However, social workers’ responsibility to the larger society or specific legal obligations may on limited occasions supersede the loyalty owed clients, and clients should be advised.” (Handout, Pg.
Values and Ethics The NASW (2010) and the Texas Department of State Health Services provide a foundation on how social workers interacts with clients, colleagues, practice setting, and their environment. This code of ethics and Code of Conduct provide to the social workers with ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting. By analyzing this ethical responsibilities and values in practice setting it is easy to identify the ethical responsibilities I am currently using. The Texas Department of State Health Services [TDSHS] has a Code of Conducts for social workers that provides a standards of behaviors need to follow as to stay professional and avoid damaging clients’ lives and self. For example, The NASW (2010) describes an ethical principle to practice setting in which 3.07 Administration is describes has advocating for adequate services for clients to
Ethical Issues in Social Work Practice The social work profession and its Code of Ethics dictate that social workers must act in the best interest of the client, even when those actions challenge the practitioner’s personal, cultural and religious values. In practice; however, ethical decision-making is more complex than in theory. As helping professionals, social workers are constantly faced with ethical decision-making or ethical dilemmas. As noted by Banks (2005), an ethical dilemma occurs “when a worker is faced with a choice between two equally unwelcome alternatives that may involve a conflict of moral principles, and it is not clear what choice will be the right one” (as cited in McAuliffe & Chenoweth, 2008, p. 43).
The beginning of the article discusses the ethical dilemmas during client support. It argues about two situations in which ethics needs to be considered. Some people argue that ethics is required in every case, while others disagree. However, the article says that value based decisions are needed in a social worker’s decision other than simply considering knowledge.
In the social work profession, it is a requirement to have a thorough understanding of ethics and some of the ethical dilemmas that one can face. On my journey as a social work student one of my assignments was specific to ethical dilemmas. The ethical dilemma that I chose to write in this paper about was multiple relationships and violating counselor client boundaries. The class that I wrote this in was HMS 102 which was values of human services. The main topic of the paper focused on the negative effects of sexual relationships.
18) she described the “risky business” of engaging in dual relationships with clients as a social worker. Her main focus in this article was describing concerns with crossing pre-established professional boundaries with clients and entering dual relationships. Dewane (2010, p. 18) proposed that these dual relationships have the potential to exploit the client, increase social worker’s liability, and risk hindering the therapeutic process. The social work Code of Ethics instructs, “If a dual relationship is exploitative, whether it begins before, during, or after a professional relationship, it should be avoided” (Dewane, 2010, p. 18). Dewane (2010, p.18) also specified some exploitative situations to include romantic/sexual relationships, trading goods or services instead of money, and entering into business agreements.
Case Scenario Practicing in a school setting, there are numerous individuals in the same building looking to positively impact and change students’ lives. Interdisciplinary staff consistently work together to meet the various needs of the diverse student population. As the social worker, I am privy to the strengths and weaknesses of clients as they are presented to me by the student and his/her family and shared in interdisciplinary team meetings upon the consent to do so by the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). Teachers are only present and involved in the interdisciplinary meetings when a student assigned to their class is being discussed.
The following ethical principles are based on social work's core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW, 1999). These principles are to be used when assisting clients and their needs. Social workers also should be attentive of the impact on ethical decision making of their clients' and their personal values and cultural and religious beliefs and practices. They should be aware of any conflicts between personal and professional values and deal with them responsibly (NASW, 1999). Ethical dilemmas are
For cases like the aforementioned, social workers must follow the proper code of ethic and not get morally involved. While one may empathize with the patient, it is important that all ethical codes are being followed. In these situations, the social worker must follow the NASW code of ethics by one being culturally competent to the parents’ religious beliefs as well as ensuring that the best decision is made in the child’s care. In the case where the parents are refusing treatment based off religious purposes, the social worker must understand how the religion works and use this information as a way to help the patient receive care without crossing any additional ethical lines. When dealing with young cancer patients who wish to end their treatments, social workers must safeguard the interest and rights of the patient (NASW, 2008, 1.14).
From time to time, social work practitioners face different challenges and one of such example is being confronted with ethical dilemmas. An ethical dilemma is defined as “when the social worker sees himself or herself as facing a choice between two equally unwelcoming alternatives, which may involve a conflict of moral values, and it is not clear which choice will be the right one” (Banks, 2012). Ethical dilemmas can occur in the context of either client or organisational-related conflict situations at work. The first ethical dilemma is when the patient refuses medical treatment and services because he or she would not accept that there is any problem.
Kerridge et.al (2009), developed an ethical decision making model made up of seven steps to guide a social worker to identify both ethical issues and to evaluate the values of the identified issues (Kerridge et.al, 2009). This model is applied to the three options that are elaborated and illustrated in Appendix’s B. C. and D. The first step in the model is to ‘clearly state the problem’ which is the argument of self-determination and own wishes versus Sophie’s mother’s wishes and the law. This elicits questions such as ‘Is a sixteen year old girl mature enough to make the decision of termination?’
detailing the alignment of my behavior and my values. I saw this as a reflection of my actions in where I find integrity as a foundation that I rely in order to convey trust. It important for me to be clear that as much I expect others to the right thing, I put myself through the same criteria and expect the same within myself, my morals guide what I do as a leader (Northouse, 2016). In social work having a strong sense of ethics provides clarity on the compounding issues that can arise in the field. I relate having Internalized Moralized Perspective as doing the right thing even when no one is looking or paying attention and also being fair while acknowledging other perspective without judgment or bias.
Correspondingly, it will guide me to provide my clients with the ability to make informed consent. Additionally, this value is important to my future practice because it ensures that I become an advocate for my clients in every capacity, including human rights. Lastly, as a social worker, I will ensure that I work towards my clients being free from violence and the threat of violence (Heinonen & Spearman, 2010, p. 34). Secondly, as a social worker it is necessary that my practice is guided by my value of providing a service to humanity.
Ethics is the way that we try to lives our life base on the standard of what’s right or wrong. Those standards are based on beliefs by which judgments are made about good or bad behavior. Your personal moral standards are built up over your lifetime. It affects the choices you make in your life. Standards of ethical behavior are absorbed by seeing the examples of everybody around you.
The practice of health care includes many scenarios that have to do with making adequate decisions when it comes to a patient’s life, and the way they are treated. Having an ethical code in all health care organizations is very important, because it helps health care workers with reaching a suited and ethical decision when it comes to the patient. In health care, patient will always be put first, and their autonomy will always be respected. Nevertheless, when there is a situation where a patient might be in harm, or might be making their condition worse because of the decisions they made. Health care workers will always be there to
