Legal Aspects in Professional Psychology

Table of Contents Legal issues Importance of confidentiality Impact of legislation Role of competence Conclusion References Psychology is a developed field of study which can be applied in broad fields which include educational, clinical, sports, business, and health areas. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Aspects in Professional Psychology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Psychologists, just like other professionals, undergo intensive education and training before they are allowed to practice (Nancy, 2007). Professional psychologists are equipped with scientific foundations that prepare them to offer high quality services and use their practical skills effectively. The skills include, but not limited to, psychological examination, clinical supervision, consultation, as well as psychotherapy. Owing to the broadness of this field, there are a number of legal aspects which should be considered in the pra ctice of professional psychology. The code of ethics clearly provide for the general principles expected in the practice of virtually all professional fields such as medicine, law, and dentistry. The essay elaborates the legal issues related to knowledgeable approval and refusal of medical care as well as evaluating the legal issues associated evaluation and diagnosis in the field of professional psychology. It also offers the explanation of the need to enhance confidentiality in the therapeutic relationship between the patient and the psychologist. Moreover, the essay offers an evaluation of the impact of government legislation and the role of competence in professional psychology. Legal issues The legal aspects in the field of professional psychology apply to all instances where psychological ethics are to be exercised. Professional psychologists are expected to understand the legal issues and concerns that may be raised especially by their clients. Apart from the practical conc erns, the legal aspects of psychology cover broad areas such as understanding the role of government laws and the regulations associated with human behavior as well as the various mental processes (Nancy, 2007). The practice of professional psychology should not violate any of the legal provisions stipulated in the professional code of conduct and ethics. Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The codes of ethics are generally uniform in all the states although licensing may be done by individual states. The handling of clients by psychologists is one of the most sensitive areas which should abide by the legal requirements. Professional psychologists are expected to ensure that they get informed consent from their clients. This implies that the client has to agree with terms and conditions of medical treatment or any assessment/testing (Nancy, 2007). Such consent must be well informed, c ompetent and voluntary in nature. In case the client is not in a position to give consent, then a recognized health attorney or next of kin may be allowed to stand in for the patient. The doctor must inform the client of the possible risks as well as benefits associated with the intended treatment process (Berger, 2002). Additionally, the client should be given the alternative ways of treatment in order to make appropriate personal choices. Another legal doctrine under informed consent is self-determination. It refers to the right of an adult client who is of sound mind to decide what can be done on their body in the course of treatment (Nancy, 2007). The psychologist is expected to communicate sufficient information to the client in order to facilitate the consent process. At the end of the consent process, the client should sign appropriate documents before the commencement of any medical care. The right to informed refusal is another legal requirement in the practice of profess ional psychology. This provision empowers the client to refuse any given medical care regardless of how crucially important it is meant to save his or her life (Berger, 2002). For example, a patient suffering from kidney failure may decline a transplant despite knowing that refusal may result in death. Furthermore, a client suffering from serious heart attack may opt to depart the hospital even though they are likely to die (Nancy, 2007). A client may refuse treatment due to several reasons such as depression, lack of trust, fear, and misunderstanding. A psychologist may make further attempts to convince the client if he or she thinks the decision to refuse treatment is incompetent. Importance of confidentiality The legal provisions are also geared towards ensuring confidentiality between clients and their psychologists. The professional code of conduct and ethics protects clients from any form of abuse especially emotional and or physical. Advertising We will write a custom e ssay sample on Legal Aspects in Professional Psychology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Recommended practices by professional psychologists are guaranteed. They include the maintenance of medical files, and appropriate ways for terminating a given therapy process. A psychologist is not expected to share any of the client’s crucial medical information in public (Berger, 2002). This goes a long way in enhancing the trust between the client and the doctor. If the patient develops confidence towards the therapist, then the treatment process is bound to be successful. In a situation where confidentiality is breached, the client may initiate legal action against the therapy provider (Berger, 2002). In general, confidentiality in the practice of professional psychology ensures that clients receive professional as well as humane handling that protects them from any form of abuse. Impact of legislation The government in the United St ates plays a central role when it comes to the practice of professional psychology. Some legislations passed from time to time by the federal government influence this filed directly (Nancy, 2007). Decisions which affect the financing