A county VR counselor is asked by a supervisor to alter a progress note to hide a delayed referral. What is the most appropriate ethical response?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Think of the progress note like a flight log — you do not rewrite history to make the delay disappear. Ethical practice means keeping the record accurate and raising the pressure through proper channels, not cooking the books for convenience.
Full Explanation
Accurate documentation is a core ethical and risk-management obligation in rehabilitation counseling. Altering a progress note to conceal a delayed referral constitutes falsification that can harm the client, mislead auditors, and expose the counselor and agency to liability. The counselor should refuse the improper request, maintain a truthful record, and use supervisory or compliance channels to address the pressure rather than sacrificing record integrity for convenience metrics.