Essay Instructions: I attend Indiana University
the text book THE SOCIAL WORK SKILLS WORKBOOK
Barry R Cournoyer the seventh Edition
The values, ethics, and legal obligations that guide social workers pertain to every aspect of pro-fessional practice. Indeed, you should consider ethical principles more important than theoretical knowledge, research findings, agency policies, and, of course, your own personal views. To make sound ethical decisions in social work practice, you should be familiar with the fundamental human rights of all people and the basic moral values involved in ethical decision making. You also need to know and understand the values of the profession, the principles reflected in the social work code of ethics, and the legal obligations affecting your practice. In addition, you need to identify the ethical principles, standards, and legal duties that may apply to particular situ-ations. Finally, when different values, ethical principles, or legal obligations conflict, you must be able to determine which ones take precedence over others. The skill of ethical decision making is fundamental to social work practice. Without such skill, you cannot legitimately claim professional status. Indeed, attempting to provide social work services without regard for ethical principles would be unconscionable. Chapter 5: Summary Exercises
1. As a social work student, you sometimes experience feelings of substantial distress and pressure when faced with numerous demands and challenges of life and school. You and your fellow students may occasionally be tempted to cheat in some fashion, perhaps by plagiarizing a paper, taking a ? cheat sheet? to an exam, collaborating with a colleague when you should be working alone, or lying to a professor to obtain a due- date exten-sion. You are not alone in dealing with such temptations. In recent years as many as 70? 86 percent of college students have cheated in college. The extent of college cheating has increased dramatically over the past several decades. In 1940, the percentage was in the range of 20? 23 percent ( Callahan, 2004; Simkin & McLeod, 2010). Assume that you are a student in a social work course. One of your classmates? a popular person in the program and one of your friends? purchased an essay from one of the Internet firms that sells college papers on various topics. With a sense of pride, she casually tells you that the paper cost only $ 50 and that when she submitted it for her social work course, the professor gave it an ? A+? grade. Use a word- processing program to ( a) list the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics, your college or university?s Code of Academic Conduct, and those legal duties that you believe ap-ply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exist, develop a case- specific values hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the ethical di-lemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social work student in this ?situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those actions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 1? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
2. Assume that you are providing social work services to Jeanne, a 35- year- old woman who has just been diagnosed with HIV. You also know that her longtime male partner some-times physically and emotionally abuses her. Jeanne informs you that her partner does not have HIV and does not know that she now has the virus. Using a word- processing program, prepare brief responses to the following: ( a) List the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics and identify those legal duties that you believe apply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exists, develop a case- specific values hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the dilemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social worker in this situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those actions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 2? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
3. Assume that you lead a social work group for people affected by substance misuse. Prior to and again at the first meeting, you indicated that as group members worked together to pursue their individual goals, personal information would probably be shared. You asked that each group member keep confidential whatever is said in the group. Each par-ticipant committed to do so and signed a confidentiality agreement. A few weeks later, you learn that one of the group members repeated something that was said in the group and, as a result, another group member was fired from his job. Use a word- processing program to ( a) list the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics and identify those legal duties that you believe apply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exists, develop a case- specific values ?hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the ethical dilemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social worker in this situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those actions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 3? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
4. Assume that you serve as a social worker in an agency that provides counseling and other services to low- income families and children. Over the course of the last several weeks, you have been visiting a family of six: a heterosexual couple and their four children. The B. family has numerous needs but, together, you decided to work toward the goal of find-ing better paying and more stable employment. In the first meeting, you learned that Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of a religious organization that prohibits the use of medicines, surgical procedures, and forms of mod-ern medical care. As you chatted with 8- year- old Ruth during a recent visit, you noticed a tumor on her abdomen. You mentioned it to Mrs. B. who said that the entire family and other members of their religious group were praying daily for Ruth?s health. She expected their prayers would shortly be answered. When you next visited the family about a week later, you observed that the tumor was much larger and appeared darker in color. Use word- processing software to ( a) list the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics and identify those legal duties that you believe apply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exists, develop a case- specific values hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the ethical dilemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social worker in this situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those actions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 4? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
5. As a social worker in the oncology unit of the general hospital, you frequently work with clients who are dying. An intelligent, articulate 88- year- old woman, Ms. T., who has suf-fered from intense pain for several months, informs you that she has hoarded powerful analgesic medicines and intends to take her life during the night. She says that she wants to say goodbye to you and to thank you for all your help during this time. However, she asks that you please refrain from interfering with her plans. Use word- processing software to ( a) list the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics and identify those legal duties that you believe apply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exists, develop a case- specific values hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the ethical dilemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social worker in this situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those actions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 5? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
6. Assume that you have been providing social work services to a married couple that has indicated a desire to improve the quality of their relationship. You and the clients have agreed that direct, open, and honest communication is a relationship goal. Each has also expressed that sexual fidelity is an important dimension of their marriage. Between the fifth and sixth meetings, you receive a telephone call from one of the partners who says, ? I think it would help you to know that I am involved romantically with another person. My spouse does not know and I know that you will not reveal this information because of your legal obligation to maintain confidentiality. I want you to know about this other relationship because I think it will help you to help us. I have come to respect your ex-pertise. You are doing a wonderful job. Thank you.? Use a word- processing program to ( a) list the specific ethical principles from the NASW Code of Ethics and identify those legal duties that you believe apply to the case; ( b) if a conflict between two or more legal or ethical obligations exists, develop a case- specific values hierarchy to help you analyze and resolve the ethical dilemma; ( c) describe the actions you would probably take as a social worker in this situation; and ( d) provide a brief rationale to support those ac-tions. Save the document as ? Summary Ex 5- 6? and deposit it in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.
7. Please reflect on the content contained in this chapter and the exercises you completed. Based on your reflections, word- process a succinct one- to- two page essay titled ? Chal-lenges in Ethical Decision Making.? Within the essay, discuss the personal and emo-tional, the intellectual and professional, and the social and cultural challenges associated with ethical decision making. When you have finished, include the report in your Social Work Skills Learning Portfolio.