Applied Ethics in a Social Work Setting (Multicultural Focus)
Roger Bruce McNellie, Phd,MSSW,LCSW-S,DCSW
Objectives:
Attendees will gain understanding of how the general values embedded in the NASW code of ethics
(Autonomy, Non-maleficence, Beneficence, Justice, Fidelity, and Veracity) apply in a variety of diverse
vignettes that focus on multicultural issues.
Attendees will be able to frame ways to effectively approach complex dilemmas in the application of the
ethical values of the profession.
Attendees will examine different approaches to problem resolution in the application of ethical codes.
Summary:
Workshop presents general values (Autonomy, Non-maleficence, Beneficence, Justice, Fidelity, and
Veracity) reflected in the code of ethics, applied in discussions of a series of vignettes taken from
practice, covering social work in schools, mental health, children's services, law enforcement, nursing,
services to the aged, and others with a special focus on multicultural issues.
A clear understanding of how Social Work Codes are reflected in ethical behaviors is an important part of
the social worker’s role in protecting clients and the integrity of practice. This includes consideration of
how ethical codes are applied in different cultural settings. This workshop will review ethical issues in
terms of the application of the primary values inherent in the code of ethics and how differences in culture
may impact application. The development of new medical resources, social work interventions, and
dramatic shifts in cultural values and diversity in population make application of ethical standards
dynamic and complex. The application of these values in ‘best practice’ is best developed by a continual
questioning of how societal values, the social work field’s professional ethical code, the personal mores
of society, community, unit, and work group, and the personal feelings of the practitioner, impact best
practice. The safety and protection of society and the individual are best met when our ‘accepted beliefs’
are routinely questioned against our stated codes of conduct.
Finally, a clear understanding of the values that such standards represent, help practitioners better deal
with personal conflicts and dual relationship conflicts that they may have in the discharge of their
professional duties and in inspiring others to adopt and adapt the codes to both personal and professional
behaviors. This workshop will examine the definition of the basic values embedded in the code of ethics.
Autonomy: the promotion of self-determination, or the freedom of clients to choose their own direction;
Non-maleficence: avoiding doing harm, which includes refraining from actions that risk hurting clients,
either intentionally or unintentionally; Beneficence: doing good for other; Justice: fairness, or providing
equal treatment to all people; Fidelity: making honest promises and honoring these commitments to
clients; Veracity: truthfulness. Application of these values will be discussed through a variety of vignettes
covering involving ethical and moral conflicts within the workplace. These vignettes are from social work
practice in education, mental health, children's services, services to the aged, the field of nursing, law
enforcement, and juvenile and adult probation.
Roger Bruce McNellie is married, has three children, and six grandchildren. Special interests are in
human behavior and professional ethics. Experience includes Child Protective Services 1973-2004,
School of Social Work at SFASU since 1984, and School of Psychology at Northcentral University,
Prescott, AZ since 2005.
R. Bruce McNellie, Phd,MSSW,LCSW-S,DCSW,LPC-S,LMFT, Nacogdoches, TX
November 2015
mcnellie@mcnellie.com
mcnellie.com/ethics.pptx