ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Recognizing ethical issues and dilemmas that arise in professional practice is crucial for social work practitioners, educators, and students. After a discussion about the limited, although growing, literature on social work ethics, the ten main tenets from the most current NASW Code o f Ethics are presented. These topics include limits to confidentiality, confidentiality and technology, confidentiality in family and, group work, managed care, cultural competence, dual relationships, sexual relationships, impairment and incompetence o f colleagues, application to administrators and relevance to social work educators, In addition to understanding the Code o f Ethics, social workers can use the ETHIC model o f decision making fo r resolving ethical dilemmas. This easy to use five step process includes examining personal, agency, client, and professional values, thinking about ethical standards and relevant laws, hypothesizing about consequences, identifying the most vulnerable, and consulting with supervisors and colleagues. A case example involving confidentiality, HIV/AIDS, and family therapy demonstrates how social workers can use the ETHIC model
W hile the social work profession has always been value-based and ethical practice has long been an educational concern (Pumphrey, 1959), within the last twenty years there has been increasing interest in this topic (Reamer, 1995b). Over the years the ethical focus has shifted from a focus on the morality of the client to the ethical behavior of the practitioner (Reamer, 1995b) and most recently to social work educators (NASW, 1996).
