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HSW230 Codes of Ethics 9/13/2013 When a person works in any type of business or organization they are required to show certain standards in their work and have a set of morals in which they conduct themselves by. This is often referred to in business as a code of ethics. A code of ethics is a set of principles which are designed to help people conduct business with honesty and integrity (“Code of Ethics”, 2013). In most companies their code of ethics involves their mission, vision, values, and purpose for the organization.
The code of ethics also represents the organizations core values and ethical principles in which each employee should uphold. These same standards and beliefs are shared in many fields such as police force, military, government, and human services. In the human service industry these ethical principles are called the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The NASW code of ethics is a guide for all social workers to help them conduct themselves in an ethical manner which can benefit the client.
The NASW code of ethics itself is broken down into four primary sections; the preamble, the purpose, ethical principles, and ethical standards (Manning, 2003). Although all these sections are broken up into different sections there primary function is to show the worker how to use their morals and values to guide them in everyday decision making. The “preamble” itself is a summary of the worker’s mission and core values. The “purpose” section of the NASW code of ethics is to help aide social workers when they are faced with moral or ethical decisions.
The last two sections of the NASW code of ethics are the “ethical principles” and “standards” they are used to give examples and solutions that can aide the worker with in their field of understand and deal with issues that may cause conflicts with their morals and ideals. Making the right ethical decision can often be hard sometimes it can often lead you to wonder if you are doing the right thing for the client. One moral dilemma that often arises in many cases is where people who deserve to receive assistance are denied, because of minor circumstances.
While an individual who abuses the system is allowed to receive help, and often more than what they should. Certain amounts of core values are required for a social worker to display such as service, social Justice, dignity, integrity, and competence. These values are not always displayed by our clients so it is our Job to display them at all times. When we see such discrepancies we are not to Judge, but rather investigate and seek that the right course of action is taking to help those in need. This is where our use of ethical principles can come into action.
Although we may not agree that the client who is abusing the system may or may not deserve assistance, as much as the next person. It is our Job to put our personal self interests aside, and provide help where it is needed (Manning, 2003). It is also our Job to respect those who are in need, and not discriminate or mistreat the client in any way. We are to show social Justice and equality and ensure each client is treated fairly. In conclusion, as social workers we have a responsibility and a commitment to the client to treat them with respect and oyalty, our primary role is to promote well-being (Manning, 2003).
The NASW code of ethics efficiently guides the social worker in the right direction and allows them to make the correct ethical decision. When using these codes of ethics with our own moral Judgments we are able to base or choices on accurate facts, and not our beliefs. References: 1. Code of Ethics. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. investopedia. com/terms/c/code- of-ethics. asp 2. Manning, S. S. (2003). Ethical Leadership in Human Services: A Multi-Dimensional Approach. : Allyn and Bacon.