Case Study: Ethical Decision-Making Theory

1342 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Counselor and client safety

This vignette focuses on a male adolescent who was already in therapy for behavioral issues, peer relations problems and suffering from a mild form of mental retardation. The issue at hand was about payment after the patient 's mom was laid off and subsequently lose her insurance. Dad steps in to offer goods in exchange for service so his son can continue therapy. As a therapist, what should you do when someone 's mental health depends on your services? The best thing to do will be the follow the APA ethical guidelines to help in making the appropriate decision and to use the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologist known as the Ethical Decision Making Process.

Bartering in therapy can be polarizing because some frown upon it while others embrace …show more content…

An example will be my compassion towards the patient and his parents and I may end up violating an ethics standard. I feel compassion towards parents who will do anything for the well-being of their children. The bullying and the stigmatizing of this young patient will also definitely pull at my heart string. My decision may be clouded because of how I feel especially on something that will impact someone 's mental health. The ethical issue that arose was Standard 2.06 on personal problems and conflict because my emotions will interfere with my decisions and in this case I may end up harming the client unintentionally. Standard 3.04 on avoiding harm especially when it foreseeable and I will like to avoid harming if I can. My fourth decision-making process will be to develop alternatives to help solve the problem. My alternative will be to discuss with my supervisor about the issue I am having with the client. I can also confer with my colleagues about how to handle a situation like this especially if one of them had experienced this issue

Show More
Related

  • Uustal Ethical Decision Making Model Essay

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    We have one resident in the long-term facility who has stage four cancer of spinal cord and he has been suffering from intense pain. Every time when I enter his room, he cries and implore to the god that he can minimize his suffering. He has prescription of hydromorphone 8 mg every 4 hourly PRN , oxycodone 5 mg every 6 hourly and 50 mcg of fentanyl path change every 3rd day. After giving all scheduled and PRN medicine his pain level remains same as before. When I see that patients I feel like to give highest dose of medicine as well as alternative pain management therapy so that he can have some comfort but ethically I have no right to do that. He is hospice but he has no comfort at all. Following are the nine steps of Uustal ethical decision making model.

    Read More

  • The Four Ethical Lenses and The 4+1 Decision Process

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to address the above components, five decision making steps have to be put in place, these are; being attentive, being intelligent, being reasonable, being responsible, and being reflective. The first step, being attentive, involves evaluating the whole situation and coming up with the data and information about the problem at hand. In so doing the following questions are viewed; what facts to bear in mind, what direction to take so as to get the expected solution, and what is the main issue to work on. In the second step, being intelligent, the information is clearly studied to determine whether the collected data is revealing the correct details concerning the problem. Determine the stakeholde...

    Read More

  • The Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues of a Patient Being Hoisted in Chronic Pain

    1837 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sim, J (1997). Ethical Decision Making in Therapy Practice. Oxford: Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd. p.16.

    Read More

  • Ethics in the Mental Health Profession

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the mental health profession of counseling, therapy, psychology, psychiatric and social services ethical dilemmas are faced primarily on a daily basis. Being that mental health professionals are working with clients who are often fragile and vulnerable, they must develop an intense awareness of ethical issues. On the other hand, mental health professionals would never intentionally harm their clients, students or colleagues and others whom they work with. Unfortunately, good intentions are not enough to ensure that wrong doings will not occur and mental health professionals have no choice but to make ethically determined decisions. Depending upon the experience and expertise of the professional determines the outcome of the ethical circumstance. For example, if you were practicing mental health professional and had a friend who’s a licensed psychologist, who is invited to attend the wedding of a patient that she has been seeing in court-ordered therapy for a year; what advice would you give your friend?

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemmas In Substance Abuse Counselor

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    Professional counselors are confronted with ethical decision making on a regular day-to-day basis. This could be both nerve-racking and challenging. In order for a counselor to face these ethical decisions, it is important for them to have guidelines in place for when an ethical or legal situation occurs. The first step is to recognize there is an ethical dilemma, once this is recognized the process to resolve it can be started (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2008).

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues In Counseling

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    So your opinions on the topic may or may not help out the situation and also in some unfortunate cases can send the client into a ‘downward spiral’. By expressing your ethical issues on the topic to your client you may trigger unwanted emotions. These unwanted emotions can drive the client to hurt themselves or even make the client take legal actions towards the counselor. Ways to prevent this from happening is learning your own self-control and what your limits are when its comes to dealing the client. “You want to consider the best action that will protect your client’s needs, but you also want to ask yourself: What is the best action to protect the profession and myself? (Berton, J. D. (2014). Make the Rule to Break the Rule: Setting Your Ethical Standards. Counselor: The Magazine For Addiction Professionals, 15(5), 10-12

    Read More

  • Six Principles Of Ethical Behavior: Case Study

    2048 Words  | 5 Pages

    The text defines ethical dilemma as situations that have two or more values in conflict (Woodside & McClam, 2015). As a human service professional, there may be times when situations may emerge and an individual might be uncertain of the proper action to take. A human service professional must look at all points of view. In addition, they must establish a list of problems and examine the multiple viewpoints. Furthermore, they must develop potential outcomes and analyze the impact each decision may have. This will assist the profession to have the ability to have an understanding of critical thinking, professional code of ethics, and to form rapport (p. 270). Ethical behavior has six principles that is shared among members of the human

