NASW code of conduct is a critical tool for all social workers responsible for the aging population. It provides a detailed overview of what is expected of social workers as they engage the elderly. It further reinforces the different models used in assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation. Social workers must be able to apply various theoretical frameworks to obtain a clear understanding of the behavior of seniors in addition to having the capacity to compare different models use to treat such individuals. Similarly, it is the responsibility of the social worker to assess the outcome of agency discharge and to consider different levels of interventions including micro, mezzo, and macro. Social workers must also be able to identify the benefits and drawbacks of quantitative and qualitative evaluation techniques. One must apply high standards of in selecting prevention as well as intervention strategies.
NASW code of conduct is instrumental to social workers since it empowers them to use knowledge and concepts dealing with growth and development to assess the aging population using different stage theories to determine the development of strength psychopathology. Similarly, the code ensures that social workers can use assumptions and their understanding of the various concepts for social work intervention. Some of the responses that need ethical considerations include solution-focused therapy, crisis intervention, and narrative therapy. Similarly, the code of conduct ensures that social workers can quickly connect interactions with aging clients to a unique practice and assessment models.
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A social worker should be able to collect, organize data for each client in addition to interpreting the same. Similarly, it is the responsibility of the social worker to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each client and to develop interventions that can be agreed upon. They must also be able to formulate goals and objectives and select the intervention strategies that work best for each aging person. Assessment is a critical step in the entire process. It determines whether the intended outcomes will be met or not. Similarly, it ensures that the social worker understands the pertinent issues and knows how to address some of the challenges that will arise throughout the process. Ethical consideration is critical at this juncture since it guides the social worker to assess in an open and free and fair manner while at the same time avoiding prejudice and unfair judgment. It promotes objectivity and ensures that social workers are not influenced by external forces to make unethical decisions.
Once the strategies are in place, it is time to initiate actions that drive towards goal achievement. The code of conduct can enhance the ability of a social worker to conduct all these activities from an informed perspective and in a free and fair way to avoid prejudice and conflicts now and in the future. Ethics can play a critical role in this area of ensuring that the social worker does not engage in activities that water down their moral authority and ability to deliver the desired outcome.
An intervention involves developing approaches that ensure that the desired outcomes will be achieved. Such results can be long term or short term depending on the unique needs of each client. Similarly, proper assessment ensures that the interventions formulated by the social worker will achieve the desired outcome. Likewise, it is at this point that interventions that promote the capacity of each client are implemented and then support the aging by addressing some of the challenges that they are currently facing. It is at this point that the social worker should mediate, negotiate or even advocate for the aging population. Lastly, they should be able to ensure continuity and ending. The performance of these activities must be informed by ethical reasoning otherwise incidences might arise that call into question the moral standing of the social worker
The code of conduct must guide social workers as they prepare to engage the aging population. They should also understand the importance of elements like empathy and interpersonal skill. Ethics also plays a significant part in developing mutually agreed upon responsibilities and the desired outcome from the intervention. Ethical decisions must be made in selecting appropriate models to use in the various stages to support the elderly. The code of conduct can be instrumental in reducing uncertainties and ensuring that social workers make ethical decisions. The social worker should also use ethical consideration in analyzing monitoring and evaluating whether the interventions have achieved the desired outcome. Similarly, they can use the outcome of the entire process to establish whether the desired results were made and what should be done to correct situations that led to any form of deviation.
The ethical direction is a critical element in a social worker. It guides what one should or should not do and how to address conflicting interest. Similarly, it ensures that social workers inculcate ethical behaviors in all their undertakings especially while dealing with the aging population that needs special attention. Ethical decision making enhances work performance and the functioning of a social worker while ensuring that the interest of all stakeholders is addressed.
From the above discussion, it is evident that the NASW code of ethics can help social workers in their analysis of the different models of assessment, prevention, intervention and evaluation in the aging population. The document is critical in ethical decision making and enhances the ability of the social worker to make informed decisions that are guided by ethics. Similarly, it reduces conflicts of interest and unethical decisions that might have far-reaching ramifications.
Reference
NASW. (2017). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from https://socialwork.utexas.edu/dl/files/academic-programs/other/nasw-code-of-ethics.pdf
