Ethics, Boundaries & Communication
Build trust through sound judgment, clear consent, and professional care.
Lesson 8 of 11
Ethical Decision-Making
Ethical dilemmas can arise when values, client requests, workplace expectations, and legal duties point in different directions. A repeatable process reduces impulsive choices and makes reasoning accountable. Gather relevant facts before deciding, protect privacy, and distinguish a genuine dilemma from a clear safety or legal obligation. If uncertainty remains, consult an appropriate supervisor, regulator, or legal resource.
Key points
- Define the concern and separate verified facts from assumptions.
- Identify stakeholders, applicable laws, codes, policies, and scope limits.
- List realistic options, including pausing, consultation, referral, or reporting.
- Evaluate likely benefits, harms, fairness, consent, and confidentiality for each option.
- Choose and implement the safest defensible action; explain it as appropriate.
- Document objective facts, decisions, consultations, and follow-up without unnecessary detail.
- Review the outcome and change practice if the process reveals a gap.
Key terms
- Ethical dilemma
- A situation involving competing duties or values without an obvious acceptable option.
- Stakeholder
- A person or group affected by a professional decision.
- Consultation record
- A factual note of relevant guidance sought and decisions made, stored appropriately.
- Risk assessment
- A structured estimate of possible harm and the likelihood of its occurrence.
- Accountability
- Being answerable for decisions and taking appropriate corrective action.
- Documentation
- Accurate, timely records that support continuity and accountability.
Memory tip
FACTS: Frame the issue, Assess duties, Compare options, Take action, Study the result.
Clinical note
A decision model guides reasoning; it does not authorize violating a mandatory law or safety rule.
Unit checkpoint
Lock it in: match the terms, then test yourself.