General Professional Ethics and Conduct 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A professional notices a coworker is impaired at work. The most ethical response is to:
- Cover for them so they don't lose their job
- Report the situation to a supervisor or follow workplace protocols (Correct answer)
- Ignore it since it's not their responsibility
- Confront the coworker publicly
Correct answer: Report the situation to a supervisor or follow workplace protocols
Reporting impairment protects clients, the public, and the coworker from serious harm.
Question 2: What is 'informed consent' in a professional context?
- A client signing a form without reading it
- A client agreeing to services after being fully informed of risks, benefits, and alternatives (Correct answer)
- A professional deciding what is best for a client without discussion
- Government approval of a professional's methods
Correct answer: A client agreeing to services after being fully informed of risks, benefits, and alternatives
Informed consent ensures clients make voluntary, knowledgeable decisions about professional services.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a 'dual relationship' that could be ethically problematic?
- Working for two different clients in the same industry
- A therapist who also employs their client at their private business (Correct answer)
- Collaborating with a colleague on a joint project
- Providing services to a client referred by another professional
Correct answer: A therapist who also employs their client at their private business
Dual relationships blur professional boundaries and can compromise objectivity and the client's wellbeing.
Question 4: A professional discovers a significant error in their work after delivering it to a client. The ethical course of action is to:
- Hope the client doesn't notice
- Promptly disclose the error and work to correct it (Correct answer)
- Blame the error on a team member
- Charge a lower fee for future work as silent compensation
Correct answer: Promptly disclose the error and work to correct it
Timely disclosure of errors upholds honesty and gives the client the opportunity to seek correction.
Question 5: What does 'scope of practice' mean in professional ethics?
- The geographic area where a professional is licensed to work
- The range of tasks and responsibilities a professional is trained and authorized to perform (Correct answer)
- The number of clients a professional can serve at one time
- The ethical principles that govern a profession
Correct answer: The range of tasks and responsibilities a professional is trained and authorized to perform
Scope of practice defines the boundaries of what a professional is qualified to do safely and legally.
Question 6: A client offers a professional a percentage of profits if their advice succeeds. This arrangement most raises concerns about:
- Breach of confidentiality
- Independence and objectivity of professional advice (Correct answer)
- Violating licensing requirements
- Inadequate professional competence
Correct answer: Independence and objectivity of professional advice
Contingency-based compensation can bias advice toward outcomes that benefit the professional rather than the client.
Question 7: Which behavior exemplifies 'integrity' in professional conduct?
- Doing the right thing only when others are watching
- Consistently acting in accordance with ethical principles regardless of personal cost (Correct answer)
- Following rules only when legally required
- Prioritizing profit over all other considerations
Correct answer: Consistently acting in accordance with ethical principles regardless of personal cost
Integrity means adhering to moral principles consistently, not just when convenient or observed.
General Professional Ethics and Conduct 4
A professional notices a coworker is impaired at work.
The most ethical response is to: