Ethical Decision-Making Model
Ethical Decision-Making Paper
Sara A. Roper
Liberty University
Abstract
Those who are counselors have to make ethical decisions all the time. At times, those decisions can be difficult and other times they can be an easy, everyday decision. When an ethical decision is difficult, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is there to guide a counselor in making the best ethical decision. The ACA Ethics Committee has developed a guide, A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision making, that is there to assist counselors in making sound ethical decisions. This model is a seven-step model that addresses all the areas in solving an ethical issue. These seven steps include; (1) identifying the problem, (2) applying the ACA Code of Ethics, …show more content…
First off, Standard A.12 states, “Counselors do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling.” As a professional counselor, Jane has both abandoned and neglected some of her clients by not informing them that she will be out of the office on vacation. Standard A.12 also goes on to say that counselors must make arrangements for treatment when there are interruptions such as vacations, illness, and termination. She also failed to follow this by not notifying her clients of someone else they may talk to in case of an emergency. Remley and Herlihy (2014) encourage professional counselors “be careful to protect the best interest of clients when services have to be interrupted or prematurely terminated” (pg. 91). If Jane is found to have abandoned her clients she could face a …show more content…
First, it will allow Jane to realize she has not made the proper arrangements for her clients while she is out of town. If she realizes this, it will reduce the risk of harming her clients and her counselor client relationship (nonmaleficence & beneficence). It will allow her clients to know whom to contact in an emergency and will not harm her relationship with her clients so that they will still be able to trust her (fidelity). It will also potentially allow her to realize she may have counselor impairment and will need more than just a vacation to solve the issues that she is facing from the stressors of the job. It will prevent any conflict that could arise with her colleagues by allowing her to realize where she has violated the ACA Code of Ethics in this
Sara A. Roper
Liberty University
Abstract
Those who are counselors have to make ethical decisions all the time. At times, those decisions can be difficult and other times they can be an easy, everyday decision. When an ethical decision is difficult, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is there to guide a counselor in making the best ethical decision. The ACA Ethics Committee has developed a guide, A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision making, that is there to assist counselors in making sound ethical decisions. This model is a seven-step model that addresses all the areas in solving an ethical issue. These seven steps include; (1) identifying the problem, (2) applying the ACA Code of Ethics, …show more content…
First off, Standard A.12 states, “Counselors do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling.” As a professional counselor, Jane has both abandoned and neglected some of her clients by not informing them that she will be out of the office on vacation. Standard A.12 also goes on to say that counselors must make arrangements for treatment when there are interruptions such as vacations, illness, and termination. She also failed to follow this by not notifying her clients of someone else they may talk to in case of an emergency. Remley and Herlihy (2014) encourage professional counselors “be careful to protect the best interest of clients when services have to be interrupted or prematurely terminated” (pg. 91). If Jane is found to have abandoned her clients she could face a …show more content…
First, it will allow Jane to realize she has not made the proper arrangements for her clients while she is out of town. If she realizes this, it will reduce the risk of harming her clients and her counselor client relationship (nonmaleficence & beneficence). It will allow her clients to know whom to contact in an emergency and will not harm her relationship with her clients so that they will still be able to trust her (fidelity). It will also potentially allow her to realize she may have counselor impairment and will need more than just a vacation to solve the issues that she is facing from the stressors of the job. It will prevent any conflict that could arise with her colleagues by allowing her to realize where she has violated the ACA Code of Ethics in this