Understanding Professional and Ethical Practice
Hello! It’s great to have you here as we dive deeper into what it means to be a support worker dedicated to providing effective, high-quality support and care. In this topic, we’ll explore essential tools and strategies that can enhance your professional and ethical practice. This knowledge will support you in making informed decisions, staying true to ethical principles, and confidently navigating your role.
Let’s begin with reviewing what you already know about the following concepts:
- Professionalism and Professional Practice
- Beliefs – personal and professional
- Values – personal and professional
- Morals – personal and professional
- Ethics – personal and professional
Whakaaro -think about what each of these terms means and reflect on how they are interconnected. Jot your ideas down before clicking on the expand button.
Professionalism is about the attitudes, behaviours, and qualities expected of someone in a professional role. It includes how they apply their knowledge, skills, and ethical principles at work.
Professional practice means carrying out your work in a professional manner, which involves:
- Following industry guidelines, organisational policies, and legal requirements to ensure that your work meets established standards of quality and safety.
- Demonstrating competence and upholding integrity (honesty, reliability, and trustworthiness) and respect in all interactions.
- Continuously improving your skills and knowledge to stay effective in your role.
- Respecting role boundaries to maintain professional relationships and provide effective support.
- Maintaining competence in your area of work, ensuring that your skills remain current.
- Upholding the reputation of the profession by representing it positively.
- Personal beliefs are the convictions or ideas that you hold to be true. These are often shaped by cultural, religious, or personal experiences. They influence how you interpret situations and make decisions in your personal and professional life. Your beliefs form the foundation for your values and morals.
- Professional beliefs are the convictions that guide behaviour and decision-making within a professional context. These might include beliefs about the efficacy of certain practices, the importance of client autonomy, or the role of evidence-based practice in decision-making.
- Personal values are the principles or standards that guide your behaviour and actions.
- They represent what is important to you, such as honesty, loyalty, or respect. Values are deeply rooted in your beliefs and shape your sense of what is good or desirable in life.
- Professional values are the principles upheld by a profession or organisation. They are include values such as integrity, accountability, respect for diversity, and commitment to professional competence.
- Personal morals are the rules or standards of behaviour that you follow based on your values. They define what you consider right or wrong on a personal level. They often stem from cultural, religious, or philosophical influences and guide behaviour in various situations.
- Professional morals refer to the ethical standards and principles that professionals are expected to follow. These are often defined by industry standards and regulations, and they guide how professionals should conduct themselves in their roles, such as maintaining confidentiality or ensuring fair treatment.
- Personal ethics are the individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. These are shaped by personal experiences, values, beliefs, cultural background, and family influences. They guide behaviour in personal life, such as in relationships, personal decisions, and social interactions.
- Professional ethics are formalised standards and codes of conduct established by organisations, professions, or industries. They are designed to ensure that professionals act with integrity, fairness, and respect within their field. They guide workplace behaviour addressing issues such as confidentiality, professional competence, and the responsible handling of conflicts of interest.
Reflection
Even if you’ve already spent time reflecting on your personal beliefs, values, and morals, it’s valuable to revisit and reassess these concepts from time to time. This reflection activity offers an opportunity to check in with yourself and deepen your awareness of the personal views that you bring with you into your professional workplace setting.
Answer the following questions:
- Do I believe people are inherently good, bad, or somewhere in between?
- Do I think money is essential for happiness?
- Would I rather have a highly rewarding but stressful job, or a low-stress but less fulfilling one?
- Is following the law more important to me than challenging legal rules that I believe are unjust or outdated?
- When moving to a new country, should an individual be expected to give up their own culture to fully embrace and integrate into the new culture, or should they be encouraged to maintain their cultural heritage
- Do I think that education and qualifications are more valuable than practical experience and skills acquired through hands-on work?
- In situations of conflict, do I prioritise finding a compromise, upholding principles, or protecting relationships?
- Do I believe that health and wellbeing are mostly influenced by personal actions, or do I think external factors (such as genetics, environment, and social support) play a significant role?
- Is honesty and openness more important to me in a friendship than loyalty and reliability?
