Personal, Professional, and Ethical Belief System Essay Example for Free

Personal, Professional, and Ethical Belief System Essay In the human services field, personal ethical belief systems combined with professional ethics work in partnership to guide human service professionals in unraveling ethical dilemmas. An increasing number of professionals and clients seek out to define the fundamental policies of the human services field. Humans develop an integration of values, standards, and beliefs from birth throughout life. The values, standards, and beliefs developed through life assist in characterizing personal ethical belief systems. Our personal ethical belief system unites with our professional ethics to shape the ethical decision-making process. A code of ethics is essential to organizations in the human services field. A code of ethics identifies adequate behavior, endorses high standards of practice, supplies a standard to use for self assessment, and establishes a structure for professional behaviors and responsibilities. Human service professionals promote the integrity and ethics of the profession. As a result, it is crucial for a human service professional to stay educated and knowledgeable of the theoretical basis of their ethical belief system, other theoretical ethics, ethical and legal issues, and the ethical principles of their organization. Every person possesses a core system of values. My personal ethical belief system is derived from my core system of values, the people who helped shape those values, and the decision-making factors I use today to improve them as necessary. My parents, educators, Sunday schoolteachers, preachers, administrators, God, leaders, and many others in the community help shape my values and provide the basis for my ethical belief system. I articulate values in my associations with other people when I am loyal, reliable, honest, generous, trusting, trustworthy, feel a sense of accountability for my family, friends, coworkers, community, country, and the organization where I volunteer. My parents taught me to be a Christian person and to do what is morally right in the eyes of God. I met troubled times throughout my life, but I believe because of my strong morally sound background I could take those experiences and learn from them. My parents remain amazing role models in my life. I attend church and praise God every week as a reminder of why I keep my moral values and belief system close and dear to me. I choose to continue my education on many aspects in my life to assist in governing decision-making factors. As a proud citizen of America, I realize the discrepancy relating to laws and ethics. A law is a decree or government rule prepared to punish those whom disobey. Laws are consistent, universal, published, accepted, and enforced. Ethics is a sense of what is right and wrong morally. However, there is a difference between ethics and morality. According to Anstead, S. M. (1999), â€Å"Morality refers both to the standards of behavior by which individuals are judged, and to the standards of behavior by which people in general are judged in their relationships with others. Ethics, on the other hand, encompasses the system of beliefs that supports a particular view of morality. † The law often integrates ethical standards to which society subscribes. Most ethical decisions come with extensive penalties, numerous alternatives, varied results, unsure and personal consequences. My belief system is derived from my confidence that there is more to reality than what we see. I have faith in a spiritual side of reality beyond what we can see or experience. The basis of my ethical belief system comes from my values and those whom attributed to those values including my life as a believer in God and as a Christian. My metaphysiological view of theism supports my views of ethical absolutism. I found this quote interesting and supportive of my ethical belief system. According to Worldview Dictionary (2011), â€Å"Ethical absolutism is the belief that right and wrong are unchanging, not determined by the individual or the culture; revealed by God through both general and specific revelation. † Ethical absolutism follows one universal moral standard. God is infinite, everlasting, and never-changing. God set the laws of the land therefore I must abide by what is determined by God as right and wrong. God has revealed this truth through his creation and revelation. God is absolute. God created all people as equals. As a believer in God, I serve him through service to others and my community. I take on responsibilities of helping others in my community, volunteering, and donating goods. At all times I abide by these principles: worship only God, respect people, be humble, be honest, live a moral life, be generous with time, practice my views, do not criticize, judge, or condemn, do not hold a grudge, and forgive others. I believe it is right to resist temptation while knowing that evil lurks around. I believe one-day God will return and seek judgment for his people. To live morally and ethically divine is obligatory to have eternal life. As a person and professional, I understand and acknowledge that not all human beings embrace the same views as me and I respect the views of others. In the human service profession, my personal ethical belief system helps guide the work I do as a volunteer at Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center (WCPRC). At WCPRC the mission is to help women make life affirming choices. The services offered are free pregnancy testing, free limited sonograms, adoption referrals, abortion education, abortion recovery programs, and earn while you learn program for baby