Informed Consent in Social Work Ethics Education

Burkemper, Ellen

doi:10.1300/j067v24n01_09

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Our literature review on informed consent supports that argument as we have found only a few publications relating to informed consent in social work, mainly from the US and concerned with social work in health care settings, but hardly any studies in child welfare (e.g. Burkemper, 2004;Didcock, 2007;Phillips, 2013;Reamer, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 58%

‘Informed consent’ in consensual child welfare: some reflections on its controversial nature

Enroos

Korpinen

Pösö

2021

European Journal of Social Work

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The article examines the nature of consent in the context of Finnish care order decision-making as described by social workers, parents and young people, all personally involved in care order decision-making, albeit in different roles: on the one hand, an authority asking for the view about a child removal, and on the other, a party expressing a view which has huge legal, social and moral implications for their family relations. Based on qualitative data, the analysis examines two criteria for informed consent: adequate information and freedom from undue influence. The findings highlight the messy and blurred nature of consent that is found in other fields of practice as well. There are, however, some distinctive features relevant to consensual services in child welfare which need to be further elaborated. In particular, family relationality shapes the nature of consent through intra-familial power and emotions, differently for parents and children. Critical awareness of the nature of consent is also important for an understanding of service-user participation and self-determination.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 58%

‘Informed consent’ in consensual child welfare: some reflections on its controversial nature

Enroos

Korpinen

Pösö

2021

European Journal of Social Work

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“…Fogel and Ellison further suggest field assignments that target locating and critically evaluating agency informed consent practices, and creating reflective field logs on how each student implements informed consent. Burkemper (2004) offers a useful template for teaching informed consent, although it does not incorporate EBP. Combining informed consent with EBP would build competence in both areas.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, practice research shows that many practitioners do not regularly provide clients with full informed consent (Burkemper, 2004; Kaplan & Bryan, 2009). In the 1980s and 1990s, informed consent complaints against social workers were among the top of such complaints (Strom-Gottfried, 2003).…”

Section: Informed Consent and Ebpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice Into Informed Consent Practice

Drisko

2020

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Service

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This conceptual article argues that evidence-based practice (EBP) is best understood as a component of the informed consent process preceding treatment. The legally mandated informed consent/consent to treat process requires that professionals disclose to clients the nature of services along with potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. Informed consent is a long-standing part of professional practice ethics with over a century of legal precedents. The more recent EBP process also requires discussion with the client of the best research-supported treatments, which are explored in combination with the client’s values and preferences and the professional’s expertise, to develop a treatment plan. Yet, EBP has not been clearly linked to informed consent for treatment. EBP can be usefully understood as part of the more comprehensive informed consent ethics process. New practice and ethics competencies are examined.

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“…Although several authors in social work literature argue for understanding informed consent as a process, a part of the professional relationship (Burkemper, 2004, Hepworth, Rooney, & Larsen, 2002Kutchins, 1991;Pollack, 2004;Reamer, 1987;Torcyner, 1991), there remains an absence of discussion on conceptualization of the elements of informed consent and how to find a common ground for the process. There is little discussion or consensus on the philosophical basis for determining adequate information, the source of the moral obligation to do so, or how this should guide the content of adequate information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead, the focus is on lists of items that should be covered and documented to show that informed consent was obtained. The limited research available on practitioners obtaining informed consent finds that many practitioners do not regularly provide clients with full informed consent (Burkemper, 2004); that biases influence social workers' judgment of competency and the nature of the information disclosed (Palmer & Kaufman, 2003;Zayas, Cabassa, & Perez, 2005);…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2009

J SW Values and Ethics

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Although I don't have the space to reflect on trends found among social work students, I can reflect on a phenomenon that appears to be a recent trend. Within the last five years, social work students have been demanding concrete answers for ethical dilemmas. They want to be told that in all circumstances it is unethical to accept a gift from a client. For example, a student social worker who accepted a drawing from a child was guilt ridden. She accepted the drawing for fear of hurting the child's feelings but was distressed because she interpreted her action as a violation of the ethical code. To immediately relieve her anxiety, I told her I probably would have done the same thing.Among undergraduates, these kinds of conversations are becoming more and more common. If I have time, I usually include a statement like: There is only one unambiguous statement within the NASW Code of Ethics -no sex with clients and no justification. (That's how I came up with the title of this editorial.) Every other standard within the NASW Code includes the word "should" and/or indicates that the ethical outcome rests solely on the shoulders of the practitioner.If ethical standards were clear cut, you would NOT need a college degree to be a social worker.Critical thinking skills are at the heart of ethical decision making. In the end, I'll usually refer the student to a particular article or book. If there is time, we will talk about it further. However, most of these conversations take place in the hallway! For me, outdated concepts like "countertransference" proved to be helpful. Recently, I saw the term countertransference used in an adjudication document. A clinical social worker lost his license to practice because he had sex with a client. The adjudication board described the cause as "countertransference." At any rate, antiquated or not, the concept of countertransference seems to help BSW students deal with ethical dilemmas. In social work research courses, we have stopped offering systematic tools for assessing and identifying countertransference. A 1991 out-of-print book by Alter and Evens entitled Evaluating Your Practice offered a model and an example for assessing countertransference. BSW students who have used Alter and Evens' book seem to have a better handle on this type of decision-making.

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Informed Consent in Social Work Ethics Education

Cited by 5 publications

References 10 publications

‘Informed consent’ in consensual child welfare: some reflections on its controversial nature

‘Informed consent’ in consensual child welfare: some reflections on its controversial nature

Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice Into Informed Consent Practice

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