ETHICS

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ETHICS

• Case Management (BCE 542)
• Dr. Dunn
• October 1, 2002

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WHAT ARE ETHICS?

• ETHICS ARE RULES (FORMAL OR INFORMAL) THAT EXIST
  TO MAKE IT MORE LIKELY THAT PEOPLE IN VULNERABLE
  POSITIONS ARE TREATED FAIRLY AND THAT THEIR RISK
  OF DAMAGE OR INJURY IS REDUCED.

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WHERE DO THE RULES COME FROM?

• PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
• COMMISSIONS OF CERTIFICATION
• BOARDS OF LICENSURE

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THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH
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• I swear by Apollo Physician and Aesculapius and
  Hygeia and Panacea and all the gods and
  goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will
  fulfill according to my ability and judgement the
  oath and covenant
• To hold him who has taught me in this art as
  equal to my parents and to live my life in
  partnership with him, and if he is in need of
  money to give a share of mine, and to regard his
  offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage
  and to teach them this art--if they desire to
  learn it--without fee and covenant to give a
  share of precepts and and oral instruction and
  all the other learning to my sons and to the sons
  of him who has instructed me and to pupils who
  have signed the covenant and who have taken an
  oath according to the medical law, but to no one
  else.
• I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of
  the sick according to my ability and judgement.
  I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if
  asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to
  this effect. Similarly, I will not give to a
  woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness
  I will guard my life and art.

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• I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers
  from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such
  men skilled in this work.
• Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the
  benefit of the sick, remaining free of
  intentional injustice, of all mischief and in
  particular of sexual relations with both male and
  female persons, be they free or slaves.
• Whatever I may see or hear in the course of
  treatment or even outside of the treatment in
  regard to the life of men, which on no account
  ought to be spread abroad, I will keep to myself,
  holding such things shameful to be spoken about.
• If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may
  it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being
  honored with fame among all men for all time to
  come if I transgress it and swear falsely, may
  the opposite of all this be my lot.

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The Ten Canons

• Canon 1 Moral and Legal Standards
• Rehabilitation counselors shall behave in a
  legal, ethical and moral manner in the conduct of
  their profession, maintaining the integrity of
  the code, and avoid any behavior which would
  cause harm to others.
• Canon 2 Counselor-Client Relationship
• Rehabilitation counselors shall respect the
  integrity and protect the welfare of people and
  groups with whom they work. The primary
  obligation of rehabilitation counselors is to
  their clients, defined as people with
  disabilities who are receiving services from
  rehabilitation counselors. Rehabilitation
  counselors shall endeavor at all times to place
  their clients interests above their own.

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• Canon 3 Client Advocacy
• Rehabilitation counselors should serve as
  advocates for people with disabilities.
• Canon 4 Professional Relationships
• Rehabilitation counselors shall act with
  integrity in their relationships with colleagues,
  other organizations, agencies, institutions,
  referral sources, and other professions so as to
  facilitate the contribution of all specialists
  toward achieving optimum benefit for clients.
• Canon 5 Public Statements/Fees
• Rehabilitation counselors shall adhere to
  professional standards in establishing fees and
  promoting their services.
• Canon 6 Confidentiality
• Rehabilitation counselors shall respect the
  confidentiality of information obtained from
  clients in the course of their work.
• Canon 7 Assessment
• Rehabilitation counselors shall promote the
  welfare of clients in the selection, utilization,
  and interpretation of assessment measures.

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• Canon 8 Research Activities
• Rehabilitation counselors shall assist in efforts
  to expand the knowledge needed to more
  effectively serve people with disabilities.
• Canon 9 Competence
• Rehabilitation counselors shall establish and
  maintain their professional competencies at such
  a level that their clients receive the benefit of
  the highest quality of services the profession is
  capable of offering.
• Canon 10 CRC Credential
• Rehabilitation counselors holding the Certified
  Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) designation shall
  honor the integrity and respect the limitations
  placed upon its use.

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• What are some similarities you see between the
  Hippocratic Oath and the Ten Canons?

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Ethical Principles and Ethical Dilemmas

• Ethical principles
• Autonomy
• Nonmaleficence
• Beneficence
• Justice
• Fidelity

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Autonomy

• Freedom of choice.
• Allowing individuals to make their own decisions,
  and supporting those decisions.

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Nonmaleficence

• Do Not Harm
• Protecting individuals from dangerous situations.
• Not placing individuals in dangerous situations.

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Beneficence

• Helping others.
• Taking actions that benefit an individuals
  welfare.

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Justice

• Being treated fairly.
• Treating individuals equally unless there is a
  legitimate and compelling reason to treat them
  unequally.

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Fidelity

• Keeping promises
• Sticking to plans and agreements.

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Ethical Dilemmas

• Ethical Dilemmas occur when
• 1. Two actions conflict
• 2. Both actions could be important.
• 3. Both actions are ethically grounded
• 4. Following one course of action will violate
  the ethics supporting the other action.

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Resolving Ethical Dilemmas (p. 180-181 of text)

• Review the case and determine the two courses of
  action from which one must choose.
• List the factually based reasons supporting each
  course of action. The reasons will often involve
  important consequences.
• Given the reasons supporting each course of
  action, identify the ethical principles that
  support each action.
• List the factually based reasons for not
  supporting each course of action. These reasons
  will often be important consequences.
• Given the reasons for not supporting each course
  of action, identify the ethical principles that
  would be compromised if each action were taken.
• Formulate a justification for the superiority of
  one of the two courses of action by processing
  all information from the previous five steps.
  This means that an effective justification
  provides an analysis of the dilemma that
  includes
• Factually based reason(s) supporting each of the
  actions. These reasons will often be important
  consequences.
• The ethical principle(s) supporting each of the
  actions, given the reasons in (a).
• The selected course of action and the reasons why
  precedence should be given, in that situation, to
  the ethical principles supporting the selected
  course of action (Rubin, Millard, Wong, Wilson,
  1990).
• CASE EXAMPLE, P. 181-183

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