Tutorial one: Information Technology and Ethical Issues

Information Technology is becoming increasingly important in the working lives and day to day lives of society. As an Occuaptional therapy student I think it is important to understand the concepts involved with this technology and the ethics related to using it. This post is all about definitions involved with IT and how important it is to an occupational therapist.To begin with it is important to understand what information technology (IT) is.

Information technology

IT is defined by Hanks (1989) as "the production, storage and communication of information using computers and microelectronics". It is important as it is used daily in the way of computers, cell phones, iPods etc. Some jobs cannot be done without the use of computers for emails, scheduling patients in for appointments and other important tasks like this. Use of laptops for students is these days imperative and we have come to rely on technology to use it for lectures and to save files and assignments. Technology has become an important way of communicating with clients and people around us, and is quick and effective.How common place has it become?....VERY COMMON PLACE.Technology is increasingly becoming a bigger part of the way society communicates. I pesonally feel comfortable with using computers as i have used them often to complete work, to communicate with friends overseas and to store imortant photos and files.

IT-IN RELATION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE

On my first fieldwork experience i saw first hand how much technology is used in occupational therapy practice. Some examples are:

.Digital cameras used to photograph equipment to show clients the equipment available to them.

.Pager now being used by OT’s to let them know when a client has arrived.

.Computers used to store information about clients.

.Computers used to email other health professionals.

Although IT devices can be very helpful they also come with ethical implications. These implications include things like:

.Some people may get the wrong idea from an email or a text message as emotions cannot be seen or heard through these ways of communicating.

.Computers can decrease level of privacy in relation to client notes and other “sensitive information”. “The ease and efficiency with which computers and computer networks can be used to gather, store, search compare, retrieve and share personal information make computer technology especially threatening..”(Bynum & Rogerson, 2004).

With all this in mind it is clear there are ethics involved with computers and their use. What is the definition of "computer ethics"?

COMPUTER ETHICS IS...
defined by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_ethics as "a branch of practical philosophy which details with how computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct".

Other definitions related to Information technology and ethics:


INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:
Defined by the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property as "an umbrella term for various legal entitlements which attain to certain types of information, ideas or other intangibles in their expressed form. The holder of this entitlement is generally entitled to exercise various exclusive rights in relation to the subject matter of the IP .The term intellectual property reflects the idea that this subject matter is the product of the mind or the intellect, and that the IP rights may be protected at law in the same way as any other form of property".

SOCIAL JUSTICE:
"An ideal of society where “justice” refers to economic status rather than to the administration of laws. It is based on the idea of a society which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of society, although what is “fair treatment” and a “just share” must remain unclear or subject to interpretation" as defined by the site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/social_justice.

INFORMED CONSENT:
Defined by the site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/informed_consent as "a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action".

A great understanding of IT will be beneficial for practice and our daily lives as they have become a big part of society. Computers are being used more to complete daily tasks like communicating with peers and colleagues. Understanding the ethical issues that come with ITC will enable us to use these devices well and do it without doing anything unethical that will offend anyone.

Bynum, T.W. & Rogerson, S. (2004). Computer ethics and professional responsibility. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Retrieved February 14, 2007fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_ethics

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent

Retrieved February 14, 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

Retreived Februry 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice