module 4 practising competently and confidently Flashcards
explain the role of professional regulators in ensuring psychologist practitioners are competent upon graduation and during their working lives
Competence in practice includes;
-specialist skills, abilities and knowledge
-knowledge about the various clients you may work with (particularly when they come from different cultures or minority or disadvantaged groups)
-personal qualities.
Competent psychologists recognise their limits and seek further training or supervision where necessary.
explain and justify the Psychology Board of Australia’s graduate competencies
PsyBA=Psychology Board of Australia. Before registration, candidates are required to sit a National Psychology Exam and this considers the following competencies;
1. knowledge of the discipline
2. ethical, legal and professional matters
3. psychological assessment and measurement
4. intervention strategies
5. research and evaluation
6. communication and interpersonal relationships
7. working with people from diverse groups
8.practice across the lifespan.
Psychological practice should be based on the use of the scientist-practitioner model. This means that all decisions involving psychological techniques and practice should have some empirical basis. Psychologists are expected to keep up to date with the latest research findings that show evidence of effectiveness to inform professional practice.
The scientist-practitioner model involves:
- a problem-formulation and hypothesis-testing approach
- defining the problem from available data
- generating hypotheses to explain the problem
- testing and evaluation of the hypothesis
- evaluating and revising where necessary.
Psychologists require a ‘detailed knowledge and understanding of ethics;
- confidentiality and privacy issues
- consent issues (including minors and those unable to provide
-informed consent)
-sexual propriety
- boundary issues
- psycho-legal issues (e.g. disclosure of information; rights of clients to access their files).
Psychologists require Knowledge of the main provisions and awareness of when to consult relevant legislation contained in state and commonwealth acts and regulations of Parliament, as they pertain to psychologists’ work, is required. Knowledge of the national law is mandatory. Plus legislation knowledge re;
- freedom of information
- mental health
- workers compensation
- disability services
- guardianship
- privacy
- health records
- equal opportunity and anti-discrimination
- victims of crime
- children and adolescents
- mandatory reporting
- ethical human research.
Psychologists are required to have an understanding of a variety of professional issues, such as;
1. personal presentation
2. the role of the psychologist within the profession and the workplace
3. the roles of other professions and the ability to report to other professionals appropriately and work collaboratively
4. the propriety of relationships amongst psychologists, between psychologists and other professionals, employers and clients
5. mechanisms for the resolution of conflict between psychologists and clients, colleagues, employers and other professionals, including complaints decisions
6. working effectively at an appropriate level of autonomy, with awareness of the limits of one’s own competence, and accepting accountability to relevant professional and service managers
7. managing own personal learning needs and developing strategies to meet these
8. using supervision to reflect on practice and making appropriate use of feedback received
9. developing self-reflection or self-assessment skills
10. developing strategies to manage the emotional and physical impact of psychological practice and seeking appropriate support when necessary, with good awareness of boundary issues
11. understanding the impact of difference and diversity, and implications for working practices
12. gender, sexuality and cultural issues
13. service needs of vulnerable groups in society
14. registration issues; that is, requirement for maintaining and notifying
15. advertising and public statements
16. administrative, record keeping procedures (including adequate clarification of any financial arrangements, including billing) and note-taking
16. negotiated workplace agreements.
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS INCLUDE:
- working in isolation-mitigate by networking/accessing appropriate supervision/planning and addressing inexperience with cpd/supervision etc. Plus personal relaxation/enjoyment etc for balance.
- juggling many roles-mitigate by being aware of own limitations/mindful of ethics re multiple relationships/managing personal stress
- vicarious traumatisation from clients’ trauma-mitigate by mindfulness,journal of anything that has been distressing for you etc/seeking personal counselling when required/maintaining work life balance and personal relaxation
- burnout-mitigate by work life balance/exercise/stress management
- time pressures (work/family).-as above
identify the sections of the Code and the Guidelines that promote competent psychological practice.
The Code of Ethics outlines the requirements for psychologists to practise within the limits of their competence and take steps to ensure they remain competent through continuing professional development.
Refer to General Principle B: Propriety, and more specifically, the ethical standard B.1. Competence.
The ethical guidelines on supervision emphasise the importance of psychologists:
-ensuring that the standards of the profession are maintained
being aware of the various purposes, methods and theoretical models that influence the nature, mechanism and processes of supervision
-acting in a responsible, competent and professional manner to ensure that no harm is done to clients
not exploiting supervisees
-giving careful consideration to due process, informed consent, management of multiple relationships, and confidentiality and privacy.
Ferriere case
Psychologist went before board as had a complaint. Found that he tampered with medical records and that he did ask to see a client’s nipple although agreed that seemed more in a solicitous way re clint’s concerns and was not licentious. but deemed outside his area of expertise. Fined $1500 for this and for tampering with records unable to practice for 6 months. Contravened standards of record keeping and propriety.
