Back to the Basics: Using Ethical Principles to Guide Practice

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Back to the Basics:

Using Ethical Principles to Guide Practice

Amy J. Barsanti, MSW

2012 Spring Continuing Education Conference for Social Workers

Charleston, West Virginia

April 25, 2012

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• Pause & think critically before acting

• Apply the standards of the NASW Code of

• Ethics to ethical dilemmas

• Use an ethical rules screen and an ethical decision

making model to guide practice

Participants will

be able to…

Workshop

Objectives

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Activity 1

Using the index card provided, write down 1

ethical dilemma you have observed or

experienced during the last year. Write only

the dilemmas, not the outcome.

Turn in your card.

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Introduce yourself to the members of

your group. Share:

• Name

• Where you work

• Experience Level

• What do you need from this group in relation to

ethics?

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Working in your small group, make a list of unethical

and unprofessional behaviors you have observed that

have shocked or horrified you during the past year.

Write them on the index card and

Then turn in the card.

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• What do you think the reasons are that these behaviors are

occurring?

• Presenter’s work with students in field placement. Why present on

this topic now? Is there a common factor that seems to be regardless

of the specific ethical situation?

• What are you doing when you see unprofessional and/or unethical

behavior? Do we have an obligation to do something when we see it?

If so, what is our obligation? Does it depend on what the behavior is?

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Ethically Sound Practice

Requires

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Stretches…

• Our

Willingness to Question

basic assumptions;

• Our ability to

Imagine & Explore

alternatives;

• Our

Understanding

of the importance of social & cultural

contexts to human behavior;

• Our ability to

Distinguish

between questions of fact &

questions of value;

• Our ability to

Practice Caution

when inferring causality or

making generalizations.

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Ethics are

value and moral issues related to…

• What is Right?

• What is Fair?

• What is Possible?

• What is Desired?

• What is Legal?

• What is Humane?

Forrest, C. (2012, March). Today’s Ethically-Charged Realities: Teaching Student Accountability in Field, Presentation at North Carolina Field Education Consortium Meetings, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC.

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Ethically Sound Practice Requires Attention to…

• Boundaries

• Bias

• Stereotyping

• Judgmental Attitudes

• Favoritism

• Competing Priorities

• Equitable Playing Field

• Competence-level

Forrest, C. (2012, March). Today’s Ethically-Charged Realities: Teaching Student Accountability in Field, Presentation at North Carolina Field Education Consortium Meetings, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC.

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Dusting off the NASW Code of Ethics

What are the 6 core values and corresponding ethical principles

of the NASW Code of Ethics?

Dissecting the Ethical Standards…

• Ethical Responsibilities to Clients

• Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings

• Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals

• Ethical Responsibilities to the Social Work Profession

• Ethical Responsibilities to the Broader Society

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E

xamine the

Code of Ethics

to determine if any of the Code rules are

applicable.

These rules take precedence over the worker’s personal value system.

If one or more Code rules apply, follow these.

If the Code does not address itself to the specific problem, or if several Code

rules provide conflicting guidance, use the Ethical Principles Screen.

From Loewenberg, F.M. & Dolgoff, R. (2000). Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice (6th ed.).Itasca, Il.: FE Peacock.

Lowenberg &

Dolgoff’s Ethical

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To be used when an applicable code of ethics does not provide specific rules Principle of the protection of life

Principle of equality and inequality

Principle of autonomy and freedom

Principle of least harm

Principle of quality of life

Principle of privacy and confidentiality

Principle of truthfulness and full disclosure

Lowenberg &

Dolgoff’s Ethical

Principles

Screen

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1) Identify the problem and factors maintaining the problem

2) Identify all person, groups, organizations involved in the situation 3) Determine who should be involved in the decision making

4) Identify values involved in the situation - client, family, worker, professional, group, institutional, societal

5) Identify the goals and objectives which may resolve or reduce the problem

6) Identify alternative interventions to reach the goals

7) Assess the effectiveness of each of these alternative strategies 8) Select a strategy

9) Implement the strategy

10) Monitor the implementation of the strategy 11) Evaluate the results

Lowenberg &

Dolgoff’s Ethical

Decision Making

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A.R.E. You Operating From a Place of Sound Ethical

Practice?

• A

ssessment

• R

easoning & Decisions (Is it sound?)

• E

valuation

We must continually search for ethical practice in our work , particularly paying attention to what is going on around us.

What is the right thing to do in a given practice situation?

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What is Malpractice? A type of negligence in which…

• The professional, under a duty to act, fails to follow generally accepted professional standards, AND that breach of duty is the proximate cause of injury to a plaintiff who suffers harm. It is committed by a professional or his/her agents on behalf of a client that causes damages.

What is a breach of duty?

• A breach is a violation or omission of a legal or moral duty. More

particularly, the neglect or failure to fulfill in a just and proper manner the duties of employment.

• How could you breach a duty? – Examples – Failure to make a referral; Failure to get proper consent.

• In what ways would that cause injury to a client?

Sounders, T. (2009, July). Shades of Gray: Exposing the Nuances of Professional Ethical Boundaries and Dual Relationships, Presentation at the NASW Clinical Summer Institute, Wilmington, NC.

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• The hallmark of any profession is the willingness to establish

ethical standards to guide conduct

• Typically Codes, such as NASW Code of Ethics, are designed

to address:

 Problems of “moral hazard” – The orange warning barrels on the road to caution you – Example – Confidentiality

 Issues of professional courtesy – How do we treat each other?  Obligations to serve public interest

Sounders, T. (2009, July). Shades of Gray: Exposing the Nuances of Professional Ethical Boundaries and Dual Relationships, Presentation at the NASW Clinical Summer Institute, Wilmington, NC.

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Findings of Fact

Cases from the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, &

Regulations Before the State Board of Social Work Examiners

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Is It Ethical?

Exploring Case Scenarios

developed by Thomas Horn

Scenarios have been reproduced with permission by White Hat Communications

Horn, T. (2011). Is it Ethical? 101 Scenarios in Everyday Social Work Practice. Harrisburg, PA: White House Communications.

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Is It Ethical?

Presenter’s Scenarios

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Is It Ethical?

Attendee Scenarios

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Presenter Contact

Information

Amy J. Barsanti, MSW

Lecturer/Assistant Coordinator of Field Education

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

[email protected]

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References

Forrest, C. (2012, March). Today’s Ethically-Charged Realities: Teaching Student Accountability in

Field, Presentation at North Carolina Field Education Consortium Meetings, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC.

Horn, T. (2011). Is it Ethical? 101 Scenarios in Everyday Social Work Practice. Harrisburg, PA: White House Communications.

Loewenberg, F.M. & Dolgoff, R. (2000). Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice (6th ed.). Itasca, IL: FE Peacock.

Saunders, T. (2009, July). Shades of Gray: Exposing the Nuances of Professional Ethical Boundaries and Dual Relationships, Presentation at the NASW Clinical Summer Institute, Wilmington, NC.

Walsh, J. (2010).Direct social work practice, (2nd_{ed.).Belmont CA: Wadsworth.}