needs. I chose this organization specifically because it supports my beliefs on pro-life. Pro-life supports my beliefs as a Christian. I advocate providing women with education and alternatives to abortion. According to Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center (2012), â€Å"Through the years, Wise Choices, has been able to provide various kinds of help and â€Å"counseling† to the women of Wise County and the surrounding areas. We not only help the client, but family or friends of the client, in regards to the situation the client is facing. We believe we can make a difference in the lives of women, one at a time! As a Christian woman, I think that it is important to help clients who are abortion minded or abortion vulnerable see the opportunities they have to save the life they have created. As an advocate, I ask the client if she would like the opportunity to hear the gospel. If she accepts I can share the love God has for his children including the client and her unborn child. I also have the remarkable chance to ask the client if she wants to accept Jesus as her savior from sins. I explain to my clients willing to accept and hear the gospel that they may ask God to forgive them for their sins. It is also an occasion to talk to my clients about abstinence until marriage. Each of the values listed above guides me to be an advocate for the unborn child who is defenseless in his or her right to life. Often I am met with challenges, such as a woman who is pregnant from rape or incest. It is often hard to explain to a woman with traumatic experiences that it is still important to give birth to their child even in extenuating circumstances. Some of the hardest cases come from a woman who is abortion minded or vulnerable and has no interest in hearing the gospel. I go home and pray for the client, her family, and the unborn child. As a member of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS), the Code of Ethics is an important guidance tool in ethical dilemmas. The Code of Ethics is a set standard of conduct for human service professionals to consider in the ethical decision-making process. According to the National Organization for Human Services (2009), â€Å"Human service professionals respect the integrity and welfare of the client at all times. Each client is treated with respect, acceptance and dignity. Statement two is an ethical principle not difficult to adhere. As a human service professional the integrity and welfare of the client is my duty to advocate. I make a commitment to my client when I become his or her advocate, and that commitment involves seeking the best outcome for the welfare of my client. As a Christian I see all people as equal, and I treat others with respect and dignity at all times. It is important to remem ber that it could be me in the same situation. The NOHS Code of Ethics lists ethical principles that will not be hard to adhere. However, I found a one that might prove to be slightly difficult. According to the National Organization for Human Services (2009), â€Å"Human service educators uphold the principle of liberal education and embrace the essence of academic freedom, abstaining from inflicting their own personal views/morals on students, and allowing students the freedom to express their views without penalty, censure or ridicule, and to engage in critical thinking. † The portion of this statement that might be difficult adhering to is inflicting my own personal values if I were a human service educator. I know that I could refrain from inflicting my own personal values, but I find it would be hard. As a Christian, I think it is important to share the gospel and what it means to me. For example in an ethics class students reflect upon their ethical belief systems and where they originated from. I think if I were the educator it would be hard to refrain myself from speaking my own worldviews and morals to other students. However, as a professional it is important to follow the ethical standards set for the organization in which I am an employee, and the NOHS Code of Ethics. A Code of Ethics is guiding principles that apply to different aspects of life. Ethical standards pertain too many of the following general topics: the use of psychological tests in the courtroom, the lie detector, boundaries of competence, integrity, sexual harassment, human differences, and the legal definition of insanity. * The Use of Psychological Tests in the Courtroom- The use of psychological tests in the courtroom to support the testimony of experts ranges from commendable to problematic. There is a necessity for a reasonable practice of disclosure of psychological test information during trials and courtroom procedures, afterwards the material may be sealed. Psychological tests in the courtroom should adhere to ethical standards by telling the truth and not telling truth intentionally inaccurate. In Statement 28 of the NOHS Code of Ethics, human service professional’s responsibility to the profession is to act with integrity and honesty. My ethical belief system incorporates honesty and integrity at all times. The Lie Detector – After researching ethical standards of the lie detector, I found a Code of Ethics from the American Polygraph Association. The ethical standards stated included: rights of examinees, standards for rendering polygraph decisions, post-examination notification results, restrictions on rendering opinions, restrictions on examinations, fees, standards of reporting, advertisements, release of nonrelevant information, restrictions on examination issues, and APA oversight authority. Lie detectors establish the difference between a lie and the truth; if a person has nothing to hide