Fig. 1

The ethical decision-making of the GP draws upon the demands of the voices of the situation, profession, system, and self. The voice of the situation carries the problem as it is presented by the other; the voice of the profession, the professionally embedded moral values and principles; the voice of the system relates the demands of people who are not currently present, including any institutional goals; whereas the voice of the self attempts to ensure survival and thriving in one’s work environment. The circularity of the process reflects the iterative nature of professional problem setting, intervention, and human interaction. The voice of the profession encapsulates a sub-process through which the GP identifies what moral values are currently at stake, thus framing the problem from the professional point of view