Safety, ethics and rules in care work
Confidentiality obligation, documentation, use of force, and citizen rights
You come deep into people's private lives and learn about their health, their homes, and their life stories. With that closeness comes great responsibility, and so your profession is surrounded by rules and ethical principles to protect the citizen. Knowing them is not bureaucratic — it's part of being a trustworthy professional.
§Confidentiality obligation
As a social and health helper you have confidentiality obligations. This means you cannot disclose personal and confidential information about the citizen to unauthorised people. You do not talk about citizens on the bus at family gatherings or on social media and you only share information with colleagues and professionals who need it to help the citizen. The obligation of confidentiality also applies after you have stopped working.
§The citizen's self-determination
A key principle is that the citizen determines their own life. Adult people have the right to say no thank you to help to live as they wish and to make choices you may disagree with. Your job is to advise motivate and support — not to decide. Self-determination is a fundamental right even if the citizen lives in a care home or needs extensive help.
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Because self-determination is so strong, there are very strict rules about using force — that is, doing something to or against a citizen's will. The main rule is that you may not use force. Only in special situations, and only according to the rules in social legislation, can force be used to a limited extent against citizens who, for example, have severe dementia and put themselves at risk. Such cases must always be decided correctly, documented, and reported. You must never use force on your own because it is easier.
§Documentation as quality and safety
Documentation is not just paperwork – it is part of patient safety. When you write what you have observed and done, your colleagues and the nurse can act on it, and the citizen gets seamless care. Good documentation is factual, describes what you have seen and done, and separates observation from your own assessment. You write it so a colleague can read and understand it without you being there.
§When something goes wrong—unintended incidents
If there are mistakes — for example a fall a medication error or a forgotten intervention — it must be reported as an unintended incident. The purpose is not to find a culprit but to learn from it and prevent it from happening again. A culture where you dare to report mistakes is a safe workplace for both citizens and staff. Reporting an error is professionally responsible not embarrassing.
§Ethics in everyday life
Behind the Rules Lies Professional Ethics: Respect for the Individual, Honesty, Care and Equality. You Often Face Situations Without a Single Right Answer — Where the Citizen's Wishes, Health and Safety Pull in Different Directions. Here Sound Professional Judgment and Conversation With Colleagues and Leaders Guide Your Way. Ethics is Something You Practice Throughout Your Working Life.