Personal Ethics vs Professional Ethics
It is important to distinguish between your personal beliefs and ethics and your professional ethics and responsibilities. As a support worker, your primary duty is to the people you support, even when their needs or decisions conflict with your own beliefs, values and ethics. This might involve supporting someone’s choice that you personally disagree with, but which is in their best interest and aligns with their rights and autonomy.
Let’s take a look at a case study where personal beliefs and ethics and professional ethics have caused a challenge for a support worker.
Case Study
Talia and Lisa
Talia is a support worker in a community health setting. She has been assigned to work with Lisa, a 28-year-old woman who is managing a chronic illness and has recently decided to explore alternative medicine alongside her prescribed treatment plan. Lisa believes strongly in holistic approaches and has expressed interest in pursuing treatments that align with her cultural beliefs, including herbal remedies and spiritual healing practices.
Talia, however, has personal reservations about complementary medicine. She grew up in a family where conventional medicine was strongly valued, and she believes that these approaches are the most effective and evidence-based. Talia is concerned that Lisa’s interest in complementary and alternative therapies might interfere with her following her prescribed medical treatment, which Talia believes is crucial for managing Lisa’s condition.
Challenge: Talia finds herself in a difficult situation where her personal beliefs about healthcare conflict with her professional ethics and responsibilities to support Lisa’s autonomy and choices.
Now you have read the case study, complete the documentation tool activity to look deeper into Talia’s challenge.
H5P here
I pēhea rā koe? How did you go with that activity?
Hopefully you were able to:
- Identify that Talia's challenge comes from her strong belief in the effectiveness of conventional medicine, which conflicts with Lisa’s preference for complementary medicine.
- Note that Talia's professional responsibilities include respecting Lisa’s autonomy, supporting her right to make informed health decisions, and acknowledging her cultural beliefs. Talia must provide non-judgmental support, empowering Lisa to explore healthcare options aligned with her values.
- Recognise that Talia’s personal beliefs might unintentionally discourage or undermine Lisa’s interest in complementary medicine. This could breach Talia’s professional duties and negatively impact Lisa’s wellbeing, potentially causing stress, feelings of lack of support, and a sense of disempowerment. It could also strain their professional relationship, leading to communication breakdowns, decreased trust, and reluctance from Lisa to seek future support from Talia.
- Reflect on the importance of Talia distinguishing between her personal beliefs and professional ethical practice to ensure she provides respectful, unbiased care in line with her ethical responsibilities as a support worker.
The challenge that Talia experienced in this situation is called and ‘ethical dilemma’, in our next section we learn more about the nature of ethical dilemmas and the tools and strategies that can help you to manage them.
As we know, ethics refers to a set of moral principles and values that guide individual and collective behaviour by helping people decide what is right or wrong. Ethics provides a framework for evaluating and making decisions that align with values like fairness, integrity, respect, and responsibility.
We have previously noted that ethics can be dived into two types:
- Personal Ethics: These are the individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. These are shaped by personal experiences, values, beliefs, cultural background, and family influences. They guide behaviour in personal life, such as in relationships, personal decisions, and social interactions.
- Professional Ethics: These are formalised standards and codes of conduct established by organisations, professions, or industries. They are designed to ensure that professionals act with integrity, fairness, and respect within their field.
They guide workplace behaviour addressing issues such as confidentiality, professional competence, and the responsible handling of conflicts of interest.
An ethical dilemma is a situation where a person faces two or more conflicting values or principles, making it difficult to decide the "right" course of action. In these situations, each option often has a valid ethical reason behind it, but choosing one may mean compromising or going against another important value or principle.
For support workers, ethical dilemmas can arise from:
- Personal Beliefs and Ethics vs. Professional Ethics: Sometimes, a support worker’s own values or beliefs may not align with what their professional role requires. For instance, a support worker might have strong personal beliefs about specific medical treatments, yet professionally they must respect a client's right to choose alternative treatments that align with their cultural or personal values. This type of dilemma involves balancing personal integrity with professional obligations to ensure the client’s autonomy and wellbeing are prioritised.
