Ethical competence is assured:

• A. through years of experience alone
• B. when one presents evidence of his or her qualifications
• C. by completing any one ethics course
• D. after supervision for a year

Answer: (B)

Ethical competence is assured when a professional can show verifiable qualifications. That means having completed recognized education and training, meeting established standards, and holding licensure or certification that aligns with the profession’s ethics code. This provides objective, auditable proof that the person possesses the baseline knowledge and judgment needed to practice ethically, not just time on the job or a single learning event. Years of experience alone might not reflect current ethical understanding or adherence to codes. An ethics course by itself doesn’t guarantee ongoing ethical ability, and supervision, while valuable for developing practice, doesn’t by itself certify that the appropriate qualifications and standards have been met. Presenting evidence of qualifications best signals that ethical competence is assured.