This is a recommendation resolving the dilemma facing Alan, a social worker manager, concerning a client diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He is stuck in a situation where the client is the teacher of his young daughter and he can’t go against client-patient confidentiality. It is being determined whether he should or should not alert the teacher’s condition to the school. Alan should handle the client as it benefits them and society.

QUESTION

This is a recommendation resolving the dilemma facing Alan, a social worker manager, concerning a client diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He is stuck in a situation where the client is the teacher of his young daughter and he can’t go against client-patient confidentiality. It is being determined whether he should or should not alert the teacher’s condition to the school. Alan should handle the client as it benefits them and society.

Synopsis of the social Issue in case.

Alan is a social worker at a hospital, manager to all social workers at the hospital. A recent client has just gone through a mugging therefore their medication is adjusted for their bipolar disorder. The client is the teacher of Alan’s 8-year-old daughter and despite his dilemma, Alan can’t report the client’s condition to the school because of client-patient confidentiality.

Identify the social work value(s) and related principle(s) from the NASW Code of Ethics with a full explanation of how the value(s) and principle(s) relate to the ethical dilemma.

The dignity and worth of the person as well as integrity matter in this case.

Alan should treat the client with dignity and worth and trust to make the right decisions in their life and in society. He should try and resolve his dilemma professionally according to the interests of the client and society.

As for integrity, Alan should not make any decisions that go against the mission, values, principles and standards of social work. He should work and behave honestly and work in hand with the hospital’s practices.

Identify the related ethical principle.

The ethical principles for this case are such that Alan should honor the dignity and worth of the person and also that he behaves in an honest manner.

Identify the element(s) and standard(s) of critical thinking with corresponding essential question(s) relative to your perception of the ethical dilemma.

Question at issue: What can I do? How do I handle this situation? Should I go against my responsibilities?

Information: What is the history of the patient? Has the client behaved in a manner that is detrimental to society?

Interpretation and Inference: What do I conclude? Does the information support my interpretation?

Concepts: What am I basing my theories on? Am I going off a belief that is right and supported?

Assumptions: Should I assume having a mental disorder is a detriment to society? Am I supposing there are only two choices?

Implications and Consequences: If I go against the values of my position, what will happen? What will happen if I do nothing?

Point of View: Should I review the situation in a new light? Should I see the client through the eyes of another colleague?

Accuracy: How can it be substantiated that the client is a danger to society?

Precision: Are there examples of the client being a danger to society?

Relevance: Does the fact that the social worker has a slight personal relationship with the client matter?

Depth: What makes it dangerous that the client is a teacher to young children?

Breadth: Is there another angle this case should be observed or reviewed?

Fairness: What is the best way to appease all parties?

Describe your proposed action.  

I propose that Alan assign the treatment of the client to someone he manages as he has conflict of interest. Alan may or may not engage in conversation or acquaintance with the client outside of the hospital so he shouldn’t handle the case. Whomever he assigns it to should behave according to the responsibilities of a social worker and treat the client to the best of their ability. They should guide the client to behave comfortably in society. Unless the treatment and medication doesn’t work should any action be taken against the client.

ANSWER

Ethical Dilemma in Social Work: Balancing Confidentiality and Responsibility

Introduction

In the field of social work, ethical dilemmas often arise, challenging professionals to navigate conflicting values and principles. One such predicament is faced by Alan, a social worker manager, who grapples with the decision of whether or not to disclose a client’s bipolar disorder to the school where the client serves as his daughter’s teacher. This essay aims to resolve the ethical dilemma by examining the values and principles outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics, applying critical thinking elements, and proposing a course of action that upholds both the dignity of the person and professional integrity.

Values and Principles at Stake

Two fundamental values from the NASW Code of Ethics are particularly relevant to this case: the dignity and worth of the person, and integrity. Upholding the dignity and worth of the client requires treating them with respect, trust, and recognizing their autonomy in making decisions (Code of Ethics: English, n.d.). Alan must respect the client’s right to confidentiality, as divulging sensitive medical information without their consent could undermine their sense of dignity. Integrity demands that Alan align his actions with the ethical standards of social work, acting honestly and transparently.

Critical Thinking Elements and Essential Questions

 Question at issue: Alan must determine how to handle the situation while balancing his responsibilities. Should he breach client-patient confidentiality?

Information: Alan needs to gather information about the client’s history, examining whether their behavior poses any threat to society (Gliklich, 2014).

Interpretation and Inference: Alan should evaluate whether the available information supports his conclusion or if alternative perspectives should be considered.

Concepts: Alan must base his decisions on well-founded theories and avoid making assumptions that stigmatize mental disorders.

Assumptions: Alan should question the assumption that having a mental disorder automatically implies being a detriment to society (Social Change and Modernity, n.d.). He should also explore alternative courses of action beyond the binary choice of breaching confidentiality or doing nothing.

Implications and Consequences: Alan must consider the potential outcomes of his actions, both if he violates confidentiality and if he fails to act at all.

Point of View: Alan should critically analyze the situation from different perspectives, seeking input from colleagues or supervisors to gain new insights.

Proposed Action

Given the conflict of interest, Alan should assign the client’s case to another social worker under his supervision. This ensures that the client receives the necessary support while mitigating the ethical concerns associated with personal relationships. The assigned social worker should adhere to the professional responsibilities of a social worker, treating the client with dignity and worth, and guiding them toward comfortable integration into society. Only if the client’s treatment and medication prove ineffective, and there is clear evidence of their behavior posing a risk, should further action be considered.

Conclusion

Resolving ethical dilemmas in social work requires a thoughtful examination of values, principles, and critical thinking. In Alan’s case, upholding the dignity of the person and maintaining professional integrity are of utmost importance. By assigning the client’s case to another social worker, Alan ensures that the client’s needs are addressed while upholding confidentiality. This approach allows for ethical decision-making that benefits both the client and society at large. By navigating such dilemmas with care, social workers can promote the well-being of individuals while adhering to the principles of their profession.

References

Code of Ethics: English. (n.d.). https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English 

Gliklich, R. E. (2014, April 1). Analysis, Interpretation, and Reporting of Registry Data To Evaluate Outcomes. Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK208602/ 

Social Change and Modernity. (n.d.). https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6000078s;chunk.id=0;doc.view=print