Current status of ethical challenges and ethical support environment regarding activities of a community general support center

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the ethical challenges and ethical support environment regarding activities of a community general support center, and to discuss improved ethical practices for the residents. The study was based on a qualitative descriptive design using semi-structured interviews. The ten subjects included public health nurses/registered nurses, certified social welfare specialists, and chief care managers working at the center. The analysis revealed the following complex ethical challenges: “situations where the individual or the family members did not wish to receive support,” “conflicts owing to differences in intentions among the individual, family members, and other people around them,” “situations threatening dignity of the individual,” and “difficulties in building connections with the community.” Additionally, counseling difficulties extracted were “difficulty in ascertaining the truth,” and “difficulty in providing counseling beyond the scope of work.” Moreover, the professionals were aware of collaborative work respecting each other’s expertise, and we believe this will help create a workplace environment where seeking counseling is easier and contribute to improved ethical practices.