University of South Carolina

College of Social Work

Field Education Office
Process Recording Template
Student: ___Leah Hicks ____ Date:__3/14/23______ Agency: ___ ____

1. Client System: 23-year-old female from France, 4 months pregnant

2. Presenting Issue (s) Excessive substance use
3. Purpose: Interview/ Observation: further review screening

Content of Contact (a)
SW
(YOU) Hi, Jaclyn! How are you?
Student Observation of Student Internal Feelings, Competencies Demonstrated
Client (b) Reactions, Observations of or need to work on what
Self (c) competencies or skills sets.
Identify needed growth (d)
“What were you thinking “what were you thiinking What skills was the social
when client saud this” when you said this” worker using? Look at
exploratory skills in
blackboard
 - Identified skills you
need to work on
Client I’m good, how are you?

SW
(YOU) I am well! My name is Leah - Attending Behaviors were
and I am a social worker here used throughout the
at MUSC. demonstration (mostly eye
contact)
Client Nice to meet you

SW
(YOU) You as well! So you were
referred to me today to talk
about your screening results.
Is it okay if we go over those
results today?
Client That was a one worded answer- I
sure don’t think she wants to do this

SW Great, you scored an at risk on

(YOU) your screening reults meaning I probably could have
you are at risk for future health explained the future health
problems if you continue to problems here.
drink the same amount of
alcohol you are now.
Client Okay
SW Before we get started, are you
(YOU) aware of the standard drink
 size?

Client
Not really
SW That’s perfectly okay, what is
(YOU) your drink of choice?

Client I like wine Again, basic short answers. Am I

forcing her to talk?
SW Okay just so you know the I probably drink a glass of wine
(YOU) standard size for wine is 5 oz. once a month, I wonder if it is
5 oz.
Client Oh okay yea I didn’t know that
SW That’s alright, can I get you to Smooth transitions from topic to
(YOU) fill out this audit for me and topic
hand it back to me when you
are done?
Client Sure *hands back to me after a Did she feel bad? I bet she did.
minute*
SW Perfect, thank you! Now, would
(YOU) you mind if we go over these
results?
Client No, I don’t mind. Go ahead.
SW So based on your answers, you Again, you could have shared
(YOU) are at risk for health concerns. the future health problems or
Is it okay with you if I share the at least one or two examples
normal drink sizes?
Client yea
SW For a woman your age, to be
(YOU) considered a low risk drinking,
there is no more than 1 drink a
day, 7 drinks a week and no
more than 3 drinks at one time.
Client Oh okay

SW So with this knowledge of the

(YOU) standard drinks and the
knowledge of how much you
drink personally, why do you
think you were referred to me?
And did you have any
discomfort while completing it?
Client I wasn’t really uncomfortable Okay, finally she is giving me
because drinking is socially something. But how can she not
acceptable where I am from. see anything wrong with being
Well, I am pregnant, and my pregnant and drinking? Doesn’t
husband thinks I need to quit she know this can hurt the baby?
drinking but I don’t see anything
wrong with it because I am from
France and everyone from
France drinks. I have always
drank one or two glasses of
wine after work and more on
the weekends
SW Okay so I understand that you Good use of paraphrasing here
(YOU) drink to relax after work and
just for fun during the
weekends, correct?
Client Yes that’s right
SW Okay what would it look like for This was a good question.
(YOU) you, socially, and relaxation if
you did not drink? Do you think
alcohol has an affect on being
able to unwind and relax?
Client I think I would be fine with no Here we go again, she doesn’t
alcohol or even drinking less but think anything is wrong. This is
I don’t see a problem right now crazy
other than the fact that I am
pregnant and my husband
disagrees with my actions.
SW I think it is great that you are Good way to not show your I could have used some reflection
(YOU) acknowledging your husbands person bias or judgement. of feeling here. I need to work on
feelings about the baby’s safety. that.
It shows that you care about
your child.
Client Of course I care. But I also like
wine because it tastes good.
SW Okay, thinking about the pros I could have reached for her
(YOU) and cons of incorporating feelings here after her claiming
drinking and not drinking, would she did care about the child. But I
you be willing ot make a change chose to move onto another
to the amount of alcohol you subject. I need to work on things
consume? Even by a little bit? that have to deal with pulling out
more feelings.
Client I mean yeah I'd be willing to cut Thank God
back for the health of my child
SW That is great. On a scale of 1 to
(YOU) 10, 1 being not ready to 10
 being 100% ready, how ready
are you to make a change?
Client Umm I’d say im probably at a 5
or 6.
SW Okay that’s awesome. What Perfect, I can hear her talk
(YOU) makes you say a 5 or 6 and not about her reason for change
a 2 or 3? and not just her husband
wanting her to change or the
fact that she doesn’t think
anything is wrong.
Client Well, I understand where my
husband is coming from and I
want to make sure my baby is
healthy. I also want to make my
husband happy.
SW Well, I am happy to hear that. I
(YOU) think a change could be great
here not just for them but for
you. So with all of this, where
does this leave you?
Client I think I am ready to take steps This is a good step in the right
to start drinking less than I do direction.
now
SW That is awesome! What could
(YOU) you do to start that change?

