Generally, moral philosophy is a key consideration that people value at individual and group levels. It is necessary for persons to comprehend and value ethical practices to guide their conduct. When it comes to judging between right and wrong, sometimes it is challenging to have an absolute choice, especially in cases where many people are involved. The prominence of ethical standards causes complexity, thus making individuals care about their capabilities in ensuring that moral behavior is sustained. Various factors such as culture, knowledge, and values depict the difference that exists in ethics in group and individual practices.
At an individual level, it is easier for a person to decide on what is perceived to be right and wrong. It is the belief of the person that whatever action being undertaken might constitute immoral best on personal understanding (Osborne & Luoma, 2018). It is the knowledge of an individual that guides the perception of a given situation which in turn influences the behavior of the person. However, when it comes to group practice, people have different views concerning the conduct, and what one might perceive as wrong can be seen by another as right creating a state of dilemma. This aspect does the moral practice at an individual level to be completely different from the group’s ethical approach. In addition, ethics in group engagements consider other aspects such as autonomy, confidentiality, and informed consent.
The aspect of confidentiality is a complex moral issue and a significant standard of practice that should be embraced in group work. It is necessary for the leaders within the teams to uphold the conduct while ensuring the level of privacy on matters discussed in the group remains confidential. Practices such as addressing individual cases in groups should be avoided to promote confidence among members (Lee, 2018). However, there are some cases where ethics might oppose the need for confidentiality, and in such scenarios, the leader should inform members prior to breaching it.
A mandated reporting requirement is an ethical issue that must be addressed for the group work to proceed accordingly. The leader should be able to address any member who might fail to attend the session and provide properly outlined procedures that guide actions to be taken in case an individual fails to report. Upholding the norm of compulsory attendance is essential for the growth and improvement of the group members because they will adhere to the needs of the team (McDermott-Levy et al., 2018). Therefore, the team leader must ensure all individuals report and participate in the intended activities.
Similarly, group membership rules are another ethical concern that leaders encounter. Sometimes members might tend to break the outlined rules because they believe they have the authority. To ensure the group work remains active and properly aligned, any participant who breaches the law must be corrected by reminding them of the context and impacts of the regulations to enable them to understand the rules. Even the frontrunners should be aware that professional morals are necessary and therefore, they maintain the required ethical standards for the team.
Ethics in individual practices are more direct and a person is guided by the belief and values to decide wrong or right. However, when it comes to group practices, the moral issues tend to be challenging and the group leader must understand how to relate various situations that apply to members. For instance, confidentiality is an essential aspect that should be respected in group work. Similarly, group membership rules are core to the team and the chairperson must ensure participants are accustomed to complying.
References
Lee, C. D. (2018). Social work with groups’ practice ethics and standards: Student confidence and competence. Research on Social Work Practice, 28(4), 475-481.
McDermott-Levy, R., Leffers, J., & Mayaka, J. (2018). Ethical principles and guidelines of global health nursing practice. Nursing Outlook, 66(5), 473-481.
Osborne, T. L., & Luoma, J. B. (2018). Overcoming a primary barrier to practice-based research: Access to an institutional review board (IRB) for independent ethics review. Psychotherapy, 55(3), 255. Web.