Case Vignette 1

Case Vignette 1

Ethics is concerned with moral standards at their most basic level. It all comes down to the choices a person makes to determine the life they want to lead, what they intend to do, the strategies they intend to implement, and the ethics that should be incorporated. The purpose of ethics is to act as a guide to do what best suits a particular situation, preferably for the best outcomes. How a person interacts with others shapes their norms, habits, and character. Ethics, rights, and obligations, as well as what you’ll do to best assist the patient and your coworkers, are all important considerations in the discipline of psychology. Everything is based on moral decisions about what is right and evil.

Ethics can be found in various places, including cultures, religions, and philosophies; thus, it is critical to evaluate all these factors in this circumstance. The topic for this paper is about a supervisor in his thirties who has a lot in common with you. The problem is that you are extremely close to your boss because you have so many interests. Supervisory sessions with you and other employees may be held at Starbucks occasionally (Basa, 2017). The issue is that there is an upcoming conference, and I, as the supervisor, will be sharing a room with my supervisee, which we will both be attending. Do you think the scenario has any ethical or legal implications? This paper will examine the specifics of this circumstance in greater depth.

Ethical and/or Legal Issues

The location of the supervision could be a potential ethical issue. Although it was mentioned that supervisory meetings were held at Starbucks regularly, you and your boss must develop an understanding of this. This section covers the issue of supervisory consent. My supervisee and I must agree on the number of hours that will be monitored during these sessions, the frequency and length of those sessions, and when and where they’ll happen (Enlow et al., 2019). This is crucial because you should never find yourself in a bad circumstance. The supervisor must provide a secure holding atmosphere where you feel at ease—discussing any concerns you may have. Additionally, the environment is not conducive for free talk since some things may not be said in a public setting, in this case, in Starbucks.

Another ethical concern would be the documentation process during the supervision exercise. Based on this situation, the two are acquainted, and this resembles a more casual relationship. Therefore, this suggests that the chances of further interacting with the supervisee are high at the end of the conference. This appears to me to be more than just a casual relationship; and it is on the point of becoming a personal relationship between the supervisor and supervisee. Everything, in my opinion, should be documented throughout these meetings. Every issue should be documented, and the supervisor should further provide recommendations and duties and responsibilities that the supervisee will be assigned to. In addition, as stated by Barnett, ensure that all outcomes and results are achieved and documented during all supervision meetings (Barnett, 2000). Finally, it is important to ensure that proper documentation is kept in case future reference is required. My final concern is that I believe there is more going on here than a supervisor-employee connection. I do not believe you should share a room with your boss under any circumstances. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, doing so will result in complications. No matter what the circumstances are, this is unprofessional behavior. Even if you think it’s harmless, others may have a different opinion. As a result, you should never position yourself in a pessimistic scenario.

Relevant Ethical Codes

Code 3.05, which deals with several relationships, would be my first choice. It is not acceptable to have a certain connection with your employee. It is necessary to have, but it should never turn into a personal relationship (An et al., 2020). The supervisors’ goal is to ensure that the employees perform their responsibilities appropriately and that they learn as much as they can. If the supervisor has a personal relationship with you, this is impossible. Developing a relationship with a coworker might be risky. According to this law, various connections develop when a counselor or supervisor has a relationship with someone who does not follow the supervisor-employee Code or relationship (An et al., 2020). This occurs when the supervisor lacks a professional relationship with the employee. The supervisor primarily assumes a new position with another individual, such as an employee, a friend, or a sexual partner, while keeping a working relationship with the employee. This Code appears to be crucial in the circumstances, as their relationship appears to be too intimate. As a result, having a dual relationship may jeopardize the supervisor’s neutrality, efficacy, or ability. As a supervisor, it is important to cease sending the wrong message or idea to the supervisee since this idea and/or message may be comprehended differently. This leads to the supervisee believing that it is something more than what it is, which could be detrimental to the working relationship in the long run.

Next, I would consider the Code 2.01 Boundaries of Competence, which states a psychologist or supervisor must provide treatments, teach, or conduct research within their area of expertise. This is not something I would do in a Starbucks or a private hotel room. It’s easy for judgments to become distorted when this happens. The best thing to do is to stay as far away from any unpleasant situations as possible (Enlow et al., 2019). Too many of these scenarios will be considered unethical, and just as supervisors must report any unethical activity, they must also avoid putting themselves in unethical situations.

7.07 The second ethical Code I would want to discuss is sexual connections with employees and/or supervisors. Psychologists suggest that it is inappropriate not to have sexual relationships with students or supervisees in their working premises environment, department, or with anyone over whom the psychologist will or is likely to have evaluative power (Enlow et al., 2019). Although the current scenario does not directly suggest an existing personal relationship between the supervisor and the supervisee, the conditions or environment in which they are presented may probably lead to one. The fact that they will be sharing a room while at the conference implies that they may be casually acquainted and that they also have a strong personal bond.

