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Professionalism: Ethically Based Reflective Practice

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Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process

Abstract

Acting as a professional means responsibly addressing patients’ needs and expectations. This requires first that genetic counselors understand themselves and the personal characteristics (e.g., motivations, values, cultural influences) they bring with them into their genetic counseling sessions. This chapter begins with a discussion of motivations for choosing a career in genetic counseling and how those motivations affect practice. Next, principles that guide students and health-care professionals’ ethical behavior are described; ethical challenges that arise when patients have genetic concerns are delineated; and strategies are presented for managing ethical challenges. The importance of professional growth and development and reflective practice are discussed next, including an empirically derived model of genetic counselor professional development. The chapter concludes with activities and written assignment that allow students to reflect upon and identify their motivations, values, and cultural and personal characteristics and to work through examples of ethical dilemmas.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Patricia McCarthy Veach Ph.D., L.P.

  2. Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Bonnie S. LeRoy M.S., C.G.C., L.G.C.

  3. Genetic Counseling Program, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Nancy P. Callanan M.S., C.G.C.

Authors
  1. Patricia McCarthy Veach Ph.D., L.P.
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  2. Bonnie S. LeRoy M.S., C.G.C., L.G.C.
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  3. Nancy P. Callanan M.S., C.G.C.
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McCarthy Veach, P., LeRoy, B.S., Callanan, N.P. (2018). Professionalism: Ethically Based Reflective Practice. In: Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74799-6_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74799-6_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74798-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74799-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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