Professional Standards and Ethics Flashcards

A professional's social media post criticizes a client by name without revealing confidential details. This conduct is:

Answer: Unethical because it damages the client and violates professional respect

Publicly criticizing clients violates professional respect and trust, regardless of whether confidential information is disclosed.

Which term describes a professional's obligation to be truthful and avoid deception in all communications?

Answer: Veracity

Veracity is the ethical duty to be honest and accurate in all professional communications.

When a professional delegates tasks to a less experienced colleague, the professional retains responsibility for:

Answer: Ensuring the delegated work is completed competently and meets professional standards

Delegation does not eliminate the delegating professional's supervisory responsibility for work quality and client safety.

A professional discovers that following a legal regulation would lead to a clearly unjust outcome for a client. The most appropriate first step is to:

Answer: Comply with the regulation while documenting the concern and advocating for change through proper channels

Professionals must follow legal requirements while using legitimate advocacy channels to address unjust rules.

Which of the following best illustrates the ethical principle of 'respect for autonomy'?

Answer: Providing clients with the information they need to make their own informed decisions

Respecting autonomy means supporting clients' rights to make informed, self-determined choices without coercion.

A professional is offered a referral fee for recommending a specific vendor to clients. Without disclosing this arrangement to clients, accepting the fee is:

Answer: Unethical because it creates an undisclosed conflict of interest

Undisclosed referral fees create conflicts of interest that compromise the professional's objectivity and violate transparency standards.

In most professional frameworks, 'fidelity' as an ethical principle means:

Answer: Keeping promises and honoring commitments made to clients and colleagues

Fidelity requires professionals to honor their commitments, keep promises, and be loyal to the trust clients place in them.