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Read the vignette and analyze the potential ethical/legal issues reflected in the vignettes, and comment on the availability of options for each of the therapists depicted in the vignettes. How would you have handled these situations?
Vignette 2
Howard is a licensed clinical social worker with a very busy private practice. Howard’s office manager, Susan, is an extremely competent individual who performs her job with great skill. One day Susan informed Howard that she would have to take a leave of absence from her position immediately due to an emergency in her family. Due to the nature of the emergency, Susan states that she will probably be unable to return to work for several months or longer. Howard is caught off-guard and is understandably worried about the prospects of finding a qualified replacement for Susan in so little time. To make matters worse, he seriously doubts that Susan will ever return to her job. After a few days, at the point that Howard is beginning to feel overwhelmed, a solution seems to drop into his lap. Ann, one of Howard’s current patients, informs Howard that she knows someone who would be “perfect” for the vacant office manager job. Surprisingly, the person that Ann recommends is actually a former patient of Howard’s by the name of Tara. Howard knows Tara well, having treated her for almost two years. He recalls that Tara is a very bright and responsible person and that she probably would be perfect for the job. Although Tara completed therapy with Howard about six months ago, he still has her file in his office cabinet. Howard recognizes that this is an important decision. Consequently, after giving it some very serious thought, Howard called Tara the following day and offered her the job.
Sample Solution
The ethical and legal issues in this vignette reflect the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries between therapist and patient. In Howard’s case, he is faced with an unexpected problem – his office manager needs to take a leave of absence for an extended period of time. He begins to feel overwhelmed until a solution seemingly drops into his lap – one of his current patients recommends that he hire her former therapist Tara as the new office manager. While Tara is indeed qualified and would be a good fit for the job, hiring her could create a dual relationship between them which could compromise the professional standards of ethics required in therapy.
Howard should have considered other options before pursuing this particular course of action. For example, he could have explored taking on another administrative assistant temporarily or outsourcing certain tasks to another professional who does not currently serve as one of his clients. If he was truly adamant about hiring Tara, then it would be prudent to first seek advice from colleagues or consult with an attorney familiar with applicable laws regarding such matters.
I would have handled this situation by exploring alternative solutions first before considering hiring Tara as my office manager since she is a former patient. Additionally, I would ensure that I consulted with my colleagues or attorney prior to making any decisions related to employing someone who had previously served as my patient so as not to cross any ethical or legal lines.
