Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics

Strom-Gottfried, K.J. (2007). Straight talk about professional ethics.  Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books, Inc.

Reviewed by Georgianna Mack, MSW, PLCSW, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Kimberly Strom-Gottfried, PhD., LISW, is the Smith P. Theimann Jr. Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Professional Practice at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work. Professor Strom-Gottfried teaches in the areas of direct practice, communities, and organizations, and human resource management. Her practice experience in the nonprofit and public sectors focuses on suicide prevention, intervention, and bereavement. Her scholarly interests involve ethics, moral courage, and social work education, and she is active in training, consultation, and research on ethics and social work practice. She has written numerous articles, monographs, and chapters on the ethics of practice.

The author’s statement “the lack of clear imperatives in professional ethics does not mean that anything goes, that every decision is relative” defines an important issue most of us have when dealing with ethical dilemmas. Her use of an ethical decision-making model is creative and provides a model format that can be used in every instant. The ranking of the questions as who, what, when, where, why, and how, are both familiar and simplistic. Social workers are faced with issues daily, and it requires “critical thinking” to determine the best course of action in a given situation. This book offers a sound perspective to experienced practitioners, as well as students.

I particularly liked Part II of the text, which addressed applying standards for ethical practice (Determination, Informed Consent, Conflicts of Interest, Professional Boundaries, Confidentiality, Competence, Professionalism, and Nondiscrimination and Cultural Competence). Each chapter addresses one of the standards and gives an example of “upholding the standard”, and “violating the standard.”  This is followed by a case scenario of each standard using the decision-making model. The text provides a number of alternatives, but allows the reader to use critical thinking to make a best practice decision.

The author completes the text by challenging the reader to sustain ethical habits. She addresses impediments and avenues to ethical habits. She challenges the reader to reassess our individual moral values on a daily basis.