The Three Courses of Action

The first step, in this situation, would be to make sure that there is a clear understanding of the nature of the relationship between the supervisor and supervisee. Everything should be well-documented and straightforward to assess. The second stage is to avoid putting yourself in circumstances where you or others may perceive you to be unethical. Finally, I feel it is necessary to establish boundaries. Make it obvious to the employee that this is a professional relationship. According to Enlow et al., 2019, having a complete Supervisee’s Bill of Rights that describes the nature of the supervisory relationship and the expectations that are expected of everyone is paramount since this enhances the working relationship (Enlow et al., 2019). There is a need to be aware of the ethical issues involved in the supervisory sphere of relationships and the expectations of the supervisory process.

The Decision-Making Process

Based on the fact that I feel that establishing a contract is essential, there is not much decision-making in the initial action. This is because you can meet all of the standards, and both the employee and the supervisor are aware of what is required and expected of them. From this perspective, both the supervisor and the supervisee will ensure that no boundaries will be breached. The contract will serve as a reminder of what each party is expected to accomplish. Next, I do not believe that all situations are unethical, and many supervisors may act unethically without meaning to do so (Yerushalmi, 2019). If you don’t want to do anything unethical, constantly consider whether your actions are in the employee’s best interests. Do you think it’s ethical to share a hotel room with a coworker? If you have any questions about the issue, this alone should be enough to convince you that it isn’t a hoax.

Assessment of Options

To effectively respect the profession’s ethical standards, it is essential to ensure that make sure that all the relevant requirements are followed. Make sure that everything you do is in the employee’s best interests. It is important to engage in appropriate decisions that lead to positive outcomes as a supervisor. Additionally, it is important not to take the chances of doing something unethical that will harm the employee and me (Park et al., 2019). Make sure you’re employing the proper supervision method. The goal is to establish a supervisory structure and ensure that all employees know what is expected of them. So, I don’t think it’s vital to have a friendly relationship with an employee. As their boss, it is not your responsibility to create personal relationships with employees. The supervisor should have good supervision from someone who is approachable, charming, and knowledgeable. When it comes to the relationship one forms with an employee, the goal is to avoid taking any unnecessary risks.

Supervisors should ensure that they have a relationship with their employees that ensures respect and understanding. Ideally, being too close to employees may tend to create dangerous relationships that may create misunderstandings when it comes to working together. Therefore, it is important to keep official matters as formal as possible, and this will mitigate the chances of employees relaxing and making unnecessary decisions when dealing with their supervisors. Management matters are sensitive, and the picture created between the supervisor and employee will significantly determine the seriousness of handling matters and how they handle tasks in the long run.

References

An, H. Y., Goodyear, R. K., Seo, Y. S., Garrison, Y., Baek, K. Y., & Cho, H. J. (2020). Supervisor style as a predictor of counseling supervision relationship quality and supervisee satisfaction: perceptions of US and South Korean supervisees. Asia Pacific Education Review, 21(3), 487-504. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-020-09637-x

Basa, V. (2017). Supervisor-supervisee relationship and alliance. European Journal of Counselling Theory, Research, and Practice, 1 (10).

Enlow, P. T., McWhorter, L. G., Genuario, K., & Davis, A. (2019). Supervisor–supervisee interactions: The importance of the supervisory working alliance. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 13(3), 206.

Park, E. H., Ha, G., Lee, S., Lee, Y. Y., & Lee, S. M. (2019). Relationship between the supervisory working alliance and outcomes: A meta‐analysis. Journal of Counseling & Development, 97(4), 437-446. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12292

Yerushalmi, H. (2019). Supervisory experiences and their context. The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 79(3), 253-264. https://doi.org/10.1057/s11231-019-09204-3

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Please respond to one of the vignettes.

Case Vignette 1:
You are a supervisor in your thirties. You and your new supervisee have a great deal in common. It’s become routine to hold your supervision sessions in the local Starbucks. When the work is done, you can relax and enjoy each other’s company. You’re thinking of sharing a room at the upcoming conference on family therapy in Boston. Identify the ethical and legal concerns that apply to this situation.

Case Vignette 2:
You are a male supervisor, African American, in your mid-thirties. Your supervisee is a female, Caucasian, and in her late forties. You are supervising the family therapy of a family whose parents are first-generation from Colombia. Identify the ethical and legal concerns that apply to this situation.
In the case analysis, please include the following information:
Description of at least 3 ethical and/or legal issues in the vignette
Identification of relevant ethical codes
Explanation of 3 courses of action to resolve the issue
Description of the decision-making process for each course of action
Assessment of the option that best upholds the ethical standards of the profession
The paper should be 5 to 6 pages and include a minimum of 3-5 scholarly resources.