When counselors provide their service to clients, they should always remember to rely on ethical practices to provide these individuals with the best possible care. That is why these professionals are expected to be aware of ethical decision-making and apply its principles in practice. This task will focus on a helpful receptionist video and analyze the presented problem in terms of ethical decision-making standards and expectations.
To begin with, one should identify the problem from the video. The ethical issue refers to the fact that an outsider has come and asked for information about the counselor’s patient, and this information was revealed to him. The patient explains that she has kept her counseling activity secret from her husband because the latter could use this fact against her when deciding on their children’s custody. In other words, the problem under analysis refers to the fact that the patient’s confidentiality was violated.
The Code of Ethics by the American Counseling Association (ACA) can be applied to this scenario. Firstly, the B.1.c Respect for Confidentiality standard is applied because it stipulates that counselors are only allowed to disclose their patients’ confidential information with these individuals’ “appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification” (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014, p. 7). Secondly, the C.1 Knowledge of and Compliance with Standards requirement was breached because the counselor violated her responsibility to follow the ACA Code of Ethics (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014). This information demonstrates that at least two professional standards can apply to the selected scenario.
It is additionally possible to analyze the video as per state and federal laws. On the one hand, Minn. R. 5300-0350 – Code of Ethics is an applicable law in Minnesota that stipulates that counselors are responsible for safeguarding patient confidentiality (Legal Information Institute, n.d.). On the other hand, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that can be applied to the scenario. This regulation has a specific section, the Privacy Rule, dedicated to handling patient confidential information. According to the two legal rules, the counselor’s decision to reveal the client’s information to her husband is wrong.
In addition to that, it is possible to apply the foundational principles to the case under analysis. Among the five options, non-maleficence seems the most appropriate phenomenon. This principle stipulates that one of the counselor’s leading goals is not to cause harm to others. The given requirement equally applies to inflicting intentional harm and implementing any actions and decisions that can result in potential disadvantages. Thus, the identified principle was not achieved by the counselor in the video.
It is not a whim that counselors should abide by the ACA Code of Ethics. This official document provides useful practical guidance for these professionals. That is why it is expected that counselors with rich experience follow the stipulated guideline. For the purposes of this assignment, it is possible to cooperate with Laurie Murray and Jacqueline Getchius, who have over ten years of professional experience. Furthermore, I would consult two specific organizations to help with the dilemma. Online search allowed for locating two professional companies, including NewPath Mental Health Services and Encourage Counseling Services. In the sphere of counseling, it is helpful to maintain contact with colleagues to ask for assistance when challenging cases arise.
It is reasonable to analyze the existing professional literature to explain how it is possible to address the identified problem. Firstly, it is necessary to ensure that the counselor is aware of the existing rules and professional guidelines that apply to their profession. According to Doshi et al. (2019), regular training sessions are a suitable intervention for counselors to improve their understanding of the ACA Code of Ethics and other standards. Secondly, it is necessary to discuss confidentiality issues with every client at the first counseling session. This step is necessary to receive informed consent from them regarding whether it is possible to disclose confidential information to any third person (Reamer, 2018). The ACA Code of Ethics stipulates that a client can give consent to provide their information to specific individuals. Thirdly, a potential response to the problem is to provide the patient with assistance to solve the children’s custody issue. Since it was the counselor’s mistake to disclose the patient’s personal information, it would be ethical to help the client mitigate the issue (Reamer, 2018). It can be valuable to help the client find a professional lawyer.
In conclusion, the selected receptionist video has been analyzed to identify a specific problem. The issue is associated with the fact that the counselor disclosed the client’s confidential information to a third person. The analysis of the existing regulations, professional standards, and legal documents demonstrates that this activity is a significant mistake. In other words, the counselor failed to apply the best ethical decision-making standards to respond to the dilemma. There are various strategies of how to address the identified problem. Potential solutions include participating in regular training sessions to become familiar with professional standards, discussing confidentiality issues in advance, and helping the patient address the new problem legally.
References
American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. American Counseling Association.
Doshi, P. V., Robak, R. W., Grffin, P. W., & Ward, A. W. (2019). Confidentiality in counselor experiential training groups: An exploratory study. Journal of Counseling Research and Practice, 5(1), 29-43. Web.
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). Minn. R. 5300-0350 – Code of ethics. Web.
Reamer, F. G. (2018). Ethical issues in integrated health care: Implications for social workers. Health & Social Work, 43(2), 118-124. Web.