a lie detector should be no problem. Lie detector use brought justice to families over the years, and continues to do so with respect to the rights of all persons who take the lie detector test. As part of my personal ethics it is essential in the justice system. In Statement 35 of the NOHS Code of Ethics, accountability is maintained by the human service professional. * Boundaries of Competence – Human service professionals are only to conduct research, teach, and provide services only within their boundaries of competence, based on personal experience, education, supervised experience, and study. Reasonable steps should be taken to ensure competence in areas emerging and training does not yet exist. My personal ethics system is important to practice my views. This relates to boundaries of competence I would not practice something I did not believe to be true. In Statement 40 of the NOHS Code of Ethics human service educators demonstrate high standards of scholarships and stay current with developments in human services. * Integrity – Accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness is a role all human service professionals abide by. Integrity is something I incorporate in my personal ethical beliefs and value system. Ethically it is wrong to steal, cheat, lie, fraud, or misrepresent a client or a friend. According to American Psychological Association (2012), â€Å"In situations in which deception may be ethically justifiable to maximize benefits and minimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation to consider the need for, the possible consequences of, and their responsibility to correct any resulting mistrust or other harmful effects that arise from the use of such techniques. My belief in God’s written words of the Bible helps shape my ethical view on integrity. Statement five of NOHS Code of Ethics protects the integrity of client records. * Sexual Harassment – Sexual harassment is solicitation, verbal or nonverbal sexual behavior, and sexual advances. All people have a right to earn a living free from persistent and pervasive acts of sexual harassment. It is not right to threaten an employee’s self-worth, esteem, and possible advancement in the workplace. As a professional, conduct should compare to higher standards of integrity and safety in the workplace. Statement 24 of NOHS Code of Ethics states that human service professionals should report unethical behavior of colleagues. My personal ethical beliefs in this situation relate back to my Christianity and the laws of the land that an act of sexual harassment is not acting appropriately in the eyes of God. * Human Differences – Human service professionals create public trust through ethical and moral acts. Human diversity is one of those acts. It is imperative to be culturally sensitive to all individuals at all times. I promise to serve all people with the intent to protect their welfare without judgment of any kind. In my ethical beliefs God is the judge, and he will return to do that one day. Statement two of the Code of Ethics for NOHS says human service professionals treat clients with respect and respect their welfare, and Statement 20 refers to diverse backgrounds. * The Legal Definition of Insanity – In my ethical belief system a person who commits an act out of insanity is still responsible for what he or she has done. It is one’s duty to do what is morally right. Questions of right and wrong are paramount, and therefore as I believe absolute. Statement 37 of the NOHS Code of Ethics addresses the need for lifelong learning, and I relate that to this case as a responsibility the human service professional has to its client, as the person who commits a crime out of insanity has a responsibility to pay the consequences. As a member of Team C throughout this course relating to ethics and law in the human services profession we did a team presentation on deontology theory, as presented earlier in the paper. According to Alexander and Moore (2008), â€Å"The word deontology derives from the Greek words for duty (deon) and science (or study) of (logos). This normative theory concentrates on what she should do from a moral standpoint. Deontology is a theory that helps to guide and access our choices in what we ought to do. † Deontology theory assumes at least three important features. The first feature concludes that duty should be done for duty’s sake. An example, acts of promise breaking, lying, or murder are wrong intrinsically, and it is the duty of humans not to do these things. Second, humans ought to be treated as subjects of intrinsic moral value; meaning an ends in themselves and never as a mere means to another end. The third feature is a moral principle is a definite essential that is universalizable; meaning it must be applicable for everyone whom is in the same moral situation. The theoretical basis of my personal ethical belief system falls under the deontology theory. Deontological theory claims the moral rightness or wrongness of an action does not depend upon the nature of its consequences, but on its intrinsic qualities. Deontology theory was founded by Immanuel Kant. Kant was motivated by the lack of a role for duty in Utilitarianism, something he believed to be the foundation of all morality. Deontology supports moral absolutism. Actions are either moral or immoral regardless of the beliefs of an individual, society, or culture. Morals of the universe are intrinsic in the laws of the universe and the nature of humanity. Therefore, the theoretical basis of my personal belief system as a Christian is supported by deontology theory. My belief in God supports ethical absolutism, deontology, and my personal ethical belief system.