On this page of the study guide, we will go over the RBT work list item on professional behaviour and scope of practice. In this manual, you will learn about the professional ethical code and how RBT fits into the process of ABA treatment implementation.
- Significance of Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice: The health and safety of one’s client is the first concern of any RBT, making professional conduct and practice scope issues highly important. Depending on their education and credentials, Registered Behaviour Technicians are able to carry out a wide variety of duties. Medical practitioners put their patients at danger when they provide treatment that is outside their training or area of practice. To ensure that RBTs stay within their area of practice, the BACB has established certain ethical criteria.
Provide a detailed explanation of the BACB’s RBT Supervision Requirements and the Function of RBTs in the Service-Delivery System.
RBTs help clients by implementing treatment programs and ABA therapy. Since RBTs work with clients on an individual basis, the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has established regulations and standards for them.
The primary objective of an RBT is to execute the treatment plans that have been developed by the BCBA or supervisor. Having regular communication with supervisors is essential for RBTs to achieve greater outcomes.
Someone with a BCaBA or BCBA must be the boss. Unfortunately, BACB does sometimes let skilled but not certified people manage RBTs. Supervisors who do not have certification in applied behaviour analysis (ABA) must hold a valid licence in a related field of behavioural health.
Here’s specific rules and guidelines BACB created for RBTs:
- It is recommended that a BCBA oversee at least 5% of RBT’s working hours every month.
- Supervisors must engage in face-to-face communication with RBTs on a bi-monthly basis.
- At least one RBT and one BCBA must meet individually once a month for supervision if many RBTs are working with the same client.
- In the event that an RBT does not have enough supervision, they are required to notify the BCBA.
- While you’re on vacation or not working, you won’t need any kind of monitoring.
- A request for voluntary inactive status might be made in the event that you want to take a long vacation.
- The monthly supervision record must be signed by both the RBT and the supervisor every month.
- These records will be maintained for a minimum of seven years by you, the RBT, and your supervisor.
- For RBTs, BACB has established the following regulations and standards. Your certification is at stake in the event that you disobey any of these regulations. It is imperative that you preserve and safeguard all documents.
Respond appropriately to feedback and enhance or maintain performance accordingly
An RBT’s professional growth relies heavily on feedback. You can better guarantee that your consumers will get top-notch attention and assistance with this.
You may get feedback from your boss, coworkers, customers, or even yourself if you make an effort to evaluate yourself. An RBT’s development and efficacy depend on his or her ability to take criticism well and use it to move the profession forward.
Asking questions to clarify feedback is necessary if you don’t comprehend it. Maintain a respectful tone and ask enquiries that are motivated by inquiry, rather than defensiveness or a desire to argue.
Even if your BCBA says you’re doing a great job, you should still ask for comments throughout sessions. Weekly, monthly, or yearly evaluations are examples of the more formal feedback systems used by many firms.
As allowed, talk to stakeholders such as family, carers, and other professionals.
Everyone who has a stake in your client’s well-being, including parents, guardians, other family members, and professionals like therapists and educators, are stakeholders. Only authorised stakeholders should be contacted. In order for you to speak with anybody outside of your client’s immediate family as an RBT, you will need to get formal approval from your BCBA.
In order to provide the best care for their clients, BCBAs must work together with parents and other medical experts. Refer other parties to your BCBA if they need your professional advice on clinical matters. Since this is within the purview of a BCBA, not an RBT, an RBT does not have the authority to suggest parents or alter the intervention plan.
Prevent Conflicts of Interest, Social Media Contacts, and Dual Relationships by Keeping Your Professional Life Separate.
For RBTs to stay focused on the aim, it is necessary to maintain professional boundaries with customers and stakeholders. The RBT Ethics Code includes many recommendations for keeping stakeholders and customers in a professional relationship.
It helps therapists set aside their prejudices and emotions while making choices. The decisions should be unbiased and more effective for the purpose of providing effective treatments.
It is possible for RBTs to have a conflict of interest if they are also clients’ or carers’ representatives. A supervisor’s or RBT’s choice in such a situation might be emotionally based and biassed.
Such a connection should not exist, for instance, if you are both a client’s RBT and a friend of the client’s mother.
Here are a few more examples of dual relationships that you must avoid:
- When clients are not in treatment, the RBTs or supervisors may spend time with them or even go to family activities.
- The RBT has a strong friendship with the carers or supervisors.
- They are all related, the RBT and the carers.
- Clients, carers, and parents may consider the RBT a social media buddy.
- The RBT’s weekend job is babysitting.
- As a side job, the RBT helps out the client’s parents.
- The RBTs have the ability to form platonic relationships with the family after the therapeutic relationship concludes, which occurs when the client is discharged from therapy or the RBT resigns from their position. There must be a two-year gap between the completion of therapy and the beginning of any romantic or sexual interaction with the client or carers.
Since the exchange of costly presents might lead to a conflict of interest and impact the ABA treatment, the RBT Ethics Code prohibits the exchange of gifts with a monetary value above $10. If you suspect this is likely to occur with the clients or carers, you should notify your supervisor right once.
Maintain Client Dignity
Compassion, understanding, and respect are essential traits for an RBT to exhibit while interacting with clients, carers, and other stakeholders. Whatever their needs or skills are, you should be polite and treat them with respect.
Clients’ dignity may be preserved by RBTs through:
- Preserving the confidentiality of our clients.
- Honouring the independence of the customer.
- Be mindful of cues that indicate agreement and respect when consent is withheld.
- Keeping in mind and respecting many cultural, religious, and individual perspectives.
- Making positive reinforcement a top priority.
- Communication and self-advocacy should be prioritised and encouraged.
- Remember that your customer is more than a statistic or issue; they are a person.
- Show empathy and compassion while dealing with customers.
- Regardless of a person’s talents or requirements, they deserve to have their voice heard and appreciated. Remember to treat your customers, parents, and carers with the utmost politeness and respect.
