Assignment:
Ethical Principles Vignettes
Students will demonstrate an ability to critique ethical principles within complex practice environments by analyzing case vignettes about ethical issues in supervision and writing about how they would apply the principles to appropriately address the issue with supervisees. Students will be required to cite specific sections of the NASW Code of Ethics to support their analysis and conclusions about the most ethical resolution of the issues. The analysis is to be written in essay format using correct APA format.
1. Read 4 ethical vignettes concerning supervision and the helpful hints handout.
2. Write at least a one page analysis of each vignette describing the ethical issues in the scenario, citing the standard numbers that correspond to the pertinent sections of the NASW Code of Ethics to support your analysis. There should be at least three standards minimumcited in each vignette analysis. You do not need to take up space with quotes of the whole text of the code section, just mention the number of the appropriate standard and the title of that standard.
3. Include in your essay your conclusions about the most ethical resolution of the issues, again citing the Code of Ethics to support your rationale.
Helpful Hints for Ethical Principles Vignettes Assignment
• Be sure to include headingswith the name or number of the vignette.
• Write at least a one page analysis of each vignette describing the ethical issues in the scenario, citing thestandard numbers that correspond to the pertinent sections of the NASW Code of Ethics to support your analysis.
• There should be at least three standards minimum cited in each vignette analysis. You do not need to take up space with quotes of the whole text of the code section, just mention the number of the appropriate standard and the title of that standard. (ex. 1.01 Commitment to Clients)
• Include in your essay your conclusions about the most ethical resolution of the issues, again citing the Code of Ethics to support your rationale.
Vignette #1: The Good of the Agency, the Community, or the Staff
In this scenario, it is assumed that John, the social planner, is a social worker. His executive director is not a social worker. It doesn't really matter if Melissa is a social worker or not. The question is what John should do given that he is a social worker but his boss is not.
Vignette #2: Friend, Self, Family, Agency - Loyalty to Whom?
Think outside the box on this one. There are numerous areas of the Code which address both employee responsibility to employer, supervisees and clients as well as administrator's responsibilities to ensure adequate resources.
Vignette #3: The Ethics of Moonlighting
Again, think about all the aspects of this scenario. What does the Code of Ethics say about changing agency policies?
OR
Vignette #3: A Caribbean Cruise
Think about the following points also from the Dolgoff text (p. 214)
o Carla's absence was not authorized and was in violation of agency policy.
o Carla's behavior was unethical and unprofessional.
o Carla may have harmed her clients by failing to provide them with regular service.
o Carla had not told the truth when she claimed she had been sick.
o Carla was her best worker and Wilma did not want to lose her.
o Other workers probably also misused sick leave but were not caught. Would making an example of Carla persuade others to desist from this unethical behavior? If Wilma does so, what is the cost? Would making an example of Carla be unethical because her privacy would be violated?
Vignette #4: The Board of Directors of the Alzheimer's Association
There are a number of excellent reasons why a good working relationship with board members is essential. There are also a number of conflicting ethical principles in this scenario. Think creatively.