7.2 Understanding Professional Ethics
The code of ethical standards for the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) was established as guidelines for those who study, practice, or receive services from the profession. The standards embraced by the profession promote fundamental values including “respecting the dignity and welfare of all people; promoting self-determination; honoring cultural diversity; advocating for social justice; and acting with integrity, honesty, genuineness, and objectivity” (NOHS, 2015, para. 2). The standards give human service workers guidelines that should frame our decisions when working in the field. The Human Services ethical standards are not laws, but they provide a professional framework that we can apply to our work. These standards are written and organized to guide Human Services workers in a variety of areas and assist in addressing situations they are likely to encounter in their professional roles.
Interns, as well as professionals, should be familiar with the code of ethics and strive to adhere to it. When ethical dilemmas arise, this code will be the guiding force to solve the issue at hand.
Ethics and the Law
Ethics are the rules of conduct. Often, they are recognized as the best practices based on the underlying principles of a given profession. Ethics are not laws, which are actual regulations one must comply with because they are established by an authority with judicial responsibility and the power of enforcement. In the most basic sense, ethics are principles, and laws are requirements.
At many internship sites, one may see dedicated people working in ways that are consistent with a code of ethics that they take seriously. Typically, their mission is to ensure that people are treated fairly, equally, and respectfully. It is easy to understand how ethics and laws, such as licensing laws, protect clients as they help ensure clients receive reasonable treatment. However, it is almost equally important to realize that ethics and laws also protect the workers. They provide rules that may be helpful in guiding us through difficult or risky professional situations.
As new circumstances in human services emerge, they are examined by professional organizations and courts, sometimes resulting in revised or new codes of conduct, laws, and regulations. Understanding these issues ensures the clients’ safety and keeps a worker out of future legal trouble. Staying up to date and adhering to the standards of practice might be the only defense from a lawsuit.
Most professions will offer classes or continuing education that focus on existing ethics and laws, particularly those that require credentialing. Students should ask instructors and supervisors about the practices that apply to their profession and their placement site, as well as what the laws are and why they are in place. Moreover, the instructors and supervisors should advise students on handling ethical issues when students encounter them.
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