Client Instead of drinking two glasses

of wine a night, I could go down
to 1 glass every other night and
none on the weekends.
SW Drinking 1 glass of wine a day is That is a big change. I really
(YOU) a great change from what you hope she can do this
are doing now. Have you ever
had success with making any
type of change in the past?
Client Yes, I tried to lose weight a few Wow, this is great. She really
years ago. My husband was very does have a support system.
supportive and did not complain
when I made healthier foods
and stopped eating out as
much. It was a good experience.
SW That is great. It sounds like you Paraphrasing here
(YOU) have a great support system,
and I am optimistic it will be the
same with this change.
Client Yes, me too

SW Our time is coming to an end, Have I talked too much? Is she Summarization
(YOU) but I did want to sum up what really going to be able to do
we have gone over. We said this?
your drinking habits right now
put you at a high risk for health
problems. You agreed to take a
step back from drinking. You
said you will drink 1 glass of
wine every other day and none
on the weekends. This is a big
change, but I am here to
support you along the way, as
so are others.
Client Thank you
SW I would like to see you again in
(YOU) another 4 to 6 weeks just so we
can check in and see how things
are going, are you okay with
that?
Client Yes, I would love that I'm glad she agreed to come
back. Maybe this will stick.
SW Great, well thank you for
(YOU) coming in and I will see you
soon.
Client Thanks, bye

Interpret the interview: Please read the syllabus which describes what to put in each column

1. Describe what you had planned to do and how it went. Did it go as expected or differently?
I practiced for this demonstration so many times so it kind of just felt natural once it actually came time to do it. I just followed the
BNI rubric and put myself in an actual social worker’s shoes. It took a few tries for me to get serious about it. While practicing, my
group laughed a bit then we got serious. I think it went well once we got the nervousness out of the way. I kept the rubric in front of
me and looked down if I got stuck.
2. Overall, was there anything about the tone and climate of the setting, your impressions of attitudes and feelings of the other person
prior to this interaction, or any attitudes and feelings you brought to the exchange PRIOR that may have shaped the exchange?
I walked in with a negative opinion of the client due to the information given to me before I met the client. When I read the scenario
with it mentioning the client was pregnant and drinking, I thought that was a bad thing to do because of the way I was raised. I also
knew the person in my class who would be my client and was refreshed by that because Ashley is a bright student. We were able to
practice beforehand, so I felt confident because I had her as my partner.
3. What is your formulation of client strengths and difficulties in this interaction? What are your goals and plans for future exchanges and how do they fit
with the
client’s goals? Yours? (Remember that a client can be an individual person, family, group, community, etc.)
I think the ability of the client to correctly convey their feelings and desires is important here. If the client can’t effectively
communicate what they are dealing with, the conversation between client and social worker may not be that successful. Luckily for
me, I believe my client had strong communication skills which helped the interview flow. The next time I engage with a client I
will employ my listening and communication skills myself to bring that out of my client. I will also focus on the nonverbal
encouragement more, like a nod if they are stuck on a thought or if I can tell they are holding back.
4. Note at least three questions you can use to further your growth as a social worker.
- how can I get more practice with motivational interviewing?
- How can a social worker get better at reaching for client's feelings without being too invested in them, emotionally?
- Are social workers supposed to hold back from giving straight advice? Like, Could I have suggested a drink limit?