Ethical Issue Analysis Paper Lundy 1

Ethical Issue Analysis Paper

Emily Lundy

The University of South Carolina, College of Social Work

SOWK 483: Practicum Seminar

Professor Michael Ottone

November 1, 2022
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Ethical Issue Analysis Paper

Ethical issues arise when moral judgments, character, and habits are in question.

They are important to consider in social work practice because dilemmas may form or harm

relationships between coworkers, agencies, and consumers. In my experience, ethical

dilemmas have arisen, but only one has stuck out to me to address within this paper.

The ethical issue that I have experienced within my field practice is differences in

personal values among clients and coworkers. This ethical issue is important to consider

since the best relationships come from those where feelings and personal values are

acknowledged and accepted. When being in the helping profession, it is best to be

transparent and considerate in all aspects to provide the best aid for the community you are

serving. Specifically, I am dealing with the values held within receiving gifts. At Able SC,

when a consumer wishes to reciprocate their end of the relationship, they have been known

to offer gifts to staff members. In this situation, it can be a kind gesture, but can also cause

further issues. If the gift is considered to be too expensive, it can be seen as a breach of

integrity as well as a breach of agency rules. On the other hand, if the worker were to reject

the gift it can hurt the consumers' feelings and ultimately damage the relationship.

Personally, I feel that this dilemma is important to consider since I appreciate gifts,

but understand the reasons behind the potential consequences of receiving gifts in

the workplace. I chose this ethical issue since it has been a recent topic of

conversation within supervision.

NASW Code of Ethics and the Standards for Practice

In regards to the NASW Code of Ethics and the Standards for Practice, the

Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice works best for
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my situation. Within this section, standard 9 language and communication, standard 2 self-

awareness, and standard 4 cross-cultural skills apply to my ethical dilemma the most. In

standard 9, “social workers shall provide and advocate for effective communication with

clients… low literacy skills, people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf

or hard of hearing, and people with disabilities” (NASW Code of Ethics, 2021). This relates

to my issue as ABle SC works with those with disabilities, which provides an additional

barrier to communication between the worker and the client. Due to the extent of help that

Able SC provides, the majority of topics are close to the consumers' hearts and may

influence them to want to provide something in return for the help that they have received.

Within Standard 4, “social workers will use a broad range of skills and techniques

that demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the importance of culture in practice,

policy, and research” (NASW Code of Ethics, 2021). This is important within my social

issue since the agency has to keep track of value, why you got it, how much, and what you

got as their donations nd gifts are regulated by the government since it is a non-profit

organization.

Lastly, standard 2 states that “social workers shall demonstrate an appreciation of

their own cultural identities and those of others. Social workers must also be aware of their

own privilege and power and must acknowledge the impact of this privilege and power in

their work with and on behalf of clients. Social workers will also demonstrate cultural

humility and sensitivity to the dynamics of power and privilege in all areas of social work”

(NASW Code of Ethics, 2021). This applies to my ethical dilemma since communication,

roles in relationships, and power have to be considered when experiencing relationships

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with consumers. Receiving gifts can change these important dynamics, which may develop

issues for the agency.

Professional social work ethics and values impact the issue since ethical values and

decisions have to be considered within the social work profession.

General Decision-Making Model

1. Identify

The problem in the short term is handling the conversation exchange properly

between the consumers and staff. To prevent being rude or too accepting, the outcomes of a

potential conversation have to be thought of before the problem arises. In regards to the

long-term, you have to consider the rules and regulations of accepting gifts that the agency

holds. At Able SC, you are not allowed to get gifts that could be worth more than twenty

dollars. The long-term issues from accepting these gifts can be an unbalanced power

dynamic, a sense of owing the person who provided the gift, and potential conflict within

the professional and patient boundaries. The people in the dilemma are the staff of Able SC

and the consumers with disabilities. The institution of the dilemma is Able SC, Columbia.

The professionals that are involved are all staff at ABle SC, even if only one staff member

received a gift. Others involved in the problem could be the board for Able SC, as gifts have

to be reported higher in the chain of command. The CEO and supervisors are also involved

in the problem as well.

2. Determine Who Should Be Involved in the Decision Making

The people who should be involved in the decision-making out of the above are the

staff member in question as well as their supervisor. If the gift deems inappropriate under

the agency's regulations, the supervisor may have a better insight into the issue. However, in
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the end, it is the staff member who is receiving the gift who makes the ultimate decision

since they have to respond to the consumer. This staff member also has the authority and

power to make the decision since they are the ones with the consumer relationship.

