Ethics and Values

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         Human Services is relationship-based field, in both creating and maintaining relationships. I think every professional faces the challenge of what they are able to share with their clients. Just recently I was discussing this with my boss: we were discussing how to create the open connection it requires to work with people while still maintaining things like confidentiality and boundaries (CSHSE Standard 21h). The National Organization for Human Services has set out a list of ethical statements for professionals and educators (http://www.nationalhumanservices.org). Although these are over arching ethical standards, there are also personal standards. Personal ethics often stem from the values you have.

         At the very beginning of the program I was asked to write a paper about my top three personal values (See Appendix R). At the time my top three were: faith, changing perspective, and time. After turning in this paper, our class had a discussion about faith and if it could be a value. I believe it can be; however, I have changed my perception of faith. When I wrote the paper it was about my faith in a power greater than myself. Now I have faith in more than just that. I value faith because I have to have faith in lots of different things, faith that I can make a difference, faith that the world will change, faith that all things will work out. I would say my top values now are faith and hope. In Standard 19, statement e says, “Belief that individuals, services systems, and society can change” by valuing faith I truly believe that these things can and will change (CSHSE Standards).

         If you had asked me when I started this program what advocacy meant, I probably would have fumbled over the answer. As I leave, I would say that one of my strongest skills is advocacy. I define being an advocate as being a person who supports someone on his or her personal journey. Statement Six of the Code of Ethics says, “Human service professionals are aware that in their relationships with clients, power and status are unequal” (http://www.nationalhumanservices.org). When entering a professional relationship with a client, that client often comes in with the idea that you know more than they do, which may or may not be true. As an advocate one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is that the client hears this term and thinks that you are to do everything for him or her. Although there are some advocates that do this, I do not. I value client self-determination (CSHSE Standard19b). I am merely there to support this person as I believe that he or she is his or her own expert. They know what they need and I am there to help them find the resources to get it. By taking a support role, when things succeed it is not about me but about them making change in their own life. That change will than be deeper and more lasting. This same idea can be used when working with more than one person or in a community.

         From these values, I have formed some personal ethics. The two that I prioritize would be confidentiality and professional boundaries. Confidentiality became very important when working a secret shelter. Confidentiality in this setting has many sides to it.
Standard 19c asks that a student understand how to maintain proper confidentiality (CSHSE Standards). Simply not revealing any names is not the only things that must be kept confidential. Properly documenting incidents, protecting clients both past and present, and ensuring staff safety are just some of the things that come from keeping proper confidentiality. At any time our documents could be reviewed in court; to protect other shelter residents, it was important to make sure initials or numbers were used when documenting outside their personal file. It is obvious not to reveal names of those staying in the house but also to not reveal staff names. Bellingham is a small community revealing staff names could put them in danger, and so it is important to know whom you are sharing information with.

         This is where setting professional boundaries becomes important. I personally did not reveal to many people where I interned, if they asked I would simply say that I was working with women and children. In one instance I found myself teaching a child from Womencare Shelter at the daycare I worked for. Discussing boundaries with a child can be difficult. We talked about how the shelter was a secret place and so we had to pretend we didn’t know each other when we weren’t there – it was our secret. In another instance, I was helping a woman move out of the shelter and when we got to where she was staying her friend – a male – was waiting. She introduced me as one of the advocates for Womencare and at that point there was nothing I could do. In that situation my boundary had been crossed. Fortunately nothing came of it and the woman was moving out so there was not much to be done. The next time I helped a woman move out I stressed that no other people be there until after I had left. When boundaries get crossed or new situations come up, there is not much I can do at the time; however, after it is important to reflect on the situation and what can be done the next time. Both of these situations relate to point f and g in Standard 19 in that I had to come up with creative solutions and maintain proper professional boundaries (CSHSE Standards).

         “Clinical education does not end with a diploma; it is a lifelong learning process. It is your professional obligation to continue your education” (Murphy, 2008, pg. 398). This quote was taken from my professionalism paper that I wrote at the very beginning of the program and I find it still very fitting today (See Appendix S). In this paper I told a story of how I took care of a girl my first day of kindergarten, I find myself now at the end of my senior year in college still doing that. I’ve always been a caretaker, someone who wants to be with and help others. Over my educational career, I have discovered how to do this in the most effective way.

         Finally taking care of others requires that I take care of myself. Learning to leave problems where they exist is not only a boundary I’ve set for myself but also part of my self-care. If I am dealing with a problem at work then it ends when my workday ends. It is also important to leave personal problems outside of work; this can be difficult but if I don’t then I am not properly serving my clients. Doing things I enjoy outside of working helps me to be a happier worker (CSHSE Standard 20d). 

         As I begin my professional career the values I have gained and the ethical standards I set for myself will help me to grow in a dedicated worker. Continuing to practice self-care and enjoying my life will keep me doing my work for a very long time.



This paper meets the Council for Standards in Human Service Education
National Standards: 19, 20, and 21
To see a synopsis of the Standards go to
: My Standards Page
And to see the full list go to: Council for Standards in Human Service Education Appendix C
Also for this is the link to: National Organization for Human Services Ethics

References
Council for Standards in Human Service Education. (2009). National standards: Baccalaureate degree in
         human services. Retrieved May 19, 2010
         from http://www.cshse.org/documents/StandardsBachelor.pdf.
Murphy, Bianca Cody, and Dillion, Carolyn (2008). Interviewing in action in a multicultural world - 3rd edition.
         Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. 
National Organization for Human Services. (2009). The national organization for human services ethics.
         Retrieved May 18, 2010 from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/mc/page.do
         sitePageId=89929&orgId=nohs


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