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The National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethical Principles, which includes core values like service, social justice, dignity and worth of a person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence resonates closely with my personal values, morals, and beliefs. (National Association of Social Workers, 2021).
According to Dr. Buchanan, values, morals, and belief systems, values and morals help us distinguish between what is right and wrong, are practical, and can guide our behavior. Morals reflect the foundational ideas and beliefs that guide our intentions. We believe what is moral to be a good person and do good; ethical values will outline what behaviors will show our good intentions. For example, integrity in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics of integrity align with my personal values of integrity (keeping my word) and service (self-less service values from serving in the U.S. Army as a professional value), social justice, dignity and worth of a person. I value the importance of human relationships and understand the importance of intersectionality of cultural sensitivity and social justice (Buchanan, A.M., 2024).
According to the National Association of Social Workers, Code of Ethics, Social Workers Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues, 2.08 Impairment of colleagues go over having intervene in situations where a colleague's impairment interferes with their professional effectiveness. For example, social workers must intervene if a colleague’s impairment, due to personal issues or mental health challenges, affects their professional effectiveness. If I were to encounter this situation, I might feel uncomfortable and perhaps even nervous about reporting the colleague. However, I recognize that my ethical responsibility, aligned with my values of integrity and a commitment to not causing harm, would compel me to take action (Social Mettle, n.d.),(National Association of Social Workers, 2021, 2.08).
In practice, I would begin by consulting with the colleague directly to see if they can take responsibility for managing their issues. If this approach proves ineffective, I would proceed by reporting the situation to leadership within my agency, or to regulatory bodies such as the National Association of Social Workers Ethics Committee. I understand that it’s essential to follow established procedures to protect the well-being of clients, other colleagues, and myself. With my values of integrity and competence, I am prepared to keep up with ongoing policies and established guidelines, whether at a local, state, or national level, to handle concerns regarding a colleague’s conduct.
Dr. Laura Racovita’s video lecture discusses Bernard Gert’s concept of "common morality," which reviews ethical principles like autonomy, fidelity, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, foundational to fields like social work, law, and medicine. Such values shape an ethical framework that guides decision-making, aiming to ensure clients' dignity, trust, and welfare. Recognizing these principles helps me maintain a strong ethical grounding in social work and in addressing complex situations (Racovita, L., 2023, January 3, 20:19).
One important step I would take to protect clients, third parties, or myself would be to report an impaired colleague who is unwilling to address their own issues. Reporting to regulatory bodies or the National Ethics Committee, if necessary, aligns with the commitment to uphold clients' well-being and maintain professional standards. As social workers, we are deeply rooted in the value of honoring each individual’s dignity and worth, a principle that remains fundamental even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic (Farkas, K. J., & Romaniuk, J. R., 2020). Additionally, I would support and defend any colleague unjustly accused, as outlined in Standard 2.10 (National Association of Social Workers, 2021, 2.10(e)).
Buchanan, A.M. (2024). Module 2, Discussion 1: Ethics, Values, and Morals. Touro University.
Farkas, K. J., & Romaniuk, J. R. (2020). Social work, ethics and vulnerable groups in the time of coronavirus and COVID-19. Society Register, 4(2), 67-82. https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/sr/article/view/22508/21400
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics (click on “Read the Code of Ethics online”)
Racovita, L. (2023, January 3). Moral foundations of professional ethics [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Ah7v-dL4cw0 (23:51)
Social Mettle. (n.d.). Personal and professional ethics: 4 points of difference explained. https://socialmettle.com/difference-between-personal-professional-ethics