Getting Started
This discussion will allow you to reflect critically on and write about some of the ethical and risk management considerations and concerns that you may have about your field placement agency and/or clientele. What are some prevailing perspectives in risk management and risk avoidance? Risk management in social work is mostly a process to determine how to minimize negative outcomes and maximize potential benefits. This assignment has you reflect on topics such as safety (risk assessment and risk management) and the code of ethics, which will help you become more familiar with your field setting or agency, as well as learn from your classmates about their thoughts on these topics.
Resources
File: MSW Field Practicum Manual.pdf
Website: NASW Code of Ethics
Article: Managing Risk and Uncertainty: A Literature Review
Background Information
It is important that you become familiar with your field placement or agency, including such elements as its safety policies and protocols, along with ethical codes with which you anticipate struggling during your practicum. Review your agency’s manual or policy and procedures book to learn about its safety provisions. Safety involves such concepts or perspectives as risk assessment and risk management, which you will apply in your discussion. Read through and reflect on the NASW Code of Ethics to see which codes you think might be more problematic than others. Provide critical thinking and substantive answers to the discussion questions and learn from your classmates about their safety policies and ethical struggles they anticipate having, as well as how they might address them.
Instructions
Read the attached MSW Field Practicum Manual
Review the NASW Code of Ethics.
Select “About NASW” in the main navigation and then choose “Code of Ethics.” (https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English)
Read the article Managing Risk and Uncertainty in Social Work: A Literature Review.
Navigate to the threaded discussion and answer the following questions or prompts:
Identify and discuss 2 key safety policies or practices pertaining to the type of agency (Pivotal St. Joseph Michigan also known as Community Mental Health Agency) (https://www.pivotalstjoe.org/) or setting you are in or services provided. For example, what are the safety protocols if a major storm occurs or if you or another employee encounters a violent or threatening client or family member? Discuss how effective the risk assessment or management practices are. Identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these policies for you or your agency. Identify and describe 1-2 ideas from the article, “Managing Risk and Uncertainty” that might help improve your agency’s response to safety risk. Be sure to use in text citations and proper references to support your ideas. .
Which NASW Code of Ethics standards or principles might be the most challenging to implement at your practicum and why? Identify at least one and give an example of when or why this could create difficulty for you. Discuss options for how you might respond.
How do you plan to address or deal with ethical difficulties as they arise?
