Legal Principles & Decision Making in Practice

Online Courses

Description

This course is designed to address the major legal and ethical issues related to informed consent and decision making that social service and health care professionals encounter when working with older adults and people with disabilities. It discusses the elements of informed consent and explains why it is needed, both ethically and legally. It describes important terms such as capacity and competence and how to understand the difference between the two. You will find vignettes, throughout the course that illustrate these concepts in practice situations.

*You can register for this course individually or as part of a certificate program.

Learner Feedback:

“This course helped expand my understanding of legal issues and ethical concerns related to older adults.”

Contributing Authors:

Bronwyn Keefe, PhD, MSW, MPH is the Assistant Dean of Workforce and Professional Development at Boston University School of Social Work where she is also the Director for The Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER) and The Network for Professional Education.

Amelia Paini, MSW, Program Manager for Curriculum Development, Boston University School of Social Work

Joan Ead, Eadem Writing Associates

Objectives

• Explain the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice.
• Describe why autonomy and safety can create ethical and legal problems.
• Explain why informed consent is needed, both ethically and legally.
• Distinguish between competence and capacity.
• Name the different kinds of guardianships used by the courts and how they are used.
• Name the different kinds of advance care directives.