Law & Ethics Final EXAM Flashcards
Malpractice Liability
Scenarios:
1-10
- Failure to obtain or document informed consent
- refusal to counsel clients due to value differences
- client abandonment & premature termination
- sexual misconduct with a client
- marked departure from established therapeutic practice
- Practicing beyond the scope of competency
- Negligent assessment & Misdiagnosis
- repressed or false memory
- unhealthy transference relationship
- Failure to assess & manage dangerous clients
Alleged negligence that results in injury or loss to the client
Malpractice
Importance of recordkeeping
- provide service for clients
- maintain continuity of care when client is transferred
- protects counselors to prove adequate care was provided
What does professional negligence look like?
- sexual/romantic interactions
- failure to practice w/ in boundaries of competence
- improper sharing of confidential material
- failure to make fees & charges clear to clients
- misrepresenting credentials
- altering records
- using false advertising
- practicing while impaired
Malpractice lawsuits
What are reasons we have that?
- procedure used by practitioner was not in realm of accepted professional practice
- practitioner employed a technique that they were not trained
- professional did not follow standard counseling procedures, which resulted in harm
- failure to warn about & protect them from violent crime
- informed consent was not obtained/not documented
- professional did not explain possible consequences of the treatment
What term describes a result from unjustified departure from usual practice or from failing to exercise proper care in fulfilling ones responsibilities?
Professional negligence
What does being an ethical therapist mean?
1-10
- Being interested in the welfare of the client
- practicing within the scope of one’s competence
- Understanding and respecting the cultural value of clients
- avoiding harm & exploitation
- Establishing/maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
- Protecting client’s confidence & privacy
- Practicing with ethical and legal framework
- Avoiding discrimination
- striving for the highest level of ethical practice
- Recognizing the importance of self-care as a basis for competent practice
What term refers to violating code of ethics or laws?
Misconduct
What are examples of misconduct?
- sexual misconduct
- confidentiality violation
- malpractice
- unprofessional conduct
- false advertising
- multiple roles
- abandoning client
Describe the social justice perspective?
To promote empowerment of people who are marginalized & oppressed in our society.
We help them gain tools, confidence, political clout, &skills needed to move away from oppression
Intimate relationships
are unethical & against the law
Supervisors responsibilities 1-5
-Responsible both ethically & legally for actions of trainees
-must check on trainees progress & be familiar with case load
-operate in multiple roles with trainee
-instruct a trainee, consult on a case, give feedback
-responsible for ensuring compliance with legal, ethical & professional standards
Supervisor’s role
1-3
- provide behavior guidelines
- protect supervisees
- ensure quality client care
Licensure statutes
- pass clinical exam
- pass cali law & ethics
- complete 2 years post degree work
- 3,000 hrs of supervised experience
GOVERN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Therapist boundaries
invisible limits that establish a framework for the therapeutic relationship & provide psychological safety for clients
Example of therapist boundaries
- scheduling
- space
- fees
- confidentiality
- social medial
- self-disclosure
- communication channels
- dual relationships
Therapist competence
skills & training required to effectively & appropriately treat clients in a specific area of practice
How to maintain therapist competence?
- ongoing self-assessment & self-reflection
- get anonymous feedback
- get feedback from supervisor and peers
What type of assessments did we go over?
Suicide assessment
Formative assessment
Summative assessment
SOAP assessment
Formative assessment
devlopmentally formed process, training throughout ones professional career
Summative assessment
at the end point of the professional program or when applying for licensure
Client record & Storage
crucial when knowing the contact info, when keeping track of client and is first line of defense when accused of wrongdoing.
Types of Records
psychotherapy notes(HIPPA)
progress notes (different)
Progress notes
SOAP
process notes (psychotherapy notes)
Therapist personal use only
SOAP
Subjective
Objective
Assessment
Plan
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
the federal law that created national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s knowledge or consent
“HIPAA regulations require practitioners who are covered entities under HIPAA to provide prospective clients with a clear written explanation of how health information is used, disclosed, and kept” 222
Mandated reporter requirements
required by law to report any known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the county child welfare department (CPS) or a local law enforcement agency. This includes abuse or neglect of an elder or dependent adult. Mandated reporters must report as soon as possible by phone, and then follow up with a written report within two days. They are not responsible for determining if the allegations are true
Telehealth limitations
-Texting/email/video/skype the danger of a breach of confidentiality
-We need to take extra precautions when working through telehealth and need to disclose the breaches of confidentiality. We need to make sure our liability covers telehealth communications
Advertising
“Ethical practice dictates that practitioners accurately represent their competence, education, training, and experience in couples and family therapy.” 401
Financial or material exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets.
financial abuse
supervision requirements
-licensed experience
-supervisor training
-types: individual and group
-supervisor role
-supervision agreements and verification forms/logs to keep track of hours