“Information Technology (IT) refers to anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies.”
(Retrieved 12 May, 2009 from http://www.techterms.com/definition/it)
We live in an ‘information age’ and so IT has become part of our everyday lives and penetrates society as a whole. It has almost become the norm to have email, a mobile phone, a digital camera, an Ipod, internet access, be part of an online social networking site and be able to fight off opponents on Wii!
I am comfortable and competent using a cellphone, my IPod (and its software,) the internet to search for information and keeping in touch with family/friends via email or social networking sites. Using a webcam and Skype to speak to people on the other side of the world has become second nature. I can use computer programmes (Word and Powerpoint) to create presentations and write essays. It has been a gradual learning process as I did not grow up with all this technology around me and there are still times when old fashioned methods of communication work much better!
As medical notes are gradually becoming computerised, information technology is being used more and more in occupational therapy to record and update interactions and treatment with clients. IT is also used as a method to keep in touch with other practitioners via email. In my fieldwork experience, OT’s have used mobile phones to stay in touch with the department if out on a home visit or when taking a client into the community. A system where OT’s in rural areas can dial into meetings and conferences was also in use on my last placement.
The main ethical implication that arises from the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices/systems is that being able to control the content and reliability of the data gets increasingly difficult. As more and more users of IT devices and services appear, then regulation of who has access to often sensitive information becomes a huge ethical implication.
“Computer ethics is set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. Some common issues of computer ethics include intellectual property rights (such as copyrighted electronic content), privacy concerns, and how computers affect society.”
(Retrieved 12 May, 2009 from http://www.techterms.com/definition/computerethics).
"Intellectual property (IP) are legal property rights over creations of the mind, both artistic and commercial, and the corresponding fields of law."
(Retrieved 12 May 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property).
Social Justice is: "The distribution of the benefits and the hardships in society, together with the way they are allocated. Geographers are particularly concerned with the spatial expression of social justice; where do the advantaged and disadvantaged groups live, why do they live there, and what is the connection between their place of residence and their future advantage or disadvantage?"
(Retrieved 12 May 2009 from http://www.answers.com/topic/social-justice).
Informed Consent is: consent given with full knowledge of the risks involved, probable consequences, and the alternatives.
(Retrieved 12 May 2009 from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/informed-consent.html)
It is important to have an understanding of ITC and its ethical issues because, as I mentioned earlier, it is now part and parcel of everyday life and to not use it will mean not moving forward. There is no possibility of ignoring it when we work with future clients as they too will have been exposed to IT in some form. It provides an excellent means of communication and research both professionally and personally. However we do need to be mindful of what information is stored and who has access to this considering our ethical obligations to clients. There is the potential for information from IT sources to be damaging to either myself as a professional or on a more personal level.
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