Week 2 — Safe & Ethical Practice: APS Code of Ethics, AHPRA Code of Conduct & Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights

Course & Session Logistics

• Mid-way through Week 2 check-in: facilitator (Stacey) invites questions and confirms class size (≈$19$ students).
• End-of-semester exam:
  • Open-book; students may bring the APS Code of Ethics, AHPRA Code of Conduct, lecture notes, etc.
  • Recommendation: be familiar with the structure/content to save time – there is little room during the test to hunt through documents.
• Class format this week:
  • Large-group introduction ➜ breakout groups ➜ large-group debrief ➜ reflective exercise.
  • Students asked to assign roles in groups (researcher, note-taker, spokesperson) for efficiency.
• Technical tips:
  • Slides are on Moodle (colourized for Teams display). If copy–paste fails in Teams, grab them directly from Moodle.
  • Breakout-room logistics can be slow in MS Teams; Stacey merges rooms to keep ~$4–6$ students per group.

Acknowledgement of Country & Copyright

• Stacey acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land she speaks from (Kunai nation), pays respect to Elders past & present, and invites students to share the lands they join from.
• Standard copyright notice displayed before content begins.

Week 2 Theme – Safe & Ethical Practice

• Core documents to master:
  • APS Code of Ethics (2018)
  • AHPRA/PSBA Code of Conduct for Psychologists (2022)
  • Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (ACHR)
• Legislated back-of-mind references: Privacy Act, Discrimination Act, other federal/state health statutes.
• Continual aim: be able to apply these codes/acts when faced with ethical dilemmas in tutorials or workplace.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of professional boundaries & competence as outlined in the APS Code of Ethics and AHPRA Code of Conduct.
2. Reflect on ethical obligations related to practising within one’s competence.
3. Consider implications of working outside scope of practice.
4. Apply knowledge of client rights & practitioner responsibilities (e.g., ACHR) to concrete cases.

Tutorial Scenario: Emma – Provisional Psychologist & Trauma Disclosure

• Context: Emma (12–18 mo. into placement) sees a client who reveals distress from past trauma.
• Competence reality:
  • Emma has completed coursework on trauma but no formal training or supervision in trauma-informed interventions.
• Action: She nonetheless explores the trauma more deeply in the next session.
• Supervisor’s response: Flags that Emma may have exceeded competence; asks her to reflect on ethical & legal considerations.

Break-out Questions (students addressed for ≈$15–20$ min)

1. Which parts of the APS Code of Ethics & AHPRA Code of Conduct are most relevant?
2. How do concepts of professional competence, boundaries, client rights apply?
3. What steps should Emma have taken to ensure safe & ethical practice?
4. How might the situation intersect with the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights?

Key Code Sections Cited by Groups

APS Code of Ethics (three General Principles)

• Respect for the rights & dignity of people – need for informed consent; client’s right to know practitioner’s limits.
• Propriety – core of competence; specifically $B\,1.2$ “within boundaries of education, training, supervised experience”.
• Integrity – honesty about scope; avoid misleading or exploiting clients.

Specific clauses repeatedly named:

• $A\,3$ Informed consent (client must understand practitioner’s training level & foreseeable risks).
• $B\,1.1$ + $B\,1.2$ Competence & limits.
• $C\,1$ Reputable behaviour – take reasonable steps to avoid harm.
• $B\,1.2\,e$ (mental/physical state not impairing service) – some argued Emma’s anxiety/over-identification might impair practice.

AHPRA Code of Conduct (2022)

• $1.1$C – “recognise & work within competence; refer when in client’s best interest.”
• $1.2$A/B/J – maintain knowledge, obtain supervision when entering new area.
• $4.2$ Informed consent – transparent disclosure of limitations; discuss alternative care.
• $5.4$ Referral & second opinion – provide option for more experienced practitioner.
• $7.3$ Ongoing CPD – obligation to build skills before delivering specialist care.
• $10.3$ Guidance on provisional psychologists – work under supervision; model ethical behaviour; maintain boundaries.

Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights – 7 Pillars & Application to Case

1. Access – client entitled to services that meet their needs; a trauma-competent clinician may be required.
2. Safety – right to safe, high-quality care; exploring trauma without competence risks re-traumatisation.
3. Respect – dignity & cultural consideration in handling sensitive trauma material.
4. Partnership / Participation – client should be able to collaborate in treatment decisions, including whether to proceed with trauma work.
5. Communication / Information – Emma must explain her qualifications, risks, and options clearly.
6. Privacy – sensitive trauma content requires strict confidentiality.
7. Feedback – client may complain if harmed; legal/ethical exposure for Emma & placement site.

Consolidated Analysis – Competence, Boundaries, Client Rights

• Professional competence: Fundamental ethical pillar; ignorance ≠ innocence.
• Boundaries: Not merely sexual/dual relationships; also about competence boundaries (i.e., practice only what you’re trained to deliver).
• Client rights: Overlap across APS, AHPRA, ACHR – informed consent, safe care, ability to seek second opinion.
• Emotional impact: Emma’s urge to “help” may stem from benevolent intent, but benevolence without skill = potential harm.

Recommended Steps Emma Should Have Taken

1. Immediate transparency (end of first session): advise client that trauma work exceeds current competence; discuss options.
2. Consult supervisor before the next session; obtain direction.
3. Undertake formal CPD (short courses, workshops, literature) to build trauma-informed practice if continuing with client.
4. Refer or co-manage with trauma-trained psychologist if client needs urgent specialist care.
5. Document all decisions, supervisory advice, and client communication for legal defensibility.

Potential Consequences of Failure to Act Ethically

• Client harm: Re-traumatisation, deterioration, loss of trust in psychology.
• Professional risk: Complaint ➜ AHPRA investigation ➜ conditions on registration or suspension.
• Self-development: Solidifies poor habits; decreases confidence; impairs future competence.

Reflective Exercise (What? → So What? → Now What?)

What?

• Scenario describes competence breach.

So What?

• Importance of recognising limits protects client & practitioner; upholds profession’s reputation; aligns with ACHR.
• Failure undermines therapeutic alliance, may breach legal duty of care.

Now What?

• Use supervision proactively: schedule out-of-session consults when new issues arise.
• Maintain living familiarity with codes – quarterly self-audits; use APS discussion boards for peer input.
• Plan CPD strategically – map emerging client presentations to learning objectives.
• Practise hard conversations – role-play disclosures of competence limits so real-life delivery is confident & empathic.

Exam & Assessment Tips (Sprinkled Comments)

• Save a digital copy of all major ethical documents; know each document’s structure (sections, page numbers).
• Limited time in open-book test → create quick-reference tabs/index.
• Reflect on tutorials: maintain log for potential reflective assessments.

Practical Meta-Advice from Session

• Assign group roles early for breakout efficiency (researcher, scribe, speaker).
• When citing codes in class or exam, prefer section numbers (e.g., $B\,1.2$) over page numbers.
• If technology fails (e.g., copy–paste blocked), access Moodle directly.
• Regular reflective practice after sessions helps embed ethical reasoning skills.

Example Metaphor Shared

• Writing with non-dominant hand: easier to learn the correct way first than to unlearn a faulty skill – illustrates danger of practising outside competence and then trying to relearn.

Connections to Previous & Future Lectures

• Builds on Week 1 emphasis on therapeutic alliance; underscores alliance can be harmed by ethical lapses.
• Sets foundation for Week 3 (safe medical practice across settings) and subsequent role-play weeks, where students will rehearse disclosing limits & making referrals.

Ethical, Philosophical & Practical Implications

• Ethical: fidelity, non-maleficence, autonomy; placing client welfare above practitioner ego.
• Philosophical: humility in professional identity; recognising that knowledge is provisional & must be updated.
• Practical: need for CPD budgeting, supervision contracts, clear referral pathways in placement sites.

Numerical References & Notation Cheat-Sheet (for quick lookup)

• APS clauses: $A\,3$, $B\,1.1$, $B\,1.2$, $C\,1$
• AHPRA clauses: $1.1$, $1.2$(A,B,J), $4.2$, $5.4$, $7.3$, $10.3$
• ACHR pillars: $7$ core rights (Access, Safety, Respect, Communication, Participation, Privacy, Feedback)

(End of comprehensive study notes covering Week 2 video content)