Ethical Decision Making

Ethical Decision Making Paper Instructions

Overview

Identifying an ethical dilemma in practice is the responsibility of counselors. Applying an ethical decision-making model to address ethical dilemmas is an ethical requirement and best practice. The assignment aims to help you apply the steps of an ethical decision-making model and understand how the six moral principles influence ethical decision-making.

Instructions

Your paper must be in current APA format including title page and reference page. The body of your paper must be 6–9 pages and include at least 6 references. Your paper must be well-thought-out and demonstrate critical thinking.

1. Begin by reading through the entire document, “A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making.” by copying and pasting the link into your browser (https://www.counseling.org/docs/ethics/practitioners_guide.pdf?sfvrsn=2). This is necessary BEFORE you begin to apply the decision making steps to an ethical scenario.
2. After reading the ethical decision making document above, choose one of the ethical dilemmas from the document entitled, “Ethical Decision Making Paper Scenarios,” found under the assignment instructions in Blackboard. Read and analyze the chosen scenario.
3. Approach the scenario as if it has already happened and now you must address the problems the scenario has created. In other words, as in much of real life and practice, you must now do damage control.
4. To apply the steps of the ethical decision making model to your chosen scenario, divide the body of your paper—formatted in current APA style—into the steps outlined in the “A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making” document, and outlined below, making sure to address all questions for each section:

• Identify the problem(s). In this section make sure to:
  • Outline the facts, separating out innuendos, assumptions, hypotheses, or suspicions.
  • Correctly and clearly identify the problem(s) by answering the questions, “Is this problem an ethical, legal, professional, or clinical problem? Is it a combination of more than one of these?”

Identify the problem as related to self, client, institution, or agency. In other words, answer the questions, “Is the issue related to me and what I am or am not doing? Is it related to a client and/or the client’s significant others and what they are or are not doing? Is it related to the institution or agency and their policies and procedures?”

• Apply the ACA Code of Ethics. In this section make sure to:

Identify all applicable ACA Code of Ethics. Which codes apply, or can address, the problem(s) presented in the scenario? Make sure to cite the code numbers.

• Determine the nature/dimensions of the dilemma. In this section make sure to:
  • Correctly identify the moral principles of the profession that apply. In other words, which of the professional values apply to this problem? Autonomy, beneficence, justice, nonmaleficence, fidelity, and/or veracity? Why?

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.

• Identify the relevant professional literature that applies to the dilemma. What does the professional literature say that might help you solve the problem? Go to the LUO databases and find articles or textbooks that address the problem. For example, what do experts say about the confidentiality, technology and counseling, etc.?
• Identify persons that would be consulted. Who could you consult that might help you come up with ideas to address the problem?
• Identify state or national professional associations that would be consulted. What professional associations or state boards might be able to give advice?

• Potential courses of action. In this section make sure to:
  • List all potential courses of action. Brainstorm as many possible courses of action as possible.

• Consider consequences/Determine course of action. In this section make sure to:
  • Describe the potential consequences and implications for each course of action.
  • Identify the best course of action and explain why. In other words, considering the information you have gathered and the priorities you have set, evaluate each option and assess the potential consequences for all the parties involved. Ponder the implications of each course of action for the client, for others who will be effected, and for yourself as a counselor. Eliminate the options that clearly do not give the desired results or cause even more problematic consequences. Review the remaining options to determine which option or combination of options best fits the situation and addresses the priorities you have identified.

• Evaluate the selected course of action. In this section make sure to:
  • Review the selected course of action to see if it presents any new ethical problems.
  • Apply the tests of justice, publicity, and universality.

• Implement the course of action. In this section make sure to:
  • Describe what steps will be taken to implement the course of action. In other words, step-by-step, what are you now going to do to address the problem and do damage control?

When you have completed your paper, save it as a Microsoft Word document under your name and assignment title (Example: Doe_J_Ethical_Minute_Paper). Submit it via the SafeAssign draft link in Module/Week 7 by Friday. Wait until the link indicates that SafeAssign has analyzed your paper and prepared a report.

Return to the safe assign report and evaluate the report. You will notice that SafeAssign often matches on headings, titles, and references. If you see matches on entire sentences or paragraphs that are not enclosed in quotation marks, then you have unintentionally plagiarized. You will need to go back and re-write those sections in your own words.

Submit your final assignment via SafeAssign by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 7.