Psychosocial oncology is a specialty concerned with understanding and treating the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and quality-of-life aspects of cancer care from prevention through bereavement. It focuses on assessing and treating distress as well as managing complex issues. The principles of psychosocial oncology emphasize person-centered care, access, ethical practice, respect for diversity, inter-professional collaboration, and evidence-based and quality care. Ethics involves evaluating actions as right or wrong according to moral principles, and professionals have duties including maintaining boundaries, ensuring confidentiality with clients, obtaining informed consent, and handling ethical dilemmas through a process of identifying issues, considering solutions, selecting the best option, and defending that decision.

1. psychosocial oncology
• Psychosocial oncology (PSO) is a specialty in cancer care concerned with
understanding and treating the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual,
quality-of-life and functional aspects of cancer, from prevention through
bereavement.
• Psychosocial oncology focuses on the emotional distress aspects of cancer
care,
• Is particularly concerned with the assessment and treatment of distress,
• And the management of complex issues.

3. Principles of psychosocial oncology
• Principle 1: Person or family centred care
• Principle 2: Access
• Principle 3: Ethical practice
• Principle 4: Respect for culture or diversity
• Principle 5: Inter-professional collaboration
• Principle 6: Evidence-based care
• Principle 7: Quality monitoring and quality improvement

4. The skills and attitudes to provide psychological
support for the patient and carers.
• A new focus on teamwork
• Team-oriented goal setting
• Set the bar
• Encouraging respect and trust
• Determining, identifying and assigning specific roles
• Learned communication skills

5. Definition of ethics

7. According to Koocher and Keth-Speigel (2008) ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with moral
problems and moral judgments. White (1988) cited by Koocher and Keth-Speigel (2008) points
out that ethics serves as the evaluation of human actions. In doing so, we assign judgments to
behaviour as 'right' or 'wrong' and 'good' or 'bad' according to the perspective of a moral
principle or ethical guideline.
Banyard and Flanagan (2005) argue that ethics are moral frameworks that are applied to a
narrow group of people who are professional in their different areas of specialty like doctors,
nurses and psychologists.

8. • The use of fraud or deceit to obtain employment or credentials
• Dishonest conduct
• Failure or inability to practice the profession with reasonable skill and
safety
• Revealing privileged communication except as permitted by law
• Providing false or misleading information directly related to the care
of a patient
What is unethical

9. • Knowingly engaging in or participating in abusive or fraudulent
billing practices
• Improper management of patient records, such as failure to
maintain records, or actions that may result in a false or misleading
record
• Assisting a person to engage in the practice of radiologic technology
without current and appropriate credentials

10. Boundaries or limits of Ethics
• Therapists are responsible for setting up, monitoring and maintaining
boundaries as part of their ethical practice.
• The aim is to create a relationship where you feel safe, comfortable and able to
talk about your experiences or feelings, even if they seem taboo, frightening or
embarrassing
Boundaries that all therapists should maintain include:
• providing consistency, predictability and security of therapy sessions
- for example, offering you the same time and place on a regular basis, unless
otherwise agreed
• ensuring sessions take place in a calm environment with no distractions and
where confidentiality can be ensured
• limiting contact between you to pre-arranged appointments, as far as possible

11. ………..Boundaries or limits (cont)
▪ avoiding multiple relationships
▪ – for example, you should not be student and teacher or supervisee and
supervisor at the same time as client and therapist
▪ appropriately and ethically managing any physical attraction between you
▪ remaining impartial rather than judging you or imposing their values
▪ not giving, receiving or exchanging any gifts during the therapeutic
relationship
▪ managing the end of therapy in an appropriate way and ensuring formal

12. Confidentiality
• Is the requirement that therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and most
other mental health professionals protect their client’s privacy by not
revealing the contents of therapy.
• A relationship of trust.
• Confidentiality is paramount to successful counselling.
• Professional counsellors will usually explain their policy on confidentiality,
they may, however, be required by law to disclose information if they believe
that there is a risk to life.
Confidentiality

13. Informed Consent
• Is a process for getting permission before conducting a healthcare
intervention on a person, for conducting some form of research on a
person, or for disclosing a person's information.
• The main purpose of the informed consent process is to protect the
patient.
• A consent form is a legal document that ensures an ongoing
communication process between you and your health care provider.

14. In the face of an ethical dilemma, you must be prepared to assess the problem
objectively and come to a conclusion that you can implement and defend. Ethical
analysis is a process involving four basic steps:
1. Identify the problem
2. Develop alternate solutions
3. Select the best solution
4. Defend your selection
Ethical Dilemma

15. Beneficence: Goodness. Actions that bring about good are considered right.
Nonmaleficence: No evil. An obligation not to inflict harm.
Veracity: Truth. An obligation to tell the truth.
Fidelity: Faithfulness. An obligation to be loyal or faithful.
Justice: Fairness. An obligation to act with equity.
Autonomy: Self-determination. Respecting the independence of others and
acting with self-reliance.
Principles of ethics