and practice in the healthcare profession, particularly psychological services are made regularly. The state of healthcare policy in the United States has a lot of impacts on the training of psychologists. All professional psychologists in America are regulated by the American Psychological Association (APA) (Berger, 2002). The legislations provide the required academic achievements in order to be recognized as a professional psychologist. Clinical and counseling psychologists are the most common and are responsible for providing psychotherapeutic services and other psychological examinations. Government legislations, however, may vary from state to state but they are all designed to safeguard the clients and the credibility of the profession (Berge r, 2002). The legislations in some states have allowed psychologists with appropriate additional qualifications to provide psychiatric medicine. Efforts by other states to pass the same legislation have been unsuccessful. Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More APA has been very influential in pushing for appropriate legislations by the government. Emerging issues in the field of professional psychology have resulted in key legislations that are aimed at enhancing the quality of services offered to the clients as well as improving the welfare of the psychologists (Berger, 2002). Role of competence All professional psychologists are legally expected to provide excellent services for their respective clients. Professional psychologists should therefore demonstrate outstanding competence in their responsibilities. Competence can be defined as the ability to effectively perform specific tasks within a given field. Psychologists are trained to perform specialized tasks using the acquired skills (Berger, 2002). Psychologists are ethically expected to provide services that are within their areas of competence. They should take clients who have problems which they can competently offer solutions. Competence, therefore, ensures that psychologists utilize their acquired knowledge, skills, and appropriate behavior in handling their clients. Conclusion The essay has discussed the various concerns related to knowledgeable approval and the right to denial of treatment and concerns touching on evaluation and determination in the field of professional psychological. It has also given the details of upholding confidentiality in the therapeutic relationships between the client and the doctor. Furthermore, the essay has offered an evaluation of the impact of government legislations as well as the role of competence in professional psychology. The various legal aspects in professional psychology, therefore, play a major role in regulating the general provision of services by psychologists. References Berger, L. S. (2002). Understanding professional psychology: government regulation and competence. Trafford Plc. Nancy, M. (2007). Professional psychology: a psychologist’s comprehensive guide (2nd ed.). McGraw Hill Plc. This essay on Legal Aspects in Professional Psychology was written and submitted by user Savannah Combs to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Make Ammonium Nitrate from Household Chemicals

Make Ammonium Nitrate from Household Chemicals Fireworks season is coming up, so before I get into the new fireworks projects, I wanted to cover the synthesis of a common chemical used for pyrotechnics: ammonium nitrate. Another fun project to try with ammonium nitrate is to make an endothermic reaction. You can buy ammonium nitrate as a pure chemical or you can collect it from instant cold packs or some fertilizers. You can make ammonium nitrate by reacting nitric acid with ammonia, but if you dont have access to nitric acid (or dont want to mess with it), you can make ammonium nitrate from readily available home chemicals. Gather Materials You will need: 138 g sodium bisulfate (found with pool chemicals, used to lower pH)1 mole equivalent of a nitrate salt... any of the following85 g sodium nitrate (common food preservative)101 g potassium nitrate (which you can buy or make yourself)118 g calcium nitrate (tetrahydrate)ammonia (common household cleaner)methanol (optional, which may be found as HEET fuel treatment) Ingredients Dissolve the sodium bisulfate in the mininum amount of water (about 300 ml).Dissolve your nitrate salt in the minimum amount of water (amount depends on the salt).Mix the two solutions.Next you want to neutralize the solution, which is quite acidic. Stir in ammonia until the pH of the mixture is 7 or higher. Use a pH meter (or pH paper). Reacting ammonia, sodium bisulfate, and nitrates will give you sodium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.Sodium sulfate and ammonium nitrate have different solubilities in water, so boil the solution to get the sodium sulfate to crystallize. Remove the liquid from heat when crystals of sodium sulfate form in the bottom of the pan.Chill the solution in the freezer to get as much of the sodium sulfate as possible to drop out of the solution.Run the solution through a filter (coffee filter or paper towels) to separate the solid sodium sulfate from the ammonium nitrate solution.Allow the ammonium nitrate solution to evaporate, which will give you ammonium nitr ate, with some sodium sulfate impurity. This is good enough for most chemistry projects. If you want to further purify the ammonium nitrate, dissolve it in about 500 ml of methanol. The ammonium nitrate is soluble in methanol, while the sodium sulfate is not.Run the solution through a filter, which will give you sodium sulfate on the filter and a solution of ammonium nitrate.Allow the methanol to evaporate from the solution to obtain crystalline ammonium nitrate. Safety Information The chemicals used in this project are smelly and corrosive, so this project should be performed under a fume hood or outdoors. As always, wear gloves, eye protection, and appropriate clothing. Some of the reagents and the final product are flammable or are oxidizers, so keep the chemicals away from open flames.