| Problem-solving step | Your response | Response example |
|---|---|---|
| Identify the problem |
Miscalculation of fieldwork hours |
A mistake was made and it is too late to make-up the supervision hours that were never delivered. |
| Relevant ethical standard(s) |
effective supervision |
1.01 Being Truthful 4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements 4.06 Providing Supervision and Training |
| Consider dimensions of the problem |
supervisees fieldwork hours; supervisors license |
The opportunity to provide the supervision hours has passed. Yvonne wants to correct the mistake but cannot. It was the trainee’s mistake, but Yvonne should have been checking the hours log. They are both responsible, but ultimately it is Yvonne who signs off on the hours. The monthly supervision verification forms are still valid, but the additional hours worked by the trainee cannot be counted because he did not receive supervision for them. |
| Consider courses of action & potential consequences |
not honoring the hours will put the supervisee behind on their fieldwork; honoring hours that have been miscalculated goes against BCBA ethics code |
Yvonne can tell the trainee that there is nothing she can do. She might also help the trainee make-up the hours in some way. Another option is to provide the supervision now for the hours that he worked in previous months, though this option violates the Fieldwork Requirements protocol for delivering supervision hours. |
| Select a course of action |
Unfortunately, honoring miscalculated hours puts the supervisors license at risk. She has to honor only the hours that are documented effectively, since this is her responsibility. |
Yvonne decides that these hours cannot be made-up in an ethical manner. She proposes a plan where she finds the trainee an additional case assignment so he can work some extra hours and still finish supervision on time with his peers. |
| Implement and evaluate course of action |
Jack will likely be upset and may choose to terminate their supervision contract |
Yvonne still feels uneasy about her mistake but is relieved to have identified a solution that is ethically sound. |
