Ethics in Physical Therapy

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

Ethics is a strongly culturally linked area of philosophy interrelated with what is considered acceptable human conduct. There are two branches of ethics; medical ethics and bioethics. The moral conduct and principles which govern practices of medical and health professionals falls under medical ethics, whereas in biomedicine and the health sciences theorised developments in the study of social and moral issues is considered bioethics(1). There are two philosophical principles within the conduction of health care research these are deontology and utilitarianism. Deontology is an approach to ethics that focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions (2). Utilitarianism states that the most benefit

One important role massage therapist has, is to make the client feel comfortable. The more experience you have within this field, the more confident the therapist would be during a massage session. The idea of the client feeling safe, emotional and/or psychologically, is the a way to receive an effective session (Porcino,2014). The more the client feels complacent, the more the client will be willing to return. Also if the client feels safe, the number of lawsuits would decrease.The American Massage Therapy Association’s Rules of Ethics(2) states that practitioners shall be truthful in advertising and marketing, and refrain from misrepresenting his or her services, charges for services, credentials, training, experience, ability or results

Physical therapists are bound by a set of code of ethics determined by the House of Delegates of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). It’s a set of 8 principles holding the purpose of providing good behavior and performance as well as guidance for physical therapists in facing ethical challenges.

The physical therapy profession is concerned with treating individuals of all ages. In the future, I plan on being able to comfort individuals undergoing physical therapy by being able to use my compassionate nature, caring, understanding, and the expertise that I will gain, while serving as their physical therapist. In doing the previously mentioned things, I hope to be considered as an important asset to society. I believe that people will be able to increase their viability by seeking my assistance.

The resident physician violated confidentiality, because when he left the patient’s room and made a comment about “She-male,” everyone in that vicinity may have overheard him. Only the health care professional taking care of him should know about the patient being

Physical therapy is defined as the treatment of an injury, disease, or deformity by physical means and methods such as exercise, hot or cold treatments, and/or massage rather than a pharmaceutical method such as opioids or the surgical route. Physical therapy much like other healthcare professions is a patient based profession in which the healthcare professional and the patient are in contact with each other frequently. This contact between the professional (the physical therapist assistant in this case) and the patient can propose issues that could challenge the physical therapist assistant’s morals, ethics, and/or professionalism. These challenges made it apparent that there needed to be guidelines for the professionalism a physical therapist assistant must follow and be aware of, which led to the development of the 8 value-based behaviors.

As a member of a medical professional team, you will work closely with many physicians. As you have read this week, guarding the physician-patient relationship is serious business.In this assignment you will practice what you have learned in chapters 5 and 7 in the Medical Law and Ethics textbook: * Federal privacy laws that pertain to healthcare and the "Patient's Bill of Rights" * Privacy, confidentiality, and privileged communications * Filing birth and death certificates * Examples of communicable diseases which must be reported to local, state and/or federal

I believe that my personal and professional growth and behavior as a physical therapist is of utmost importance. I base this firstly on my strong connection to those in society who are disadvantaged when it comes to physical therapy, and also on the movement system, movement being “the key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person’s ability to participate in and contribute to society” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2013). This perspective, I believe, is aligned perfectly with the vision statement for the physical therapy profession – to transform society through optimization of movement to improve the human experience (APTA, 2013). After reviewing the vision statement, I strongly believe it will act as my guide by strengthening compassion, reinforcing advocacy, improving quality of service, and strengthening cohesion.

Code of Ethics is a written set of rules issued by an organization to its employees and administration to aid them provide treatment in accordance with its prime values and ethical standards.

Ethical Dilemma # 19 problem indicated issues with an occupational therapist located in a rural school district to provide services outside of their scope of practice. The occupational thera-pist is the only healthcare professional within this school district that provides services. The con-tribution from other healthcare professionals is limited, due to the inability to get professionals from other disciplines, in spite of numerous recruiting efforts and a current open position. The occupational therapist sees the area of concern for the client, but the parent and teacher want the child to walk. Teaching the client how to walk is not in the scope of practice unless it’s functional mobility to engage in an activity or occupation. This situation identifies as an ethical dilemma be-cause it causes conflicts in professional interactions, client interventions, and employment setting.

Health care professionals are subject to a multitude of professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities which call for personal judgment to be utilized in such a manner as to protect clients as well as public wellness and interests. Overall considerations in handling such duties may be considered to be respect of a client’s autonomy, confidence, and recognition of obligations owed to all clients. While the aforementioned acts fall within the professional realm, there are also legal implications that guide care. Therefore, it can be said that ethical considerations occur in observation of legal responsibilities. Confidential information is perceived as private facts which are disclosed with the

On September 8th, 2015, I first began interning for Dr. Dawn Cox and her staff of experienced Physical Therapists at PRANA Functional Manual Therapy in Lancaster, PA as a Physical Therapy Aide. Intermittently, on the first day of my internship, I would ask the therapists “Why choose Physical Therapy as a profession?” One of the Physical Therapists conveyed that aside from the substantial benefits a job provides, it was the intangible materials that gave the profession a meaning. As a student exploring the field of Physical Therapy, I have infallibly witnessed professionalism at PRANA and other Physical Therapy facilities through the therapists’ altruism towards patients -without violating ethical practices as professionals; their apposite use of communication with each individual at the workplace; and their sense of accountability when things go unforeseen.

For over 75 years the profession of physical therapy has required it's members to adhere to a standard of ethical behavior.1 The first Code of Ethics adopted by the American Physiotherapy Association in 1935 focused mainly on the relationship between the physical therapist (PT), referring physician, and the disciplinary actions of violating that relationship.2(p.4) Since then the Code of Ethics has evolved into what the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) refers to as the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist (PT Code), and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA Standards).2(p.5),3,4 Today the Code and Standards are designed around the association's core set of values to

Becoming a competent ethical therapist is more than knowing the codes of ethics in his/her profession. It is about developing the knowledge and understanding about the code of ethics to make ethical reasoning within the confines of the AAMFT and laws so the practitioner can make the best determination or choice of what to do, especially when the laws and ethical rules become obscured making it difficult to adhered to the code (Gehart, 2014). Every practitioner should always abide by the law even if it conflicts with any part of the code of ethics. But, he/she must abide by the law