Upcoming Continuing Education Sessions
- September 11, 2020: FD or EMB] – 6 HRS] Funeral Ethics by Todd Van Beck
Registration Links:
Funeral Ethics:
Description: One of the primary responsibilities of the licensed funeral is the ethical care of the dead, and also the ethical care of the living. Everyday funeral professionals are confronted with a myriad of problems and decisions which are more complicated and involved than in any other time in our beloved profession. It is absolutely true that ethics affects every aspect of human life. It is also absolutely true that when decision and problem solving is made using methods of ethical thinking lawsuits decrease, consumer complaints decrease, and people seem happier and more content. Many “thinkers” in modern times are of the opinion that much of our social unrest is a result of the lack of ethical thinking or a total absence of how to think ethically.
Do ethical decisions enhance the funeral profession and the lives of those we serve? Do ethical principles reflect the demands of funeral service standards that quest for excellence? Do funeral homes have ethical standards governing the way they conduct their affairs and interact with the world? If so, are these ethical standards even known about let along communicated to, and understood by the management of the funeral home, the staff, and the community and particularly by the bereaved? These are very important questions which this educational program will address. Doing wrong in funeral service is frequently committed by well-meaning people simply because they have never given serious thought to an ethical issue one way or the other. They conform without question to what appears to be “the way things are done.” There are many well-meaning people who, as far as ethics are concerned, operate in a void. They have simply not thought issues through in the light of their ethical implications.
Add to this the ever-increasing complexity of the society in which we work and live, and situations often arise that are so complex it seems impossible for even the most ethically aware people to find their way. Decisions frequently have to be made quickly with limited data; one set of demands may press hard in one direction, another in the other. Good and bad, or right and wrong, are not always easily discerned. Then on top of this add a criminal element to the ethical void, and the consequences are often disastrous. Ethics are important
Objective: This continuing education program takes a no-nonsense approach to this training and is intended to help all licensed funeral directors recognize and think through ethical issues when they arise, and to contribute to their overall knowledge of the ethical decision making process. This is an area that has many nuances, and implications and to be sure there are frequently no clear-cut answers, but we can try. The honesty, integrity and goodwill of those who work in our beloved profession will be enhanced by the information taught in this educational program.
Register for Todd’s sessions: US & International Licensees Register Here | Canadian Licensees Register Here
Get a FREE copy of Todd’s new book, Good Funeral Service – A Study in Ethics when you register for Todd’s program.
