Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making in Community Mental Health Case Study Answer

This case study is about a case worker who works in a local community mental health service. The community worker has been helping a person named Maree with a mental health issue. The community worker must promote the well-being of the client and work towards preserving their rights and assist them in their needs. The patient does not want to disclose any information about her to the court, however, it is an essential requirement. This case study is about the ethical issue which has been faced by the community worker. Insight will be provided about the ethical issues and the decision-making steps which need to be followed.

Major Ethical Dilemma 

After the analysis of the case study, the major ethical dilemma faced by the community service worker is about maintaining the confidentiality of the client. The client does not want the court to know about this ethical dilemma, however, this request cannot be accommodated. It has been mentioned in the case study that Maree has left her partner due to domestic violence, hence, to be able to file a case it is essential to raise a voice against it and inform the court about the same so adequate steps can be taken. Some other ethical dilemmas which are faced in community service are the right to self-determination, confidentiality, dual relationship, and some administrative dilemmas (Tariq, R.A., & Hackert, 2023).

Some of the common legal and ethical concepts which are linked to the case are the principle of self-determination, in this all the social worker will promote autonomy and self-determination of the users. The professional boundary is another legal concept, in this the social worker should work towards maintaining professional boundaries when they are dealing with the client. Another important ethical and legal concept that has been linked is a subpoena. It is a legal document that is used and which states what needs to be demanded from the client when they are presented in court (Darby, W.C., & Weinstock, 2018).

The ethical code which is 5.7.13 states that according to the social worker there is a conflict of interest between the service user. They take part in the case proceeding, and adequate action needs to be taken to minimize conflict. To work adequately, it is necessary to minimize the conflict this will ensure all the work is done efficiently and there are no problems faced.

The decision-making model which is used here is the shared decision-making model in the healthcare sector. It helps the provider and the patient to work together to make the best healthcare decision which is highly beneficial to the patient. The decision which is taken takes into account all the evidence-based information. The provider takes care of all the experience and knowledge and then patients' preferences and values are taken care of. The ethical decision-making process takes care to maintain the autonomy of the patient, and, at the same time provide them with the best care (Noroozi et al., 2018).

There can be several potential benefits and harms, some of which are listed below. Some benefits are if the patient discusses their problem then it is easy to provide them with a solution. However, one of the major harms which were encountered was due to the information which has been discussed the patient might not feel confident about sharing any problem with the community worker. Some of the key stakeholders who have played an important role in the case have been mentioned below, are the social care service provider, Maree, Lawyer, and the court.

References

Darby, W.C., & Weinstock, R. (2018). The limits of confidentiality: Informed consent and psychotherapy. Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), 16(4), 395–401. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20180020

Noroozi, M., Zahedi, L., Bathaei, F.S., & Salari, P. (2018). Challenges of confidentiality in clinical settings: Compilation of an ethical guideline. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 47(6), 875–883.

Tariq, R.A., & Hackert, P.B. (2023). Patient confidentiality. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.   

You Might Also Like:-

Arts Assignment Help

What are the Types of Anthropology?

Tuckman's Concept of Group Development Assessment Answer

Looking For Complete Assignment Sample Get It On WhatsApp