Laws And Ethics Codes In
Psychology And Mental Health
As Compared To Other Professions.
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This six page paper summarizes and compares licensing requirements, laws, and ethical guidelines of psychologist, therapist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, and lawyer

A psychologist is a person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to practice psychology or to use the title "psychologist" in connection with his or her practice. In order to qualify for a license as a psychologist, a person should have received an education, including a doctoral degree in psychology, granted on the basis of completion of a program of psychology registered with the department or the substantial equivalent thereof, in accordance with the concerned commissioner’s regulations. The licensing requirement also includes two years experience of supervised employment or engagement in appropriate psychology activities satisfactory to the board and in accordance with the commissioner` s regulations. A psychologist is also required to have passed an examination satisfactory to the board and in accordance with the commissioner` s regulations. There is also an age limit of at least twenty-one years of age. There is no requirement of specific citizenship of the country. As is required in every profession, a person should be of good moral character as determined by the department and must pay appropriate fee to the department for admission to a department-conducted examination and for an initial license.

A nurse is a person educated and trained to care for the sick or disabled. The licensing requirements include registration with nursing council, current CPR certificate from an approved Heart Association Basic Cardiac Life Support. The licensing requirement also includes Liability and malpractice insurance provided by the school, immunizations and other procedures and health insurance. The purpose of licensing requirement for nurses is to provide efficient care to people by trained personnel. In order to safeguard life and health, any person practicing or offering to practice nursing for compensation shall be required to submit evidence that he or she is qualified to practice so and shall be licensed as Professional nursing, Advanced practice nursing, Registered practitioner nursing, Practical nursing or Psychiatric technician nursing. It is unlawful for any person not licensed by the board to practice or offer to practice professional nursing, advanced practice nursing, registered practitioner nursing, practical nursing or psychiatric technician nursing or to use any sign, card, or device to indicate that the person is a professional registered nurse, an advanced practice nurse, a registered nurse practitioner, a licensed practical nurse, or a licensed psychiatric technician nurse. On the other hand a lawyer is a person who is practicing law generally and not necessarily for a fee, giving legal advice or counsel, examining or passing upon the legal effect of an act, document or law, or representing clients, not necessarily in a judicial setting. He is required to pay the current active licensing fee plus the required annual Client Security Fund assessment and he must also satisfy continuing legal education requirements.

Membership in the local psychiatric societies commits members and student affiliates to comply with the standards of their Ethics Code and to the rules and procedures used to enforce them. Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an Ethical Standard is not itself a defense to a charge of unethical conduct. Actions that violate the standards of the Ethics Code may also lead to the imposition of sanctions on psychologists or students whether or not they are local society members by bodies other than that, including state psychological associations, other professional groups, psychology boards, other state, and federal agencies. In addition, local society may take action against a member after his or her conviction of a felony, expulsion or suspension from an affiliated state psychological association, or suspension or loss of licensure. When the sanction to be imposed is less than expulsion, the Rules and Procedures do not guarantee an opportunity for an in-person hearing, but generally provide that complaints will be resolved only on the basis of a submitted record.

In the process of making decisions regarding their professional behavior, psychologists must consider Ethics Code in addition to applicable laws and psychology board regulations. In applying the Ethics Code to their professional work, psychologists may consider other materials and guidelines that have been adopted or endorsed by scientific and professional psychological organizations and the dictates of their own conscience, as well as consult with others within the field. If this Ethics Code establishes a higher standard of conduct than is required by law, psychologists must meet the higher ethical standard. If psychologists' ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists make known their commitment to this Ethics Code and take steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner. If the conflict is irresolvable via such means, psychologists may adhere to the requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing authority in keeping with basic principles of human rights. This is the basic difference between a psychologist and a lawyer where a lawyer has to abide by the related laws.

There is a commitment for psychologists to increasing scientific and professional knowledge of behavior and people's understanding of themselves and others and to the use of such knowledge to improve the condition of individuals, organizations, and society. Psychologists respect and protect civil and human rights and the central importance of freedom of inquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication. They strive to help the public in developing informed judgments and choices concerning human behavior. In doing so, they perform many roles, such as researcher, educator, diagnostician, therapist, supervisor, consultant, administrator, social interventionist, and expert witness. Ethics Code provides a common set of principles and standards upon which psychologists build their professional and scientific work.

Ethics Code is intended to provide specific standards to cover most situations encountered by psychologists. It has as its goals the welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom psychologists work and the education of members, students, and the public regarding ethical standards of the discipline.
The development of a dynamic set of ethical standards for psychologists' work-related conduct requires a personal commitment and lifelong effort to act ethically; to encourage ethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees, and colleagues; and to consult with others concerning ethical problems.

Regarding nurses, Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Safe Practice include undertaking the responsibilities of the psychotherapeutic relationship. It also includes the ability of nurses to discuss a client’s civil rights and how they pertain to restraint and seclusion. A psychiatric nurse technician or a Culturally Relevant Mental Health Nurse has additional responsibilities of applying the concepts of culture to psychiatric mental health nursing assessment and practice. His duties also include developing an awareness of the balance between the client’s rights and the rights of society with respect to these legal concepts relevant in nursing and psychiatric nursing. Other added responsibilities include duty to intervene, documentation and charting, and confidentiality. A nurse has to follow and apply the concepts of culture to psychiatric mental health nursing assessment and practice. Regarding ethical guidelines a lawyer should show diligence, i.e. a he should act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client. He must keep confidentiality of information. He should not reveal information relating to representation of a client unless the client consents after consultation. A lawyer has to abide by a client's decisions concerning a plea to be entered, whether to waive jury trial and whether the client will testify. He is not authorized to counsel a client to engage, or assist a client in conduct that the lawyer knows is criminal or fraudulent, but a lawyer may discuss the legal consequences of any proposed course of conduct with a client and may counsel or assist a client to make a good faith effort to determine the validity, scope, meaning or application of the law. A lawyer may reveal such information to the extent the lawyer reasonably believes necessary to prevent the client from committing a criminal act that the lawyer believes likely to result in imminent death or substantial bodily harm. A lawyer has to abide by a client's decisions concerning the objectives of representation and shall consult with the client as to the means by which they are to be pursued. A lawyer's representation of a client, including representation by appointment, does not constitute an endorsement of the client's political, economic, social or moral views or activities. A lawyer shall not reveal information relating to representation of a client unless the client consents after consultation.
The ethical code of conduct for psychologist differs from a lawyer. Take the example of Jehovah’s witness, while a person following this may be labeled by a lawyer as a dangerous person, a psychologist adhering to his ethical responsibilities will the nature of moral conflict. Similarly in parents with asperger’s syndrome, a lawyer is concerned with parental behavior whereas psychologists value parental diagnosis.
In conclusion a psychologist deals with the mental health of an individual whereas lawyer solves legal issues. It is true that sometimes they both have to act in collaboration and also need help with psychiatric nurse technician