ODL 265: Maintaining Ethics and Boundaries for Helping Professionals with a Focus on Technology and Self-Care

Created on 08/10/2023

Target Audience:

This course is targeted for social workers, case managers, nurses, and counselors.

Overview:

Establishing and maintaining boundaries as a helping professional is essential, aiming to protect the  client, the professional, and the professional’s employer. These boundaries help to avoid or reduce emotional distress and facilitate open, safe, and transparent communication that prioritizes the needs of the client while maintaining necessary boundaries for all.  Understanding these boundaries is also part of our ethical code for social workers, counselors, case managers, and nurses.  This training will focus on boundary issues around social media, internet searches, and electronic record keeping. In addition, we will discuss the importance of ethics and boundaries in maintaining our own mental health as helping professionals. This training will provide many tips and resources for helping professionals to take and utilize in the field right away! 

Course Objectives:

By the end of the session – the participant will be able to:

• Describe the importance of social media policies for boundaries
• List examples of when searching for client data online may or may not be acceptable
• Identify the ethical standards and ethical decision-making models used by mental health professionals in relation to compassion fatigue, burnout, and self-care

Presenter:

Jessica Patterson, LMSW, DSW, and CEU Creations Educational Manager

Jessica Patterson, LMSW, DSW, is a licensed social worker with over ten years of experience working in different systems. Jessica has a strong passion for teaching, training, and professional development. She also has a strong background around creating trauma informed systems, social emotional behavioral health and the implementation of community and individual support systems. 

Jessica has created and facilitated many professional development trainings throughout her career. Jessica’s role at CEU Creations includes developing curriculum, working with licensure boards, and presenting at various CE trainings.

Jessica holds a Bachelor’s degree in organizational management and sociology from Ashford University. She received her Master’s in Social Work from University of Iowa and her Doctoral degree in Social Work from Capella University. Jessica is a licensed Social Worker through the state of Iowa. Jessica currently lives in Iowa with her husband, four children, two dogs, and cat. Any spare moment that Jessica has is usually spent running or reading.

2 CREDIT HOURS APPROVED FOR:

Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 2 Ethics CE Credits
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 2 Contact Hours
Case Managers
CCMC – 2 Ethics Hours
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing –  2 Contact Hours
Counselors
2 Ethics Hours or 2 Contact Hours*
NBCC ACEP – 2 Contact Hours
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 2 Contact Hours

* Some states do not require/accept ethics hours for counselors, for those cases contact hours will be awarded.

Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.