The Importance of Ethics

Ethics is a major part of any profession that involves the well being of others. When someone has an influence on another individual’s life, ethical judgment is always involved. In the profession of social work, the people that one serves are the â€Å"raw material† of the organization (Schissler-Manning S, 2003. ) The social worker is there to serve the people that rely on their assistance. I have always had a strong desire to help others in making their lives better. I strive to make ethical decisions while keeping the clients best interest and the best interest of the community in mind. With my personal ethics to guide me, as well as the guidance of my coworkers and other available resources, I will be successful in helping others while staying ethically and professionally correct. Social workers shape and change the lives of the people that need them. Anyone who works with people is doing ethical work, but social workers and human service workers are especially important, because they have a major impact on the lives of the people that they assist. Because of this, people who choose to work in that field must have solid ethics. According to Markkula Center for Applied Ethics 2010, Ethics are well rounded standards of right and wrong. It is important for social workers to have good judgment of right and wrong, while always having the best interest of the client in mind. The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well being (Schissler-Manning S, 2003. ) Human service organizations function to protect, maintain and enhance the well being of individuals through services that defines, shape, and alter their personal characteristics and attributes (Hasenfeld,1983. The social worker must have strong ethics and morals and also follow professional codes and obey the law. I have wanted to be a social worker and work in the human service field for as long as I can remember. I love helping other people and making a positive influence on their lives. I think my strong moral and ethical standing will take me a long way in the human service field and assist me in becoming a caring and dedicated social worker. I have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong and tend to think things out rather than make rash decisions. I think my biggest weakness is possibly having too big a heart. I tend to become emotionally and personally attached very quickly. I have trouble turning people who need help away and think about the people that I help even after my work day is done. As a human service worker, I know this is something that I need to work on. It is not good to become personally involved with the client. I know that if I continue to use to good ethical judgment, follow professional rules and the law, I will be ok. My plan for ensuring good ethical decisions in my career is to make good moral decisions, ask for guidance from my leaders and co-workers, follow the NASW code of ethics and keep the best interest of the client and community in mind. Self regulation is essential to professional ethics and professional leadership (Schissler-Manning S, 2003. ) Using both internal and external regulation is imperative in the human service field. Internal regulation is our conscious. I will listen to my conscious when making ethical decisions, because I know those decisions will affect the lives of others. The external regulation or (code of ethics), is equally important. The National Association of Social workers or NASW code of ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers (Schissler-Manning S, 2003. ) By following the code of ethics, as well as listening to my own ethics and reasoning, I will be able to assist the client to the fullest while keeping the organization and community’s best interest in mind. I am sure I will face ethical dilemmas along the way, but if I follow code and use my morals and personal discretion, I am sure that I will make solid ethical decisions. Being a social worker is something that I have wanted to do since I was a child. I realize that by making the commitment to help and serve those that need assistance, I am agreeing to make good ethical decisions. It is important that I stay morally true to myself as well as be professional. I will strive to be the best social worker that I can while following procedure and always looking out for the clients well being.