NRNP 6645 - Midterm study guide.

NRNP 6645 - Midterm study guide.Legal and ethical considerations among individual, family, and group modalities of therapy Domestic violence & sexual abuse: • Most states require professionals to report any suspicion of child abuse. • Although reporting suspected abuse can jeopardize a therapeutic alliance, sometimes therapy needs to take a second place to the interests of safety. • If a clinician does not report suspected child abuse, they should consider the consequences of making a mistake. • Perpetrators and victims of childhood sexual abuse don’t usually volunteer this information. • Detection of this abuse is up to the therapist who may have to rely on indirect clues • A child MAY show the following symptoms if they are being abused: sleep disturbance,encopresis or enuresis, abdominal pain, exaggerated startle response, appetite disturbance, sudden unexplained changes in behavior, overly sexualized behavior, regressive behavior, suicidal thoughts or running away. Ethical Dimension: • Therapy should be for the client’s benefit, not to work out unresolved issues for the therapist • Clients are entitled to confidentiality, but limits of privacy must be imposed in regards to probation officers, parents, and managed care companies • Therapists should avoid exploiting the trust of their clients (and students) and must avoid dual relationships • Professional are obligated to provide the best possible treatment, if they are not qualified, they should refer the patient to someone else who is. • When in doubt regarding ethical issues, its best practice to consult with a colleague or supervisor. • Psychologists offer services only within the areas of their competence, based on education, training, supervision or professional experience.