    Read More

  • Ethical Principles in Clinical Mental Health

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    The field of clinical mental health is one of great reward, but also one of grave responsibility. It is the duty of the counselor to provide the client with a safe environment and an open mind, in order to foster a healthy therapeutic relationship. The majority of mental health counselors would never intentionally harm their clients; however; good intentions are not enough to ensure that wrong will not occur. The ethical expectations and boundaries are regulated by both laws and professional codes. When discussing ethics, one must realize there are two categories, mandatory and aspirational. (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2007)

    Read More

  • Ethical Decision Making Essay

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    The six steps of the model are as follows: Identify the ethical dilemma, collect information, state the options, apply ethical principles to those options, make the decision, and implement the decision (Beemsterboer, 2010). The first step is to identify the ethical dilemma, which Beemsterboer describes as the most critical step in the model. To identify the ethical dilemma, one must recognize that the problem is an ethical dilemma with no one clear answer, and expound upon what the ethical question is. The next step is to collect information about the situation and values involved “as a basis for an informed decision.” (Beemsterboer, 2010, para. 8). After defining the ethical dilemma and gathering information about it, one must then state as many options as possible which may resolve the problem (Beemsterboer, 2010). Due to that fact that more than one decision may remedy an ethical dilemma, it is important to discuss all available options to better understand all angles of the situation and how to deal with as many of them as possible. Once all alternatives have been stated, each must be weighed against ethical principles. Beemsterboer suggests in the discussion of each option a list of pros and cons be made to demonstrate how the option may protect of violate ethical principles and values (2010).?? After analyzing each alternative it is much easier

    Read More

  • Ethics And Ethics Of Professional Standards And Institutional Ethics

    1463 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tarzian, A. J., & Force, A. C. C. U. T. (2013). Health care ethics consultation: An update on core competencies and emerging standards from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities’ Core Competencies Update Task Force. The American Journal of Bioethics, 13(2),

    Read More

  • Ethical Business Case Study

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    The term “ethical business” is seen, by many people, as an oxymoron. This is because a business’s main objective is to make as much money as possible. Making the most money possible, however, can often lead to unethical actions. Companies like Enron, WorldCom, and Satyam have been the posterchildren for how corporations’ greed lead to unethical practices. In recent times however, companies have been accused of being unethical based on, not how they manage their finances, but on how they treat the society that they operate in. People have started to realize that the damage companies have been doing to the world around them is more impactful and far worse than any financial fraud that these companies might be engaging in. Events like the BP oil

    Read More

  • Essay On Ethical And Ethical Issues In Nursing

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another huge ethical topic is the patient’s right to choose autonomy in the refusal of life-saving medicine or treatment. This issue affects a nurse’s standards of care and code of ethics. “The nurse owes the patient a duty of care and must act in accordance with this duty at all times, by respecting and supporting the patient’s right to accept or decline treatment” (Volinsky). In order for a patient to be able make these types of decisions they must first be deemed competent. While the choice of patient’s to refuse life-saving treatment may go against nursing ethical codes and beliefs to attempt and coerce them to get treatment is trespass and would conclude in legal action. “….then refusal of these interventions may be regarded as inappropriate, but in the case of a patient with capacity, the patient must have the ultimate authority to decide” (Volinsky). While my values of the worth of life and importance of action may be different than others, as a nurse I have to learn to set that aside and follow all codes of ethics whether I have a dilemma with them or not. Sometimes with ethics there is no right or wrong, but as a nurse we have to figure out where to draw the line in some cases.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Decision Making Model: The Kitchener Critical Evaluation Model

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Ethical Decision Making Model is an ethical guideline that is useful in ethical dilemmas and what course of action to take. It’s a framework that allows professionals to analyze and make ethical decisions to the best of their ability. It gives counselors a protocol to determine the appropriate course of action when faced difficult challenge. These decisions are taking into account; reflect a concern for the interests and the well-being of all clients concerns. Counselors should keep in mind the Golden Rule: “Do onto others as you would want onto you”.

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemma Case Study

    1453 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone in this world has experienced an ethical dilemma in different situations and this may arise between one or more individuals. Ethical dilemma is a situation where people have to make complex decisions and are influenced based on personal interest, social environment or norms, and religious beliefs (“Strategic Leadership”, n.d.). The leaders and managers in the company should set guidelines to ensure employees are aware and have a better chance to solve and make ethical decisions. Employees are also responsible in understanding their ethical obligations in order to maintain a positive work environment. The purpose of this case study is to identify the dilemma and analyze different decisions to find ways on how a person should act

    Read More

  • Ethical Decision Making

    272 Words  | 1 Pages

    The most important thing learned in classes is usually taught in the beginning as a foundation idea. I found systems thinking to be most important. All too many times, we jump to conclusions quickly. Since starting this class, I have caught myself multiple times trying to make a decision without gathering all of the relevant information. Now that I make it a priority to step back for a second and look at the bigger picture, I feel as though I make not only ethical decisions, but just day to day decisions more efficiently. Without systems thinking, one would not be able to fully understand the issue at hand, potentially leading to making the wrong ethical decision.

    Read More

More about Case Study: Ethical Decision-Making Theory

Open Document