David J Powell: Six steps to ethical decision-making in counselling

1. Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.
2. Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession). 
3. Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.
4. Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.
5. Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.
6. Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.

These steps are from David J Powell's article, Ethics in Counseling: A Complex Issue in the US magazine, Counselor. Well worth reading.

Ethics In Counseling: A Complex Issue

 

 

Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.  

Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession).   

Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.  

Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.  

Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.  

Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.  

- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpufIdentify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.
Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession). 
Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.
Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.
Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.
Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.
- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpu

Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.  

Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession).   

Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.  

Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.  

Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.  

Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.  

- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpuf