Conflict of Interest and Self Care

Conflict of Interest and Self-Care

When my Values conflict with Decision-Making

The health care provision is closely knit with universal values like compassion, helping, and caring. It should be noted that consideration for personal values, especially a patient’s values, has been increasing. However, this consideration has become challenging in contemporary health care, where intricate and conflicting values are in play more often than not. This happens when a patient’s values appear to be at odds with the evidence-based healthcare practice or with widely shared ethical tenets. Besides, it also happens when the personal values of the health care professional are at odds with the care provided, thus affecting their decision-making (Petrova, Dale & Fulford, 2006).

For instance, Petrova, Dale & Fulford (2006) state that many healthcare practitioners recognize that cultural values present potential barriers to taking advice on weight loss. In such cases, although the health care professional and the patient may agree about the significance of weight loss, they may perceive the best way of losing weight differently. For example, the patient may believe that they have a problem with their metabolism and would expect medication and tests. At the same time, the health care professional may recommend lifestyle changes because they believe that a better lifestyle is the best way to go about losing weight. When this happens, shared decision-making is likely to be prevented because of a conflict of interest between the patient and the healthcare professional. This may bring about unexpected outcomes and decisions.

How to use Self-Care Strategies as a Method for the Prevention of Burnout

Burnout has been defined as a prolonged response to chronic interpersonal and emotional stressors on the job. It comprises three features: lack of personal accomplishment, depersonalization, and emotional exhaustion (Frederick, 2018). According to Crim (2017), both treatments for patients and clients, as well as health care professionals’ self-care routines must entail somatic, mind-body healing practices. For instance, strategies such as yoga, massage, and acupuncture can be instrumental in psychotherapeutic practice. Yoga helps an individual relax and think straight, while a massage relaxes the body’s nerves and muscles, making the individual release positive hormones that relax their mind. Crim also suggests the use of the community as a self-care strategy. She argues that meeting in a community affords an individual healthy and meaningful relationship. She adds that people need mutual, trusted, and safe relationships, which can be found in communities such as churches where people can be their genuine selves and relax as they offload their professional roles.

In addition, Giles (2013) acknowledges mindfulness as a self-care strategy for the prevention of burnout as well as for overcoming the negative implications of burnout. Researchers have referred to mindfulness as a practice that assists therapists to remain focused at the moment and recognize the several sensations, thoughts, and emotions that they have at that moment to minimize the negative emotions and thoughts. He also agrees with Crim (2017) that mindfulness practices involve yoga and meditation practices. Besides, research has proved that mindfulness programs such as yoga for student therapists have led to decreased stress levels, increased spiritual awareness, greater compassion towards oneself, and increased ability to address difficult interpersonal circumstances (Giles, 2013).

Spirituality and religion are also crucial self-care strategies that can prevent burnout. Giles (2013) found out that since spirituality and religion often give people the foundation of inspiration as well as meaning in life, therapists who often draw on their spiritual and religious beliefs as a source for their self-care are in a better position to manage physical and emotional demands that come with being a therapist. Being in connection with one’s spirituality allows the therapist into a relational space, which enhances and promotes the therapist’s relationship with clients or patients.

Frederick Dunbar & Thai (2018) give three significant practices that prevent burnout, including the prayer of consideration, the daily Examen, and the Jesus prayer, which are intended to rekindle an individual’s connection to the divine. The prayer of consideration is seeing God in everything, which prompts an individual to actively engage in finding where God is doing His work in the world and partnering with Him to attain divine purposes. For example, a therapist may reflect on a child’s innocence and what this means in relation to being God’s child. The Daily Examen is a practice that entails a prayerful reflection daily, facilitating recognizing God’s active and loving presence in everyday life and then being grateful. In the Jesus Prayer, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,’ a therapist experiences the connection with Jesus through inhaling and releases feelings of anxiety, shame, and guilt through the phrase, ‘have mercy on me.’

These three-dimensional spiritual practices speak directly to the divine depletion of lack of purpose, indifference, and apathy or calling linked with compassion fatigue (Frederick, Dunbar & Thai, 2018). When one focuses on the breath, they enliven the spirit; when one reflects with discipline on daily experiences like in the daily Examen, they can see God at work in their life, and when the consideration prayer assists one to identify where the active presence of God is and what this means for them. This, therefore, provides meaning and purpose to one’s work, proving that Christian spirituality and mindfulness are important strategies for coping with compassion fatigue and burnout.

 Why Self-Care should be considered when approaching an Ethical Dilemma

In conclusion, self-care needs to be considered when approaching an ethical dilemma because personal burnout can result in professional impairment. The longer the stress is tolerated, the more it will surface and interfere with the work of psychologists or therapists. Self-care affects the ability of psychologists to assist patients and educate their students because it directly affects their competence (Abramson, 2021). For example, chronic burnout or stress can prompt a therapist to feel disconnected from others and themselves, which can lead to a less sensitive, less attuned, and less empathic professor or therapist.

Besides, when one is under strain, it would be more challenging for them to exercise creative thinking and be flexible, making it harder for them to help patients in reframing their thoughts- which is an important element of psychotherapy. An instructor named Brittany Avila at the University of Nevada stated that therapists and patients are more likely to catch on even if a psychologist’s burnout or stress does not seem to interfere with treatment. She added that own neglect of self-care by a psychologist could hinder students and patients from taking seriously the suggestions that they present as coping strategies. If this would be difficult for them in terms of outcome, how much more would it be difficult for psychologists who neglect self-care to make ethical decisions?

References

Abramson, A. (2021). The ethical imperative of self-care: For mental health professionals, it is not a luxury. The Monitor on Psychology.-2021.-April/May, 47-53.

Crim, E. R. (2017). Provider Self-Care through Conscious, Balanced Relationships. Counselor: The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, 18(3), 53–58

Frederick, T. V., Dunbar, S., & Thai, Y. (2018). Burnout from a Christian perspective. Pastoral Psychology, 67(3), 267-276.

Giles, J. H. (2013). The role of spirituality in therapist self-care: An exploration of students beliefs and practices (Doctoral dissertation, North Dakota State University).

Petrova, M., Dale, J., & Fulford, B. K. (2006). Values-based practice in primary care: easing the tensions between individual values, ethical principles, and best evidence. British Journal of General Practice, 56(530), 703-709.

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In 750-1,000 words, writing as from a health practitioner in the field, describe concrete examples and discuss when a conflict of interest may present itself in practice. Please provide examples of how and when to use self-care techniques when working in a mental health and wellness organization. Taking into consideration the scope of practice as outlined in the ACA, consider the following:

Conflict of Interest and Self-Care

When do your own values conflict with decision-making?
How would you use self-care strategies as a method for the prevention of burnout? You may incorporate Christian or biblical principles in the use of self-care strategies.
Why would self-care be considered when approaching an ethical dilemma?
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.