Psychologist and Taking Cases

¶ … psychology case presented. Q1) What are Some Prominent Ethical Issues to Consider in the Evaluation of this Individual? Ethics require that only the skills that one is competent in should be provided by psychologists, without crossing over to areas in which they lack expertise. Thus, lacking the skills of a neuropsychologist, the psychologist cannot perform his role. Competence in this context requires that the psychologist be up-to-date on new information that comes up in his/her field and in the techniques that are applied in the practice.

Binder and Thomson (1995) reiterate this, stating that through the acquisition of new information and skills, the expert is able to hone his/her skills and knowledge, remaining relevant to the practice. When procedures are performed by those who are not skilled in them, misdiagnosis may result. As Nagy (2011) puts it, passing over duties, such as administering tests and designating scores to the untrained, unqualified and unlicensed staff, can lead to misdiagnosis.

As a psychologist, one must adhere to ethical requirements demanding that such duties should be performed only by those who are qualified to do so. Some of these staff include: clerks and office assistants. Even those in training, who have not yet qualified as psychologists, and thus lack the experience and skills, should not be delegated to duties, unless supervised by a qualified psychologist.

A specialist in neuropsychology must keep himself updated on the latest scientific developments and recent research in his field in order to remain competent (Binder and Thomson, 1995). A lot of literature is available today, which carries these developments. It is actually impractical for them to cover all these literature. However, the development of a culture of reading can ensure that they remain updated on the key developments in the field.

Some programs for continuing education can also allow the clinical neuropsychologist to remain abreast with what is happening in his/her field. Q2) Should You Take This Case Given The Factors You Considered? As a psychologist, I would not take up the case as it would not be ethical to provide services that I am not trained, qualified or experienced to provide. I will explain that I am ethically bound to only provide the services that I qualified for.

Q3) Present A Supporting Argument From Both Sides (Add In Additional Data That Would Impact Your Decision Making Process) The decision to take up the case would be informed by my ability to gain the expertise necessary to handle it, including studies, consulting with other experts, and taking up relevant training (Ethical Principles of Psychologist and Code of Conduct, n.d.). As a psychologist, when the services of a neuropsychologist are unavailable, it would be imprudent to send the patient away.

However, because I lack the necessary competence, I would draw from my experience that which relates to this case, in addition to conducting extensive research and consultations with experts to ensure that the patient is not denied the service. The Ethics Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct: 3.03 require psychologists not to make misleading or false statements in the practice of their profession, whether working with individuals or with institutions. Thus, when taking up the case, this would be an ethical issue that would arise, given the lack of competence.