Professional Code of Ethics Analysis

Professional Code of Ethics Analysis
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Professional Code of Ethics Analysis
Professional Code of Ethics
A professional code of ethics mainly entails a set of guidelines or principles that help to govern the conduct of professionals within a particular profession or field. These guidelines are set and distributed with the intention to guide behavior and decision-making. Industries take different approaches, with some adhering to specific laws that ensure adherence, while others adopt a code of ethics. Regardless of the approach, these laws or principles are quite crucial in helping maintain sanity, order, and organization in professional conduct.
In the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, professionals are guided or adhere to the code of ethics of the American Psychological Association (APA). APA’s code of ethics is divided into two crucially important sections: general principles and ethical standards. These two sections provide a clear set of principles and standards that are expected to be adhered to by members of APA. The goal of the code of ethics is to ensure that patients get to receive safe and quality care.
Summary
As already indicated, APA’s code of ethics is divided into two sections. The first section is made up of 5 principles, including beneficence and nonmaleficence, fidelity and responsibility, integrity, justice, and respect for people’s rights and dignity (APA, 2016). Beneficence and nonmaleficence mainly instruct professionals to ensure they inflict no harm to their patients. Further, this principle expects professionals to safeguard the rights of patients. Fidelity and responsibility mainly appeal to the professionals to ensure that they maintain a moral responsibility to their profession. This principle expects them to uphold high ethical standards at all times. The principle of integrity speaks to the character of a person and the virtues of honesty and truthfulness they ought to uphold. Professionals ought to abstain from activities such as fraud, cheating, stealing, and other activities that strain their profession. Regarding justice, professionals ought to conduct themselves in a way that ensures equality. Every patient should be treated the same way, with equal access, benefits, processes, and procedures being administered. Finally, there is a need to respect people’s rights and dignity. This principle directs professionals to respect every person and treat them with respect while honoring their rights to “privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination” (APA, 2016).
APA’s code of ethics also includes a set of standards that help guide professionals' beha...