Scribd
Upload
58 views18 pages

Reflection To Ethics of Psychiatric Social Work

The document discusses the ethics of psychiatric social work. It explains that psychiatric social work aims to enhance mental health and well-being. It encompasses assessment, casework, counseling, and psychotherapy. As such, professional practice is shaped by ethical principles rooted in social work values. The code of ethics provides guidance on professional conduct. It also discusses the meaning of ethics, purposes of codes of ethics, common ethical dilemmas, and managing dilemmas through consultation and following professional guidelines.

Uploaded by

Vidya Nagaraj Manibettu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
58 views18 pages

Reflection To Ethics of Psychiatric Social Work

The document discusses the ethics of psychiatric social work. It explains that psychiatric social work aims to enhance mental health and well-being. It encompasses assessment, casework, counseling, and psychotherapy. As such, professional practice is shaped by ethical principles rooted in social work values. The code of ethics provides guidance on professional conduct. It also discusses the meaning of ethics, purposes of codes of ethics, common ethical dilemmas, and managing dilemmas through consultation and following professional guidelines.

Uploaded by

Vidya Nagaraj Manibettu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 18

REFLECTION TO ETHICS OF PSYCHIATRIC

SOCIAL WORK
INTRODUCTION

 The principal objective of psychiatric social work is the enhancement of the mental health and the well-
being of the individuals and families who seek services from its practitioners.
 Psw practice encompasses four major areas: biopsychosocial assessment and diagnosis, social
casework, counseling and psychotherapy. 
 As such, the professional practice of PSW is shaped by ethical principles which are rooted in the basic
values of the social work profession
 Code of Ethics “is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers,”

 Ref :CSWA Code of Ethics /


https://www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org/CSWA-Ethics

Clinical Social Work Association Code of


Ethics
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ETHICS?

Definitions from the Dictionary:

 moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the


conducting of an activity.

 the moral correctness of specified conduct.

 a set of moral principles, especially ones relating to or affirming


a specified group, field, or form of conduct.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ETHICS?

 The word "ethics" means a system or code of morals of a particular


profession.

 The word "moral" or to be "moral" means to be capable of making the


distinction between right and wrong.

 Moral reasoning/ethical reasoning in social work practice means being


able to make the distinction between right and wrong in how one
conducts the practice of social work. 

 A professional code of ethics provides guidance on how the profession


conducts it’s work and is based on the values of the profession
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AN ETHICAL CODE IN SOCIAL
OF A CODE OF ETHICS?

 Articulates the basic values, ethical principles, and ethical


standards of the profession.

 Guides the social worker’s conduct and behavior

 Is relevant to all social workers & social work students,


regardless of professional functions, settings in which they
work, or populations they serve


PURPOSE OF THE NASW CODE OF ETHICS

 The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics serves 6


purposes:

 identifies core values on which social work's mission is based

 summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core


values & establishes a set of specific ethical standards used to guide social
work practice

 helps social workers identify relevant considerations when professional


obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise
PURPOSE OF THE NASW CODE OF ETHICS, CONTD.

 provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the
social work profession accountable

 socializes practitioners new to the field to social work's mission,


values, ethical principles, & ethical standards

 articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to
assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct
WHAT IF THE ETHICAL CODE IS VIOLATED?

 NASW has formal procedures to adjudicate ethics complaints


filed against its members

 In subscribing to the Code of Ethics, social workers are required


to:
 cooperate in its implementation,
 participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and
 abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.
DEFINING “ETHICAL DILEMMA”

an ethical dilemma is a situation in which two or more professionally identified values are in
conflict.
COMMON ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN SOCIAL WORK
 Right to Self-determination

 Confidentiality

 Differences of Morals and Values

 Dual Relationships

 Administrative Dilemmas
PRECAUTIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF ETHICAL DILEMMAS

 Review Professional Guidelines


 Consult with Others
 Always Make Sure Professional Decisions Comply with the Law
 Analyse Before Taking Action
 Professional Ethics Self-Assessment Tool

 This ethical self-assessment was derived directly from a tool developed by the American College of
Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and is being used with expressed permission of the ACHE.
Additional materials have been added to reflect requirements of the NAMSS Code of Professional
Conduct.
 LEADERSHIP
 RELATIONSHIPS: Colleagues and Staff
 RELATIONSHIPS: Clinicians
 RELATIONSHIPS: External Business Partners (buyers, suppliers and payors)
 NAMSS CODE OF CONDUCT
CASE 1

 A woman buys female babies from poor families andoffers them for adoption to well to do
families. She claims that she is not making money in the process and is only interested in
helping the female babies as well as the families. She says that .if the babies are not
removed from the families they will most likely be killed or ill-treated which also will most
likely result in death. (She quotes certain statistics to prove her point). She says that she is
breaking the law but compares it to Gandhi's breaking of the law during freedom struggle.
The aim is the greater good of society with no loss to anyone in the process. Is she doing
the right thing?
CASE 2

 A man is infected with HIVIAIDS during a blood transfusion afier an accident. He says that
his family members should not be informed as he will be thrown out of the house and he
has nowhere to go. At the same time there is a risk of other members of the family getting
infected particularly his wife. Should you keep the information confidential or disclose the
person's health status to his wifdfamily members?
CASE 3

 Your colleagues in the counseling centre discuss the problems of the clients and make fun
of their problems. When you ask them why they do so, they say that the information does
not go out of the group and that the clients will never come to know of this. When you say
that you will report this to your superior they threaten to break up their relationship with
you if you proceed. Will you be willing to be ostracized by the group, to resolve a problem
on account of which nobody seems to be affected?
CASE 4

 An unwed woman comes to seek assistance from you to abort her foetus. She says that
she has no choice as the father of the unborn child has refused to marry her. Her parents
have arranged her marriage with someone else. But if they come to know of this they will
certainly cancel the maniage. The pregnancy has reached a stage where it can not be
legally aborted. The woman has not informed her parents about her condition and does not
intend to do so. Will you help her to abort even though it is illegal
CASE 5

 Your client (opposite sex) proposes maniage to you. Helshe says that you both
 Basics of Social Work have the same social background and therefore should get married.
She points out that there are a number of instances where professional relationships have
become personal. For example, colleagues working in the same office get married; doctors
marry nurses and so on. Will you accept the proposal if you feel that he/ she fits the
requirement of your life partner?
CONCLUSIONS

 Ethics deals with 'what ought to be'. It helps the social worker to simplify the complex situatiois
in which he/ she will often find himself/ herself.

 The social worker has to meet the high standards the'codes recommend. In the process it not
only the social worker's personal credibility which is affected when a social worker misbehaves,
but the credibility of the whole profession.
 There are many problems regarding ethical decision-making these problems show that the
social worker should be extremely careful while making decisions which affect powerful people.
 Unless social workers get adequate recognition from society and the government it would be
difficult to bring about any basic changes in society. Till this happens the social work discipline
will remain a secondary profession in society.

You might also like