u07d1 Summary of Ethical Practice

The ethical provisions of any profession are extremely important to the professional , but are more important to the patient /client . Putting the patient /client at ease is the first step . Privacy and confidentiality are major ideals within the profession . The government regulates privacy and confidentiality with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA . This act guarantees that the patient /clients is not given to anyone or any organization without explicit instructions from the patient /client . Following the privacy and confidentiality is the fact that every patient /client has the right

to have trained and currently certified professional working with them Patients /Clients have the right to discuss with the professional the basis for his counseling career and what certifications he /her has in relation to the profession . This gives accountability and responsibility to make the patient /client feel at ease and know they are being treated by a legitimate professional . Evaluation , assessment and treatment must be explained in detail to the patient /client . All questions are to be answered and no treatment should be given without the understanding and consent of the patient /client (American Psychological Association 2002

The ethical policies and procedures are often very general in when read . It allows for a lot of gray area , but that is only because it is impossible to assess every possible situation that can arise in the ethics of the profession . Therefore , the policies and procedures are guidelines that any professional will follow to the best of their...