Professionalism and Ethics: Q & A Self-Study Guide for Mental Health Professionals

Like its pioneering predecessor, this new edition of Professionalism and
Ethics: Q & A Self-Study Guide for Mental Health Professionals offers an
interactive, case-oriented approach to mental health ethics. Organized around
scenarios that pose important-sometimes thorny-ethical questions, the book draws
on the diverse clinical and research experience of its contributors, who have
backgrounds in medicine, ethics, psychology, law, medical education, religious
studies, public health, and related fields. The editor, an internationally
recognized scholar in bioethics, psychiatry, and medical education, oversaw a
rigorous review process, ensuring that the content meets the highest standard,
as befits a text on ethics and professionalism. The book begins with an overview
of the role of ethics in caring for people with mental illness, concepts and
models of professionalism, and ethics education, followed by a chapter examining
ethics in the mental health professions, with emphasis on learning and applying
essential skills. Questions and annotated answers follow, and the brief case
descriptions that frame each question, presented in single-answer,
multiple-choice format, echo the real-life complexities of clinical practice.

Psychiatry has evolved significantly since the last edition, and the new
edition's plentiful revisions and fresh material reflect these changes:
Assisted suicide and euthanasia, which pose controversial and difficult ethical
questions, are explored in-depth, with attention accorded religious views, the
complexity of informed consent, and the concern that some who choose euthanasia
may be clinically depressed. Navigating social media, experiencing the loss of
anonymity, and engaging in self-disclosure of all kinds presents new challenges
for practitioners; the pitfalls, both ethical and psychological, are thoroughly
discussed. The digital age poses many ethical dilemmas regarding patient
privacy. Is it acceptable for clinicians to "Google" their patients, or is it
merely voyeurism? What about consent? Burnout among mental health
practitioners is growing, and professional well-being is an emergent topic. The
book examines the increased expectations of physicians and what setting
reasonable limits in an era of the electronic health record might look like.
Over the past few decades, neuroscience has been accepted as the conceptual
basis for understanding and treating mental illness, and neuroethics have
achieved an attendant importance. Human subjects research and the active
question of public trust in science, as well as emerging domains, including
neurotechnologies, neurolaw, and philosophy of cognition, are carefully
examined.

Eloquent, instructive, and pragmatic, Professionalism and
Ethics: Q & A Self-Study Guide for Mental Health Professionals offers
critical learning to prepare professionals for ethical challenges in care and
research and is an essential reference and tool for an increasingly complex
world.