3. Identify the Relevant Values Held by those Identified in Step 1

When referring to the values of people in the situation, it can be harder to navigate

what the right answer is. In some cultures, it is considered rude to not receive a gift and can

come off as disrespectful. Also in some cultures, it can be rude to not decline the gift a

certain number of times before accepting it. This can apply to both the worker and the

consumer depending on the culture and values that the person holds. The values of the

institution as I previously mentioned, are not accepting gifts that are worth more than

twenty dollars. Also, they have options for donations if the gift exceeds that amount, but it

has to be processed before receiving it. The consumers may take offense or no offense to

offering a gift and being accepted or declined. If the gift is accepted, the consumer can

expect something in return in the future which can put the institution in a rough spot. The

professionals that are involved are all of Able SC’s staff members and board. Support

systems that may be involved are partners to Able SC, as well as the board members.

4. Identify the Goals and Objectives Whose Attainment You Believe May Reduce

or Resolve the Problem

The consumer goals include potentially wanting to show their gratitude for the

services that have been offered, as well as a sense of entitlement. The workers' goal is to

maintain a professional relationship without offending the consumer. They also must

accomplish adhering to the agency's regulations aside from personal morals and values. The
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agency’s goals consist of following regulations, maintaining healthy relationships, and

respecting those relationships.

5. Identify Alternative Intervention Strategies and Assess their Effectiveness and

Efficiency Pros and Cons of Each Alternative in Terms of the Identified Goals

Solution A: Pictures

Solution A consists of asking for pictures of the gift sent over text if that gift is

handmade or is a piece of art. This serves as a pro since it can include the consumer in

showing interest in the gift, while not fully receiving it. The cons to this may be offending

the consumer by not physically wanting the gift in question.

Solution B: Donations

Solution B consists of asking for the gift as a donation to the agency. Pros of this can

be still being able to receive and appreciate the gift. Another pro would be for the agency to

receive a gift that they can use as decoration in the workplace, or put to further use for the

agency's purpose. Cons of this may be offending the consumer by the staff member not

receiving the gift for themselves. Another con could be receiving a gift from a specific

individual or company since all of the records are public knowledge. It can prevent other

consumers from receiving help if they do not agree with the gift, the person, or the

company's image.

Solution C: Establishing Prior Boundaries

Solution C consists of establishing boundaries early in the relationship. To do this,

you can make the guidelines around receiving gifts clear before the relationship is

developed. Therefore, a pro of this is reminding the consumer of the agency guidelines if a

gift is offered in the future. You can say that as much as you would love to receive the gift
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for yourself, you cannot and would like to make it a donation if they would still like to offer

it. This provides a safe outlet to maintain a healthy relationship with the consumer as well

as sticking to the company's regulations. Cons of this may be preventing other consumers

from receiving help if they do not agree with a gift, the person, or the company's image as it

is public knowledge when it goes to the agency.

6. Select and Implement the Appropriate Strategy Stating Why it is the BEST

One and the Rationale for This

I think that solution C would be the best option. It keeps the conversation

transparent and honest since the consumer knows what to expect from the relationship from

the beginning. It is better than the other two proposed strategies since all three can be

incorporated in some way and would not take the consumer by surprise, which can prevent

offense. It addresses the problem since the consumer is made aware of the issue before

anything is offered. It prevents them from being offended or having to question why or why

not their gift was received. They would also be aware of the guidelines that the company

holds for future gifts or donations that they may wish to make. It best advances the

consumers' needs by considering how they would feel from being turned down in the

beginning, before feelings could get hurt. It also helps them focus on the needs that they are

getting service for rather than focusing on what the consumer can do for the agency. It

shows that nothing is expected from them other than cooperation and aid. It advances the

social workers' goals by establishing clear boundaries on what is and is not allowed in their

professional setting. It allows them to acknowledge the problem beforehand, as well as

provide a safeguard for reflection on the regulations if the topic is brought up later in the

relationship. In this situation, the consumers' values take precedence over the agency and
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staff since they are a consumer-driven agency. The ethical standards that this may apply to

are role conflict and value dilemmas. Role conflict applies since there is a distinguished role

relationship between the worker and the consumer. If the worker were to receive the gift, it

could throw the role off balance and make the consumer feel entitled in future

conversations. Value dilemmas arise in this situation since supervisors insist on complying

with the agency's decisions which in this case, include their regulations. This issue also

includes competing values which may come from cultural and life differences between the

worker and the consumer. In the end, all must be considered when making the decision, but

establishing that contact, in the beginning, should provide the best help when it does arise.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, I feel that it depends on the situation at hand when referring to how to

respond to a potential gift. The relationship between the staff member and consumer must be

considered, as well as the type of gift that is being offered. I developed my understanding of

what it is to be a professional bachelor-level social worker through experience in my field

practicum. A lot of my understanding comes from conversations with my field advisor on

what is or is not deemed acceptable in the workplace.

I believe it is important to understand the consumers' culture, values, and beliefs to

help them come to a decision. I also think that it is important to communicate the proposal

with other professionals as they may have similar experiences and may know the best way to

handle the gift in reason.

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References

Dolgoff, R., Harrington, D., & Loewenberg, F. M. (2012). Brooks/Cole

Empowerment Series: Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice. Cengage
Learning.

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics of the National

Association of
Social Workers. Washington, DC: Author.
https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English