Child Life Professional Ethics and Boundaries Questions and Answers

Question 1

A parent of a long-term patient sends a friend request to a Child Life Specialist (CLS) on their personal social media account, expressing a desire to stay in touch after discharge.
What is the MOST ethical response for the CLS?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline the request, citing professional guidelines for maintaining boundaries to ensure objectivity and privacy for all families.

Answer

Ignore the request to avoid a direct confrontation about the boundary issue.

Answer

Accept the request to maintain a positive, supportive relationship with the family.

Answer

Accept the request but immediately change privacy settings to limit what the parent can see.

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios would create a dual relationship and be considered a violation of professional ethics for a Child Life Specialist?

Accepted Answer

Agreeing to provide paid babysitting for a former patient's family several weekends after discharge.

Answer

Attending a patient's multidisciplinary team meeting to advocate for their psychosocial needs.

Answer

Providing a parent with a list of community resources for sibling support upon discharge.

Answer

Using a hospital-approved interpreter to communicate with a family.

Question 3

A family offers a Child Life Specialist a $100 gift card to a restaurant as a thank you for their support. According to professional ethics, what is the MOST appropriate action for the specialist to take?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline the gift, explaining the department's policy, and suggest an alternative way to show gratitude, such as writing a letter or donating to the child life program.

Answer

Accept the gift, as refusing it might be perceived as rude and damage rapport with the family.

Answer

Accept the gift but immediately give it to a manager to be shared among the entire unit staff.

Answer

Tell the family they cannot accept it but that they could give it to their child's primary nurse instead.

Question 4

A Child Life Specialist is working with a 14-year-old who discloses suicidal ideation with a specific plan. The specialist's primary ethical responsibility is to:

Accepted Answer

Immediately inform the medical team and ensure a referral is made to a mental health professional.

Answer

Begin a series of therapeutic art sessions to help the adolescent express their feelings.

Answer

Maintain the adolescent's confidentiality while building more rapport to gather further details.

Answer

Document the disclosure in the patient's chart and continue to monitor their mood and behavior.

Question 5

A newly certified Child Life Specialist working in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) feels overwhelmed and questions their ability to handle the complex trauma cases. The MOST ethically responsible action for this specialist is to:

Accepted Answer

Actively seek consistent clinical supervision from a senior Child Life Specialist or manager.

Answer

Request an immediate transfer to a less acute unit within the hospital.

Answer

Independently read textbooks and articles about PICU care to build confidence.

Answer

Avoid engaging with the most difficult cases until they feel better prepared.

Question 6

According to the Child Life Code of Ethics, a specialist has a duty to maintain confidentiality. In which situation is the specialist ethically OBLIGATED to breach confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

A school-age child discloses that an adult at home is hitting them and causing bruises.

Answer

A parent complains to the specialist about a nurse's bedside manner.

Answer

A teenager discloses that they have been skipping school.

Answer

A child tells the specialist they are scared of a procedure but doesn't want their parents to know.

A parent of a long-term patient sends a friend request to a Child Life Specialist (CLS) on their personal social media account, expressing a desire to stay in touch after discharge.What is the MOST ethical response for the CLS?

A parent of a long-term patient sends a friend request to a Child Life Specialist (CLS) on their personal social media account, expressing a desire to stay in touch after discharge.
What is the MOST ethical response for the CLS?