Explain the ethical issues related to the supervisor

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Instructor

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Explain the ethical issues related to the supervisor

The supervisor went ahead with her medical leave leaving the student under no supervision. The office had no other licensed mental health professional who would supervise Jack when she left. Lily decided that Jack would be fine working his involvement without the supervisor until her return. It is unethical to leave a student under no supervision. Jack was to keep all records that Lily was to sign until when she came back from her leave. Lily could have come up with another option of how she would continue supervising Jack even when she was on leave. When Jack needed assistance from his supervisor, his attempts to reach Lilly bore no fruits. It is unethical for the supervisor not to be available when the student needs her. Even though she is on leave, Jack should be able to contact her incase anything comes up. As a student, Jack needed someone to constantly supervise him in what he was doing. It is unethical to leave a student to deal with clients under no supervision.

Explain the ethical issues related to the supervisee/student

It was unethical of Jack to accept new clients aside from the ones Lily had left him with when she went on leave. He ought to have followed the instructions left by Lily of not accepting new clients. Jack was confident in himself after his supervisor left for her leave. However, when it was time to deal with a new client he did not know how to handle the situation. He decided to search for information online on how he would deal with the new client. He went ahead and tried a few techniques he got online on the client. It was unethical of him to try out techniques he got online on the new client. He could have simply referred the patient to another counsellor when he found out that he was not able to deal with the case. It was also unethical of him to think that his supervisor was responsible for his actions. Even though Lily is his supervisor, she is not the one who tried the tests on the client. Therefore, Lily was not directly responsible of the decisions that Jack made.

Examine the influence of your own personal values as it relates to the issues presented in the case

It is wrong for a supervisor to leave a student under no supervision. A supervisor should always ensure that they offer supervision to the students under them regardless of the situation. A student relies on their supervisor for guidance on their practice. Therefore, a supervisor should always be around to offer this guidance to students. Students should always follow instructions given by instructors. There is a reason why an instructor tells a student to do something. A student should not go against what the instructor says. Students should also make sure that they ask for assistance in case they have a problem. They should not try out new techniques that they are not sure of without asking for a second opinion.

Compare the violations to the APA’s ethical standards and describe the similarities or differences in the ethical code

According to the APA ethical standards, supervisors are supposed to delegate to their supervisees only the responsibilities that they are expected to perform completely based on their training or experience. They are supposed to perform this with some level pf supervision. Supervisors are also expected to provide proper supervision to their supervisees and also take reasonable steps to see the supervisees carry out their duties responsibly and ethically (Campbell, 2010). The supervisor violated these APA ethical standards when she was not available to oversee Jack carry out his duties. The APA ethical standards are similar to the ACA Code of Ethics section F.4 that deals with supervisor responsibilities. According to F.4.b of the ACA Code of ethics, supervisors are supposed to establish procedures for contacting them if they are absent (ACA code of ethics, 2005). Supervisors are also supposed to make their supervisees aware of the ethical standards and legal responsibilities required of them in their practice. Supervisors are supposed to incorporate in their supervision the principle of participation and informed consent.

Imagine you are a member of the ACA ethics committee. Describe the recommendations you have for the supervisor

The supervisor should ensure that she is present incase a supervisee needs assistance in the course of their practice. The supervisor should also make sure that she establishes communication with the supervisee in case she is not around. The supervisor should also delegate duties that the supervisee can handle according to the level of training and experience.

Describe the recommendations you have for the supervisee/student

A student should follow the supervisor’s instructions to the latter. They should not try out anything that they have not been instructed by their supervisor. In case a problem comes up, a supervisee should contact their supervisor for assistance. A supervisee should not try out any technique they have never used before. They should consult their supervisors before using any new technique on a client.

References

ACA code of ethics. (2005). Alexandria, Va.: American Counseling Association.

Campbell, L. (2010). APA ethics code commentary and case illustrations. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.