Ethics & Confidentiality Flashcards
Competence
essential to ethical practice; protects clients from harm
workers, referrals, and consultants must be competent in the services they are providing
only represent self as competent within boundaries of education, training, license, certification, or other relevant professional experience
only provide services in which competency is achieved
Use of records in evaluation
workers must obtain voluntary and WRITTEN informed consent from clients without any penalty for refusal
Primary Mission of Social Work
Enhance human well-being and help meet basic human needs of all people with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of vulnerable populations (oppressed, poverty, etc)
Ethical Dilemma
Predicament in which a social work must decide between two viable solutions that seem to have similar ethical value
Sometimes values conflict with one another
Ethical Problem Solving
- Identify ethical standards that are being compromised
- Determine whether there is an ethical issue or dilemma
- Weight ethical issues in light of key social work values and principles as defined by code of ethics
- Suggest modifications in light of prioritized ethical values
- Implement modifications in light of prioritized ethical values
- Monitor for new ethical issues or dilemmas
Informed Consent
Clear and understandable language to inform clients of:
The purpose of services
Risks related
Limits to services
Relevant costs
Reasonable alternatives
Clients rights to refuse or withdraw consent
Time frame covered by consent
[provide client opportunity to ask questions]
Physical Contact with Clients
Setting clear, appropriate, and sensitive boundaries that govern physical contact
Social workers should not engage in physical contact when there is a possibility of psychological harm to a client (cradling or caressing)
Sexual Relations with Clients
Under no circumstances engage in sexual activities with current clients
Should not engage with former clients, if they do, worker assumes full burden of demonstrating the the former client has not been exploited, coerced, or manipulated even unintentionally
Sexual Relations with Client supports
Social worker should not engage in such relationships for risk of exploitation of or harm to client
Worker assume full burden for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries
Prior Sexual Partners
Workers should not provide services d/t likelihood for boundary issues
Dual Relationships
Occur when social worker engages in more than one relationship with client, whether professional, social, or business
Worker should not engage; if unavoidable, must set clear boundaries and take steps to ensure clients safety
Supervisors should not engage in such with supervisees
Conflicts of Interest
When personal interests may impair judgement and/or services
Social worker should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest
Should inform client
Take reasonable steps to resolve the issue that makes clients interest primary and protected
May require termination with proper referral if not otherwise resolved
Self-Disclosure
Should only serve client/treatment; remain minimal; consult supervisor FIRST
Can be harmful and exploitative; unravels boundaries
Electronic Media
Limitations in confidentiality should be thoroughly explained to clients through informed consent
Assent
Non-written agreement
When a client is a minor or lacks capacity, third party provides informed consent while client provides assent
Advanced Directives
Written directions regarding type of care client does or does not want to receive when dying
Legal commitment to honor directives when client can no longer communicate wishes
Physicians Orders of Life Sustaining Treatment
Written doctors orders reflecting preferences for medical care
Used to direct emergency medical personnel in following clients preferences
Doctors orders include whether a person should or should not receive certain treatments to relive symptoms even if death is inevitable such as CPR, ambulatory transportation, aggressive treatments (blood transfusions, chemotherapy)
Ethical Practice in Research and Evaluation
Must consider possible consequences and follow guidelines developed for the protection of participants
Appropriate institutional review boards should be consulted
Informed consent regarding nature, extent and duration of participation including disclosure of risks and benefits
Should not design research that does not obtain consent (observation) unless rigorously necessary and all other options have been exhausted
Gifts/Exchanges
Social workers should avoid accepting goods or services from clients as payment
Bartering can only be a consisdered arrangement when culturally appropriate; worker assumes full burden for demonstrating arrangement will not be detrimental to client or professional relationship
Records
Clients should be allowed reasonable access to records
Interpretation should be provided if there is risk of harm regarding misunderstanding
Limits to records access should only be made when clear evidence for potential serious harm
Legal orders of disclosure
If without consent, worker should request court withdraw or limit order as narrowly as possible
Subpoena - worker attends, but does not provide records unless with separate documents order
Deceased Clients
Confidentiality standards still apply
Legal action against worker
Worker has right to protect self and may release records as part of defense
[limit to only relevant information]
Mandated Reporting of Impaired Colleagues
Consult with colleague when feasible and assist in taking remedial action
Interference with practice effectiveness after colleague has not taken feasible steps to address impairments - worker should take appropriate actions
Core Values of Social Work Practice
Service
Social justice
Dignity and worth of person
Importance of human relationships
Integrity
Competence
Self-Determination
Concept that clients are qualified to make their own decisions about their lives
Workers respect and promote self-determination and assist clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals
May limit when potential imminent risk to self or others
