Home Practice Standards Professional Conduct 1.5 General Conduct
General Conduct

Standard 1.5: General Conduct

The Professional Practice Standards regarding general conduct. This includes the four standards, examples in demonstrating the standard, definitions, and related resources.


Professional Conduct
General Conduct

Standard 1.5: General Conduct

The Professional Practice Standards regarding general conduct. This includes the four standards, examples in demonstrating the standard, definitions, and related resources.

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The Standard

 

1.5.1 Registrants refrain from illegal conduct relevant to their suitability to practise the profession.

 

1.5.2 Registrants refrain from practising the profession when they ought to know their ability to do so is impaired.

 

1.5.3 Registrants treat employees, co-workers, students, and other individuals with whom they are professionally or academically associated with respect.

 

1.5.4 Registrants at all times refrain from conduct that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by registrants as disgraceful, dishonourable, unprofessional, or unbecoming a registrant.

Standard 1.5

Demonstrating the Standard

  • Standard 1.5

    A registrant demonstrates meeting the standard by, for example:

     

    • practising the profession with integrity and professionalism;
    • considering the impact of their actions on the profession as a whole;
    • assessing their actions from the perspective of a panel of professional peers;
    • consulting a clinical supervisor, case consultant or another registrant of the College if they find themselves in challenging circumstances.
    • the delegation.

Key Definitions

  • Key Definitions

    Incapacity

    Occurs when a registrant is suffering from a physical or mental condition or disorder that makes it desirable in the interest of the public that the registrant’s certificate of registration be subject to terms, conditions or limitations, or that the registrant no longer be permitted to practise.

  • Key Definitions

    Disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct

    Behaviour occurring in the course of practising the profession that goes beyond legitimate professional discretion, or errors in judgment, and constitutes misconduct as defined by the profession.

  • Key Definitions

    Conduct unbecoming a registrant

    Behaviour outside the practice of psychotherapy that casts doubt about the registrant’s integrity or brings the profession into disrepute.

Standard 1.5

Commentary

Standards pertaining to behaviour apply to both in-person and online conduct.

It is professional misconduct to practise the profession while the registrant knows or ought to know that their ability to do so is impaired by any condition, dysfunction, or substance. Registrants are responsible for monitoring their physical and mental health and expected to seek assistance when necessary.

Registrants rely on one another to conduct themselves privately and in the community in a manner consistent with the values, beliefs, and standards to which they adhere professionally. The Professional Practice Standards are generally concerned with conduct in the course of professional practice. Actions outside the practice of psychotherapy may be regarded as unbecoming a registrant, reflecting poorly on the registrant’s integrity and the profession as a whole. Generally, this type of misconduct involves dishonesty (e.g. fraud) or a serious breach of trust (e.g. child abuse). Conduct unbecoming can also include online behaviour.

 

Conduct unbecoming does not include trivial behaviour in a registrant’s personal life. Nor does it include aspects of a registrant’s identity that would be protected under human rights legislation.

Illegal behaviour may also be considered professional misconduct. Registrants may be held accountable by the College if they contravene any Canadian law if the purpose of the law is to protect or promote public health (broadly defined), or if the contravention is relevant to the registrant’s suitability to practise. The College has developed a policy on what is considered relevant to a registrant’s suitability to practise.

 

If registrants are uncertain about whether particular actions are appropriate for an RP, they should consult with colleagues or the College.

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