- Conflicts Between Professional Ethical Principles: Ethical dilemmas can also emerge when two or more professional ethical principles seem to be in conflict. For example, a support worker might face a situation where they need to respect a client’s confidentiality but also have a duty to report if the client is at risk of harm.
This situation requires careful consideration to determine the best course of action that respects both the client’s rights and professional obligations to protect client safety.
There are a variety of tools and strategies that can help support workers to not only manage ethical dilemmas but to also guide their daily professional and ethical practice. Join us in our next section as we explore what these are and apply them to Talia’s dilemma.
Support workers can use a range of tools and strategies to guide their professional and ethical practice, helping them maintain high standards in their role. They provide guidance and clarity, reinforcing values that support workers rely on to deliver safe, respectful, and effective care.
Before we explore some of these essential tools and strategies in more detail, take a moment to carry out the following activity. This reflection will set the foundation for what we’ll cover next and bring any prior knowledge or ideas to the surface.
Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on these questions, and jot down any thoughts that come to mind. This will help prepare you to explore tools and strategies in the next section.
- Remember Past Experiences: Can you think of any tools or resources you’ve come across (either in training or previous work) that might help in dealing with tough situations or ethical decisions?
- Think About Possible Challenges: Imagine needing to balance your personal beliefs with your role as a support worker. What types of strategies or support do you think might help you with this?
- Qualities of Professionalism: What qualities or actions do you think are most important for maintaining professionalism? Are there specific resources, like guidelines or mentors, that might support these?
- Brainstorm Helpful Tools: Based on your thoughts above, list any tools or strategies you think would be useful for guiding professional and ethical practice. These might include documents (like a code of ethics), techniques (such as self-reflection), or habits (like seeking advice from peers).
Did you come up with a few tools and strategies? If not, that’s ok- Read on, and we’ll explore some key tools and strategies together to support you in practicing professionally and ethically as a support worker.
Codes of Ethics
A Code of Ethics is a tool that helps guide support workers in acting with integrity, respect, and responsibility. These codes outline core ethical principles like honesty, fairness, and compassion, helping you understand what’s expected in your role. By regularly reviewing and reflecting on these principles, you’ll have a solid foundation for making ethical decisions that respect the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of clients.
Reading
Click HERE to review an example of a Code of Ethics designed for professionals working in organisations that offer supported employment services.
Supported employment aims to help individuals with disabilities, who may face disadvantages in the job market, to achieve their career aspirations. Supported Employment practitioners work with both clients and employers to facilitate successful employment outcomes.
Questions: (see pages 3-5)
- How are practitioners expected to respect the dignity and personal rights of their clients?
- What are the key responsibilities of practitioners in protecting client information?
- What responsibilities do practitioners have regarding their professional development in the field of Supported Employment?
- What measures should practitioners take to ensure they are not discriminating against clients or colleagues?
Codes of Conduct
A Code of Conduct is another essential tool that outlines specific behaviours and professional standards required in your work. Unlike a Code of Ethics, which focuses on broad values, a Code of Conduct is often more concrete, detailing what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in different situations. Following these guidelines ensures that you meet organisational expectations, fostering a safe and respectful environment for clients and colleagues alike.
Reading
Click HERE to review an example of a Code of Conduct designed for employees at Access Community Health, an organisation that provides nursing, personal care, rehabilitation, social support, and household assistance.
Questions:
- What is this code of conduct based on (page 4)
- If employees come across a situation that is conflicts with the code what should they do? (page 4)
- What are the core values of the organisation?
- How does the code define misconduct and serious misconduct? (page 26)
Laws and Regulations
As a support worker, understanding and following relevant laws and regulations is a key tool to guide you in acting professionally and ethically. These laws set clear expectations and provide a framework to protect client rights, privacy, and safety. By staying up-to-date on important laws and regulations, you have a solid foundation for making ethical decisions and can feel confident in delivering safe, fair, and respectful care.
