Guided Response: Review several of your classmates’ posts and respond to at least two of your peers who selected different complaints from those you chose by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion.
Summarize your personal reaction(s) to the reality of psychology professionals violating the ethical code in your peer’s selected complaints. Critically examine your peer’s recommended course of action to avoid these complaints. Do you agree or disagree? Support your rationale with evidence from the required readings. Suggest any changes that you think might improve the efficacy of your colleague’s plan. Continue to monitor the discussion forum until 5:00 p.m. MST on Day 7 of the week and respond to anyone who replies to your initial.
Confidentiality/Privacy Breach: Psychologists have an obligation and should take precautions to protect confidential information that is obtained.
There are limits to that confidentiality. Psychologists can only discuss information with the persons that are given written consent to obtain it.
Psychologists may disclose confidential information with the appropriate consent of the organizational client, the patient, or any legally authorized person on behalf of the patient unless prohibited by law.
Not Informed and/or consent Invalid: When consent by an authorized person is not required or not permitted by law, psychologists should take the appropriate steps to protect a patient’s rights and welfare.
When psychological services are court ordered, the psychologist must inform the patient of the nature of the services, which includes any limits of confidentiality, before the proceedings begin.
A course of action for these two topics I think would be to have a formal consultation group to review ethical dilemmas and attend workshops, to stay current on profession knowledge and to obtain knowledge in the areas of interest. Because rules of privacy acts and consent of treatment and confidentiality change all the time, and staying current of these changes would keep the breach of privacy and invalid consent from happening.
APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct: with the 2010 Amendments.
Grenyer, B. S., & Lewis, K. L. (2012). Prevalence, prediction, and prevention of psychologist
misconduct. Australian Psychologist, 47(2), 68-76. doi:10.1111/j.1742-9544.2010.00019.x
Tips for Self-Care. Online Article.