According to …………… Community social workers under the AASW code of ethics are supposed to observe the social work service and property. According to this principle, the social service workers are required to carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism, avoiding any behavior that contravenes professional standards and values or which damages good standing and integrity. The principle is well applicable to the case scenario as the community service worker is supposed to practice professionalism when dealing with John. By doing so, the social worker is expected to observe the mandatory reporting requirements.
The appropriate ethical course of action
Select a proper ethical problem-solving framework
While dealing with John, there is a need to make ethical decisions, and this will be done through the application of an appropriate ethical problem-solving framework. The framework will ensure decisions made are efficient, ethical, and effective. Besides, the decisions made will ensure the least harm possible to all parties involved in the ethical dilemma.
The first step will involve identifying the problem or the ethical dilemma and gartering of the relevant facts. In this instance, the ethical dilemma is whether to report John to the relevant authority of his plans of committing suicide or look for measures of advising. The dilemma is created, considering it is illegal and unethical to commit suicide. On the other hand, advising John not to commit suicide could be not unethical, but unlawful practice as a community service professional. After the identification of the ethical dilemma, there is need to review if all facts to the situation are available, considering John disclosed his plans to me as a community service worker, then all evidence supporting the dilemma is available. With no assumptions, it is then my duty as a community service professional to handle this ethical dilemma.
According to …………………. After the identification of the ethical dilemma, there is a need to identify all parties involved in this scenario or else the affected parties. In this setting, the affected parties to this ethical dilemma will include the victim john, the community service worker, and the management of the homeless shelter that offers john accommodation services. The individuals identified in this scenario are affected in different ways by the dilemma. Fist, as a community service worker, the ethical dilemma affects me as I am supposed to show competence and duty of care when dealing with the eventuality. Second, the ethical dilemma affects the management of the homeless shelter as they may be held accountable, considering John was a client residing in their premises. Lastly, the ethical dilemma affects John as he may face the necessary legal course of action due to his plans for committing suicide.
Cited that …………………..Having gathered the relevant information from the existing AASW, ACWA code of ethics and Kitchener ethical principle, there is need to review the implication of the decision made to the identified professional, personal and organizational ethics issues. The identified code of ethics is affected differently by the existing ethical dilemma. Fist, as community service health professionals, there is a need to show the required levels of professional competency when dealing with this dilemma. Besides the general code of ethics, which requires me to show respect for human dignity by promoting and preserving their dignity and individuality is also affected by the existing dilemma. While dealing with the client, there is a great need to consider the promotion of individual client dignity. The identified ethical issues should be handled with great care and under the consideration of all the available code of ethics since they have the potential of affecting the reputation of the accountability of a community service professional. Besides, the ethical issue has the potential of affecting the public interest hence giving a task of execution of duty of care when dealing with such an issue. In this step, there is also a great need to consider the existing precedents involving the determination of such an ethical dilemma. Having reviewed the existing case presidents, then it becomes easy to arrive at a moral decision.
……………, cited that the next course of action is identifying the fundamental principles affected by the ethical dilemma. In this instance, there is a need for examining options and reeling on ethical theories to arrive at an appropriate ethical course of action. Concerning this scenario, there exist some threats to the fundamental principles of integrity. The threat existing in this principle involves the failure of reporting John’s contemplation to the relevant authority. The threat is minimized through consideration of duty to act in the best interest hence preventing harm.
Appling the Utilitarian Theory Approach, which advocates that when making an ethical decision, there should be minimal or no harm to all parties involved. The best course of action when dealing with the case scenario involving John is to look at advisory measures rather than reporting hi to the relevant authority. By doing so, minimal harm will be ensured both at the individual and community levels.
The potential outcome.
After evaluating the best ways possible when dealing with the ethical dilemma involving John, the best course of action has been identified as assisting John to rehabilitate and offer advice to eliminate the negative contemplation of committing suicide. Besides, advice and rehabilitation measures will also be offered with the aim of dealing with John’s drug abuse challenge. Application of these measures will lead to given outcomes which include:
With the advice offered, John may decide to withdraw his suicide contemplations hence following the guidance offered by the community service worker. Besides, John may fully rehabilitate and desist from the negative behavior of drug abuse. Also, the community service worker is set to improve on his/her knowledge after successfully handling this case scenario. However, the outcomes may be on negative progress as John may decide to proceed and commit suicide after failing to adhere to the advice offered by the community service worker and due to continuous drug abuse.
Conclusion
Regarding this article, we can conclude that community service works have a significant role to play in different settings in the community. When dealing with various issues, they are supposed to act in the best interest of the community and of the client but under guidance to some set legal, ethical, and principle guidelines. When dealing with ethical dilemmas like in the case of John’s case scenario, there is a need for a community service worker to exploit all the available code of ethics as they will guide him/her in giving the best course of action to a given ethical dilemma. Besides evaluating the existing case, presidents will also be of importance when assessing the best course of action in ethical dilemmas.