Organisational Policies and Procedure
Organisational policies and procedures are essential tools that offer specific guidance on acceptable practices within your workplace. These documents are created to align with legal and ethical standards and are tailored to the needs of the people and families that the organisation provides services for as well as staff. By following these policies, you ensure that your actions are in line with the professional and ethical expectations of your workplace.
Reading
Click HERE to review an example of organisational policies for employees of Total Care Health Services, a division of Access Community Health. This company specialises in home-based healthcare and support. The company polices can be found on page 10 onwards in this employee handbook.
Questions:
- What does the Uniform Policy specify about the type and appearance of shoes worn by staff and the reasons for these specifications (page 12)
- What must all staff do to ensure they follow the companies Privacy Policy (page 14)
- According to the companies polices, which staff members should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) (page 17)
- What is the companies policy regarding staff members smoking (page 17)
Consulting with Others
Consulting with colleagues, supervisors, or other experienced professionals can be an effective strategy to ensure you’re acting professionally and ethically. Speaking with others can provide valuable perspectives, reassurance, or new approaches to challenging situations. This teamwork approach allows you to benefit from shared knowledge, especially when facing ethical dilemmas or complex client issues.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD involves ongoing learning and skill-building activities, such as training courses, workshops, seminars, and self-directed study, which help professionals maintain and improve their competency. In support work, CPD is a tool and strategy because it keeps support workers aligned with current best practices and new regulations, while also allowing them to refine their personal and professional skills. Engaging in CPD shows a commitment to delivering high-quality care, builds confidence, and helps support workers navigate complex situations with greater knowledge and skill.
Reflective Practice
This is a valuable tool that support workers can use to enhance their professional and ethical practice. Reflective practice involves regularly taking time to think about your experiences, decisions, and actions in your work. This means looking at what went well, what could be improved, and how you might handle similar situations differently in the future. It is important for learning from everyday interactions and challenges.
Ethical Decision-Making Models
Decision-making models are helpful tools for working through ethical dilemmas in a structured way. These models guide you through steps like identifying the issue, exploring options, considering ethical codes, and thinking about the potential impact of each choice. Using a decision-making model can provide clarity and confidence, helping you make well-considered, client-focused decisions that uphold professional standards.
There are a variety of models that can be used. Here we look at this 8 step model by Cory, G., Corey, M., Corey, M. and Callanan P. (2015). Click on the expand icon to read what each step of the model involves.
8-step process for ethical decision-making
Cory, G., Corey, M., Corey, M. and Callanan P. (2015) suggest an 8-step ethical decision-making process.
Click on the headings below to display details about the 8 steps.
Gather all relevant information, clarify the nature of the issue, and look at it from multiple perspectives.
Fully consider the context, including the rights, responsibilities, and welfare of all involved.
Consult the codes and standards of the organisation and the profession to determine whether they offer guidance and what that guidance is.
Consider all relevant legislation and organisational policies; determine whether they guide actions to be taken in such a situation.
Consult with colleagues and supervisors to gain the benefit of their perspectives, experience, and expertise, and to extend your understanding of relevant factors.
Brainstorm as many potentially viable solutions to the dilemma as you can.
Consider the probable outcomes, risks, and benefits of the various solutions. It is important to consider your legal and ethical responsibilities as you do so.
Carefully review everything, select a course of action (in consultation with your supervisor), and enact it.
In the slides below, we apply the 8 step model to our earlier case study of Talia's ethical dilemma. Use the arrows to navigate through each slide and read how Talia can use this decision making model to support her professional and ethical practice.
H5P here
Being aware of the tools and strategies you can use to support your own professionalism and ethical practice is key to thriving in your role as a support worker. These resources not only help you navigate challenges but also empower you to provide the best possible care to those you support.
Remember, it’s all about continuous growth and learning—so don’t hesitate to seek out new knowledge and reflect on your experiences along the way!
End of Topic
Pai ki a koe -good on you, another topic completed. You should now feel confident in your understanding of what it means to work in a professional and ethical manner. Part of professionalism is continuing to develop both personally and professionally so that you can provide the best possible care and support to tāngata whaiora and their whānau. This is what we will explore in our next topic.
