Directed Study: Professional Ethics

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions with a primary focus on spiritual care in the healthcare setting. Students will be encouraged to articulate their own personal values and ethical perspective in relationship to professional ethical requirements.   Close examination is given to legislation in the province which guides professional conduct in regard to informed consent, decision making capacity, mental health, mandatory reporting, adult guardianship, and substitute decision makers.  A primary focus is on key concepts and dynamics: accountability, boundary issues, confidentiality, truth-telling, the nature of professional communication/conduct in relationship to other disciplines and professions, managing multiple relationships, responding to unprofessional practice, justice/fairness, diversity and pluralism. Professional codes of ethics from various professions are examined in relationship to the CASC/ACSS Code of Ethics as well as provincial healthcare ethics decision making frameworks and institutional ethics frameworks. Best practice standards from various areas will be referenced, such as palliative care standards, with the overall goal of generating an integrated understanding of professional ethics.

Pre-requisites:  One unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) must be completed.  4 courses in theological/biblical foundations should also be complete.  

MA PPL specialization in Spiritual Care students only.

Zoom synchronous only