work services.
Social work practitioners
understand that policy affects
service delivery, and they actively
engage in policy practice. Social
workers know the history and
current structures of social policies
and services; the role of policy in
service delivery; and the role of
practice in policy development.
• analyze, formulate, and advocate for
policies that advance social well-being;
and
• collaborate with colleagues and clients
for effective policy action.
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:
 From needs assessed when working
with clients/population served create a
group or a speaker’s series for clinic
clientele in topics that have been
identified as areas of need within the
community.

Revise resources available to clients to
ensure proper and correct referrals are
completed for the client’s well-being

Discuss social problems exhibited with
fellow social workers at Clinic and
determine how these problems can be
resolved with the Clinic’s assistance.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
Outcome
Competency 9
Respond to contexts that shape
practice.
Social workers are informed,
resourceful, and proactive in
responding to evolving
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
• continuously discover, appraise, and
attend to changing locales, populations,
scientific and technological
developments, and emerging societal
trends to provide relevant services; and
• provide leadership in promoting
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Redesign needs assessment form as
often as needed to make sure the
assessment tool is appropriate for
clientele and situation.
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organizational, community, and
societal contexts at all levels of
practice. Social workers recognize
that the context of practice is
dynamic, and use knowledge and
skill to respond proactively.
sustainable changes in service delivery
and practice to improve the quality of
social services.

Keep resource binder current and in
good order so that resource lists and
referral forms are easily obtained to
expedite clinic visit and better serve
the needs of clinic clientele.

Train and supervise BSW students
interning at the clinic. This includes
cooperation with the hierarchy
maintained at the clinic and receiving
added guidance from the hierarchy
while training and supervising BSW
students.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
Outcome
Competency 10
Engage, assess, intervene, and
evaluate with individuals,
families, groups, organizations,
and communities.
Professional practice involves the
dynamic and interactive processes
of engagement, assessment,
intervention and evaluation at
multiple levels. Social workers
have the knowledge and skills to
practice with individuals, families,
Practice behaviors (Tasks)
(How will outcome be attained?)
a)Engagement
• substantively and affectively prepare
for action with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities;
• use empathy and other interpersonal
skills; and
• develop a mutually agreed-on focus of
work and desired outcomes.
b) Assessment
• collect, organize, and interpret client
data;
Success Indicators
(What does success look like in your agency if the
outcome is achieved?) Student will:

Document all assessments and followups on appropriate forms and place in
client’s medical chart before end of
clinic day.

Stay current on the abundance of or
lack of local resource availability
locally. Make sure to remove referrals
or resources that are no longer active
or available.
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groups, organizations, and
communities. Practice knowledge
includes identifying, analyzing, and
implementing evidence-based
interventions designed to achieve
client goals; using research and
technological advances; evaluating
program outcomes and practice
effectiveness; developing,
analyzing, advocating, and
providing leadership for policies
and services; and promoting social
and economic justice.
• assess client strengths and limitations;
• develop mutually agreed-on
intervention goals and objectives; and
• select appropriate intervention
strategies.
c)Intervention
• initiate actions to achieve
organizational goals;
• implement prevention interventions
that enhance client capacities;
• help clients resolve problems;
• negotiate, mediate, and advocate for
clients; and
• facilitate transitions and endings.
d)Evaluation
Social workers critically analyze,
monitor, and evaluate interventions.

Act as a health advocate for clinic
clients, helping them navigate through
the medical clinic experience, making
sure their needs are being met and that
medical staff are aware of any issues
brought up in needs assessment
interview.

Help clients as needed to have their
experience be culturally competent
and pleasant, and not stress inducing.

Assist clinic director with changes in
clinic procedure to benefit clients
when needed changes are identified.

Capable of reviewing and
understanding medical terminology
within patient’s records and care
conferences with other professionals.
Narrative comments (student):
Narrative comments (supervisor):
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Evaluation Page
Plan Approval (beginning of fall semester) Date of initial meeting ______________
__________________________________
Student Intern
Plan understood (initial) ________
__________________________________
MSW Field Instructor/Supervisor
Plan Approved (initial) _________
__________________________________
Task Supervisor
Plan Approved (initial) _________
__________________________________
Faculty Field Liaison
Plan Approved (initial) _________
Final Fall Semester Progress Conference (end of fall semester) Date ____________________
__________________________________
Student Intern
Progress discussed (initial) ________
__________________________________
MSW Field Instructor/Supervisor
Progress approved (initial) _________
____ satisfactory
____ unsatisfactory
__________________________________
Task Supervisor
Plan Approved (initial) _________
____ satisfactory
____ unsatisfactory
___________________________________
Faculty Field Liaison
Progress approved (initial) _________
____ satisfactory
____ unsatisfactory
Final Spring Semester Evaluation Conference Date
__________________________________
____________________
Evaluation discussed (initial) ________
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Student Intern
__________________________________
MSW Field Instructor/Supervisor
Progress approved (initial) _________
Final grade recommendation _____
__________________________________
Task Supervisor
Plan Approved (initial)
Final grade recommendation _____
_________
___________________________________ Progress approved (initial) _________
Faculty Field Liaison
Final grade ______