Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers - Term Paper Example

of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) NASW of Ethics The NASW of Ethics aims at guiding the social work vocation. This is so as to enhance the welfare of people and help meet the indispensable needs of all people. For this to happen, it has set out different ethics and values for all social workers to put in mind as they perform their duties. Such include the tasks and values of social workers. Looking at the ethical principal based on the core value of integrity, one learns that social workers must behave in a trustworthy manner (National Association of Social Workers n.p). This is due to the duty, morals, ethical principles, and standards of their line of work.

This indicates that all social workers need to act truthfully and dutifully so as to uphold the ethical practices on the part of the organization they work with. IssueA certain issue brought forward to the NASW had a value conflict as well as some bit of an ethical dilemma. This was the case of a social worker who had another social worker as a client. This social worker (client) had almost not followed the ethics of all social workers. The social worker had engaged in dual relationships with some of her clients.

One serious form of dual relationship was that she had engaged in a sexually passionate affiliation with a previous client (Socialworker.org). The social worker was confused on how to help her client who obviously knew all the ethics of the profession.DiscussionConsidering the fact that the client is a human being first before she is a social worker, the social worker has a responsibility to uphold her rights. This is especially the right to privacy which includes confidentiality. However, the former client also has a right to security, which is compromised when the social worker engaged in a relationship with him.

This is because there was the likelihood of emotional harm caused by the romantic relationship.If the social worker follows the integrity principle, she ought to report her colleague. However, reporting her colleague to their employer is going against confidentiality. It would also not be professional not to protect the rights of the former client and all other clients who may find themselves in harm’s way. This is so because punishing the social worker for her ethical malpractice would warn other social workers against engaging in dual relationships with their clients.

The social worker should weigh the effects of each decision she could make. After this, she could decide to go with the one that causes less harm. In this situation, she could inform her employers of the malpractice of her colleague. This will be in focus with the common good of the social work profession. Nonetheless, the social worker could also in the process explain to the colleague that though she might lose her job, it is because she did not put the interests of her clients in mind during her practice.

Works CitedNational Association of Social Workers (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: NASW. Print.Socialworkers.org. 'Response to Member Re Unethical Behavior of A Client Who Is Also A Social Worker'. N.p., 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2015. Internet Source.