12. Professional Values & Ethics/Professional Relationships Flashcards
Purpose of the code of ethics
o Provide a position on standards of practice to aid professionals in deciding how to act when areas of conflict arise.
o Assist in clarifying professionals’ responsibility to clients and society.
o Give society some guarantee that professionals will demonstrate a sensible regard for mores and expectations of the society.
o Give professionals themselves grounds for safeguarding their freedom and integrity.
Social workers must evaluate ethical practice based on three considerations:
o Their professional moral judgment (does it make the worker uncomfortable)
o Legal aspects (are there laws governing it)
o The ethical implications (do ethical principle to which we abide apply).
Which code of ethics do social workers use?
As members of NASW, we subscribe to NASW code of ethics. This code is provided as a guideline for ethical practice. This code is divided into six sections and only highlights of each will be discussed. NASW has been given the right to ensure and set ethical practice standards for social workers. The social work state licensing boards establish the minimum criteria or standards for competence for practice in the state.
What are the six NASW ethical principles?
o Service the primary goal is to help people in need and address social problems.
o Social justice: challenge social justice
o Dignity and worth of the person: respect each individual
o Importance of human relationships: recognize the importance of social relationships
o Integrity: to behave in a trustworthy manner
o Competence: practice within your area of competence and commit to further develop and enhance skill
The social worker’s ethical responsibility to clients
o Commitment to clients (first duty to client unless violates responsibility to larger society or legal sanctions) (e.g., client has abused a
child, danger to self or others).
o Client’s rights/prerogatives (client self-determination always come first unless a danger to self or others)
o Informed consent: confidentiality and privacy needs to be ensured, be clear and always protect this right with informed consent or
clear verbal instructions, etc. Access to records, limit access only if it could cause harm to the client. Must document reason for
withholding as well as any client requests for records.
o Fees should always be fair and reasonable. Consideration should always be given to client’s ability to pay. When accepting goods
or services from a client, the social worker accepts the responsibility of defending this action if need be.
o Sexual relationships should not occur under any circumstances
o It is the social worker’s responsibility to set clear appropriate & culturally sensitive boundaries with any client served.
The social worker’s ethical responsibility to colleagues
o Treat them with respect, fairness and courtesy
o Respect confidential information shared
o Sexual relationships with other social workers that serve as educators or supervisors are discouraged, when professional authority
is assumed
o Report colleagues who do not take own action to protect clients.
The social worker’s ethical responsibility to employers and employing organizations
Commitments to the employing organization (must adhere)
The social worker’s ethical responsibility to the profession
o Maintaining the integrity of the profession
o Community service
o Development of knowledge
The social worker’s ethical responsibility to society
Promoting general welfare
Important professional/legal considerations (review)
o The right of the “lease restrictive alternative”
o If client is involuntarily admitted must receive treatment. Treatment must be cure or improvement orientated
o Client must have right to due process and signed consent
o Clients have a right to privacy.
o Clients can sue if used in published case description without permission – if case is identifiable.
o Confidentiality is generally meant in terms of therapy content. It is an ethical responsibility and must be provided to all clients and research participants. Names of clients should not be given out.
o When to disclose info: if danger to self or others and in cases of child/elder abuse.
o Privilege is a legal term similar to confidentiality although this term applies specifically to the courts and other legal proceedings. Only laws establish privilege. Privilege was traditionally help only by the client – not by the therapist. Generally, when working with adolescents, parents or legal guardians and emancipated minors are considered to possess privilege. The legally incompetent and minors (non-emancipated) do not.
o Subpoenas – provided only the information required to provide. If testifying on behalf of a client, have them put request in writing.
o Fee setting and collection generally involves setting reasonable fees and collecting them at either the beginning or end of each session. Never discharge a client b/c of inability to pay.
o Clients should always sign a release of info before discussing cases with anyone, including other mental health professionals.
o Co-optation entails “using” or “including” the person who opposes you or your program goals in completing your agenda. This helps to reduce opposition to get group or program goals accomplished.
o Boundaries for treatment are simply stated – friendships & sexual relationships outside of the therapy session are prohibited.
o Pro bono services are permitted by the NASW code of ethics & are now directly encouraged.
Policies and procedures governing practice (Review)
Referrals: when making referrals, take into account the following perspectives:
• The reason the referral is made. How will the client benefit from this additional service; and how will the social worker handle the termination or continuation of practice once the referral has been made
• What will be needed to make an appropriate referral? Specification of the problem, availability of the types & requirements of resources to address it; and how to actually make the referral.
• How to make the referral: how will the info be made to the source & how will the client get there?
• How will confidentiality be handled?
Remember to consider the client’s 1. Financial needs; 2. Social worker degree of competence, 3. Social worker clinical orientation, cultural match with the client and 5. Must abide by professional ethical code.
- If a member of the hospital staff knows that an individual is at risk and does nothing to protect the patient, the hospital can be held negligent. Since sexual contact among patients is prohibited, enforcing the rules again sexual contact can protect both patients.
- Although confidentiality laws apply to minors, it is good clinical practice to respect the concerns of the parents and to provide at least a general response. Letting the adolescent know of the parents’ interest and enlisting her help in thinking about a response, allows her to determine the boundaries of shared material. It also reinforces the alliance between worker and client.
- Social worker-client communications are confidential. The social worker cannot reveal information (with some exceptions) without written client consent. Occasionally, judges order social worker to reveal material without consent, in effect asserting that the court’s need for info trumps worker-client confidentiality. At that point, the social worker has a choice; obey the judge or risk a contempt citation and imprisonment.
