Child Life Professional Ethics and Boundaries Flashcards

A child life specialist working in a pediatric oncology unit is experiencing symptoms of compassion fatigue including emotional numbness, cynicism, and dreading coming to work. The MOST appropriate first step is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the symptoms and seek professional support through employee assistance or clinical supervision

Compassion fatigue is a recognized occupational hazard. Early recognition and seeking support through appropriate professional resources is both self-care and ethical practice.

When a child life specialist disagrees with a medical team's decision that they believe is not in the child's best psychosocial interest, the FIRST ethical step is to:

Answer: Discuss their perspective respectfully with the team, presenting evidence-based rationale for their concern

Professional advocacy begins with direct, respectful communication with the team, presenting evidence-based concerns in a collaborative manner.

A 15-year-old confides in the child life specialist that she is pregnant but does not want her parents to know. The specialist should:

Answer: Explore the teen's concerns, provide information about available resources, and navigate confidentiality obligations based on state laws regarding adolescent reproductive health

Adolescent reproductive health confidentiality varies by state law. The specialist should support the teen, provide resources, and navigate disclosure obligations according to applicable laws and institutional policies.

The principle of informed assent in pediatric care means that:

Answer: The child's understanding and agreement to a procedure is sought in an age-appropriate way, even though legal consent rests with the parent

Informed assent recognizes the child's developing autonomy by involving them in decisions at an age-appropriate level, complementing the parent's legal informed consent.

A colleague tells the child life specialist that they are 'too sensitive' for taking time to process a patient's death before seeing the next patient. The BEST response acknowledges that:

Answer: Processing difficult emotional experiences is a necessary component of professional functioning in child life, and self-care practices support sustainable practice

Taking time to process emotional experiences is a professional practice that supports sustainable, effective child life work, not a sign of weakness or oversensitivity.

A pharmaceutical company offers to sponsor the child life department's playroom renovations in exchange for displaying their company logo prominently in the playroom. The ethical concern with this arrangement is that:

Answer: Corporate sponsorship in clinical spaces may create perceived endorsement of products and potential conflicts of interest

Pharmaceutical company presence in pediatric clinical spaces raises ethical concerns about perceived product endorsement, influence on prescribing, and the appropriateness of commercial marketing in healthcare environments for children.