Nasa Code Of Ethics In Social Work

My last few days as a social worker with the Dept of Human Services in Pottawattamie, County Iowa, I have reflected on a few things. Of course my time here has been a learning curve but I would like to share a few things with you. The misson of social work is to have proficient morals while at the center of social work. The worker has a commitment to expressing its essential qualities, moral standards, and moral norms. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forward these qualities, standards, and models to guide social specialists ' behavior. The Code is important to all social specialists and social work understudies, paying little mind to their proficient capacities, the settings in which they work, or the people they serve.(NSAW 2014) Throughout these
many years, with some regularity, I have been confronted with moral problems while simply trying to complete my work. There are obstacles and issues that arise some of them are social and cultural considerations, confidentiality, informed consent, ethical issues, and dual relationships. As I continue I will address some of these issues and give you a little advice as to how the guidelines can be followed.
Guidelines for Confidentiality
Confidentiality is very important when treating or assisting clients for establishing trust and ensuring that their information is safe from others.
One of the guidelines that should be shared with the client before treatment is, consent to services. This one piece of paper covers several major issues pertaining to the client. This includes authorization for medical treatment, patient rights, assignment of personal benefits, authorized representatives, statement of responsibility, authorization to release information to insurance and or third party payor, noncovered services advance instruction for care, and acknowledgement of privacy practices which includes HIPPA. Another key piece of information that is imperative that it be shared with the client is medical records authorization for disclosure of information. If this isn’t signed then as the person referring the client it will be very hard for information to be released. This also includes a revocation of this. At any given time the client can revoke this and no information may be shared after hand written revocation is presented to the medical records department. This is important to be explained completely to the
client.
Guidelines for Identifying Barriers to Service: In being successful when assisting a client and getting them the best help that will help you must identify certain barriers that may cause a “bump in the road” . These may include several issues such as language. If a client is unable to understand you then you need to either have them bring translator or you have one there with you while trying to speak with the client. There may also be finances as a barrier for treatment. Helping the client to get to the therapist or a psychologist that the clients insurance won’t pay for, you always have to have a plan “B”. If the insurance will only pay for group therapy then starting there would be a start. As a case worker or even a volunteer, getting your client signed up for any and every program that they qualify for, to get them the best and the most efficient help or care that they can get is the most important.
Guidelines for Making and Evaluating Referrals The motivation behind referring a client is to give a promising support to launch a proper arrangement of activity for the clients at different levels of need. Once you have referred the client on to another person that is going to help the client it is very important to continue to check in with that client. One of the main reasons I would do that is just to find out how the client ends up. I want to know if they actually took advantage of the care that they are being offered. I think that checking in with the client once every week or so just to see how they are doing.
Timeline for Referrals When referring a client it is important to abide by a timeline. After an evaluation of the client, and the need for services is established a time of no longer than twenty four to forty eight hours should pass before the client is referred to outside agencies. As I stated before, checking in with the client is important, doing so also shows the client that you care and they aren’t just a number.
Guidelines for Coordinating Services Once the services have been discussed and the client has some appointments, now it is time to get them to those appointments and help them succeed. Giving the client a small appointment book with phone numbers and addresses so that they are able to keep track of appointments as well as days and times just so they are able to succeed, then that is what is needed. Every client is different and seeing what works with one may not work with the next. If helping the client with the calendar in their phone then that is what you have to do. As a case worker you discover what works and helps clients succeed that is what is the most important.
As I have grown as a social worker I have also discovered some methods for providing direct care to clients. It is important from the very beginning to identify the problem, What is the most important issue that the client faces right now, and how can we together come up with a plan to remove them from the immediate situation. You may pick up on an issue that the client did not say throughout the investigation process. Taking into account the initial evaluation of the individual and the issue as well as the circumstance, you may discover there is an issue that is related to the underlying issue however was not realized or not recognized by the client.
When you have a client that is in dire straits and needs to get out of a situation, it is important that you approach the barriers that will keep your client from accomplishing what needs to be accomplished. When I say that, I am saying that it is imperative that you discuss things such as money, food, shelter, fear etc. Those are just a few excuses that a client would give you if they were in an abusive relationship and needed to get safe.
After you accomplished figuring out the main problem and the barriers to complete those issues you then need to begin working on an intervention plan.
This plan should address the three main issues or concerns for your client and should involve goals. When you and your client(s) decide what goals and what order they should be completed in, there should then be a timeline of goals and how to approach them. During the time line, you as the social worker need to then decide how effective these goals will be during the timeline. I discovered if you give just a little lea way there will be less discouragement from the client when the goal is possibly late by a week or a longer term goal a
month.
Is also very important to take into consideration the importance of advocating for the needs of people in the community. Social workers help teach people in general by composing letters to the editorial manager and magazine pieces that clear up misstatements about social projects and call attention to social wrong doing or abuse that may generally escape popular consideration. Social workers have always attempted to enable people in need, by helping them arrange fundraisers or parties that address social issues, upgrade mental health and improve services. Social workers also work very hard to educate and improve legislation to help people that need help.
One of the two most important things that I learned is having the qualities and moral standards of being in a job that you are helping people and a capability to utilize these standards as rules for ordinary everyday practice. The second most important thing that I learned is how to approach a client with empathy not as much sympathy. I know that in the beginning of my job here, that was an issue. I found it hard in the beginning to hold back tears; I felt the need to cry with my clients. As I continued on in my profession I realized it was easy to do that but with practice and more clients, I was told by a supervisor, “ You can walk inn their shoes, just don’t do the walking” After that conversation I realized that they didn’t need me to feel sorry, they needed my help.

REFERENCES
Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. (n.d.). Retrieved August , 10,2014.
NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2014.
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2014.