HSE 340 - module 1, short paper
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Southern New Hampshire University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
340
Subject
Law
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by ProfessorPorpoisePerson151
1
1-2 Short Paper: Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services
Melissa Lawrence
Southern New Hampshire University
HSE-340 Law & Ethics in Human Services
J. Brooke Andrews, MSW
10/29/2023
Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services
The ethical code of health care professionals states that patients have the right to know
the truth about their medical condition and that they can choose treatment options. Information
must be sufficient and understandable, to enable the patient to make informed decisions that are
in their best interest
(
Legal &Amp; Ethical Issues That Health Care Professionals Face
, 2018).
When the patient and the healthcare provider—or the patient's family—have different
views on the proper course of treatment, ethical and legal quandaries result. The ethical
principles of beneficence, or doing good, and autonomy, or honoring the patient's wishes, might
conflict with one another for a doctor. A judge may have to make a decision if a resolution is not
possible.
When working with a patient, human services professionals (HSPs) frequently run into
ethical or legal concerns in a hospital context. A potential ethical dilemma is engaging in practice
beyond one's scope of expertise. This can occur if you decide to continue working with a patient
even though their case falls outside of your area of expertise. Working with a patient that is not
well taken care of by you can backfire. Refusing to continue working with that patient and
directing them to a colleague or another facility where they may obtain the necessary care is the
morally right thing to do in this circumstance. Legal problems may emerge if, while acting
beyond your scope of expertise, you unintentionally cause harm to your patient. If an HSP
engages in sexual activity with a patient, that could also provide a legal problem in a medical
context. The HSP could face charges of sexual misconduct and willful neglect as a result of this,
which is unethical and criminal. The HSP must abide by both legal and ethical requirements,
even when there may be conflicts between both. Additionally, there may be a conflict between
ethical and legal norms for counselors when working with minor children.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services
Counselors, for instance, might be dedicated to upholding the ethical norms of keeping
the details of their sessions with minors private, but occasionally parents or legal guardians
might have a legal claim to the information shared in these sessions (Corey et al., 2020, p.8).
This may require the human services professional to make a decision between their ethical duty
to protect patient privacy and their legal obligations to parents or legal guardians. State
legislation and school policies must be understood when working with minors (Corey et al.,
2020, p.8). There may be variations in school policies when it comes to violating confidentiality.
References –
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Corey, C. (2020). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions (10th
ed.). Cengage Learning US.
https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781337671378
Jackson, M., Burns, K. K., & Richter, M. S. (2014b). Confidentiality and treatment decisions of
minor clients: a health professional’s dilemma & policy makers challenge.
SpringerPlus
,
3
(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-1801-3-320
Legal & Ethical Issues that Health Care Professionals Face
. (2018, July 1). Work - Chron.com.
https://work.chron.com/legal-ethical-issues-health-care-professionals-face-5648.html
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help