Ethics in the workplace: More than just using ethical decision making protocols

This paper asks speech pathologists to reflect on what it means to think and act ethically in routine clinical practice. The purposes of the paper are fourfold. First, I discuss my views of the strengths and limitations of the current Code of Ethics of Speech Pathology Australia (2000) and Ethical Decision-Making Protocol contained in the Ethics Education Package (Speech Pathology Australia, 2002). Second, I discuss some pressures in contemporary practice which call for ethical thinking deeply embedded in daily practice rather than a focus just on ethical dilemmas. Third, routine challenges for speech pathologists in thinking ethically are considered, and finally I conclude with some suggestions for approaches to professional development of ethical thinking