The Professionalism In Physical Therapy: Core Values

Unit 401 – Understanding the Principles and Practice of Internally Assuring the Quality of Assessment

Life can change in a split second when an unanticipated injury or disease hinders someone’s normal daily life. Modern medicine, physicians and families can only do so much but physical therapy can help recoup the life many of us take for granted. It often isn’t until we lose something that we as humans realize what we had such as the value of our body’s ability to take us through each day. A physical therapist is the person who stays with a patient for the duration of the rehabilitation process. A physical therapist leads the patient through the process of regaining physical strength and helps the patient regain control of their future. Much like many careers that involve interaction with individuals, physical therapy reaches beyond

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.

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.

Predominantly, a physical therapist must be compassionate and caring. My family members and I are accustomed to taking care of one another, regardless of the age or circumstance. Along with these age differences come different opinions; because of this, at a very young age, I quickly understood the meaning of empathy. I have become accustomed to practicing compassion at home, that it has now become second nature to me.

What is professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapist degree program? The key to professionalism is to demonstrate respect, quality, and efficiency at all times. As a student within a doctor of physical therapist degree program displaying professionalism at all times is critical. Respect must be illustrated to everyone in a place of work.

Professionalism is a vital characteristic that is required in a wide range of different applications. It is a multifaceted term that encompasses all the attributes that are essential to be an ethical and capable professional in today’s society. As a student in a doctor of physical therapy program, an individual must be able to display professionalism throughout daily activities to perform at a respectable and responsible level. Professionalism qualities can be shown by a student through demonstration of accountability, compassion, integrity, and excellence.

Congratulations on making it to week eight of PTA 324 Physical Therapy Across Practice Settings! We end this course with a look at professional development of the PTA. We will be discussing ideas for lifelong learning and maintaining clinical competence. By being in this course, you have already shown a commitment to professional development and lifelong learning. As we come to the end of this class, reflect on the self-directed learning that you have achieved and how your professional development has been affected by your research and the interactions with your classmates.

Accordingly, altruism became a mainstay. Proctoring physical therapists indoctrinated the fundamental that you put every need of a patient before your own, and always shooting for a higher level of care than the majority would accept. Specifically, they would always let patients come in on occasions separate from their appointments and utilize the exercise equipment as required. As the intern, building a priority to support all patients that came in with total guidance and instruction became predominant. This leads to the other key to professionalism, humility. During my internship, constant quizzing ingrained that you constrain the need to answer every question. Giving a “best guess” will lead to negative repercussions. Correspondingly, observations of the physical therapists themselves refer innumerable times to other professionals; be it the patient’s doctor, another therapist, or a dietitian. Seeing how various physical therapists operated also reinforced the belief of professional duty. The pride every therapist had in the profession, the mentoring that each provided, and the amount of work put towards every patient left my mind with a profound impression. Equally important, the consciousness of unspoiled care and compassion. Listening to other undergraduates and professors explain that you would have “problem patients”; this idea became entrenched in my head when starting. Contrarily, their concepts never materialized. Wanting to help the patients that had numerous struggles, or purely had countless debilitating injuries constituted as the goal. Contemplating unique exercises, finer cues, or improved ways to motivate perpetuated my evenings. Moreover; considering a patient ingenuously as a “knee”, or “rotator cuff”, or even just a patient was never a possibility. They were always people and people with their own particular

We are in two different stages of learning. I’ve had the opportunity to experience the “application” aspect of professionalism in the clinic. The application stage is composed of application of what’s been learned in the classroom to a situation in the workplace. By performing several of the sample indicators on a technician level such as catering to patient’s needs and understanding another individual’s perspective I have gained a better understanding of professionalism in the physical therapy field. Whereas, my partner is still in the “understanding” stage of the Bloom’s model. The understanding stage is composed of comprehending the meaning of professionalism. Although she has had the opportunity to utilize professionalism as a student, she can’t correlate that experience to possessing professionalism in the clinic or in a job setting in general. This doesn’t mean she’s unethical in her answers to the assessment. I realized her life experiences and lack of work experience caused her to have a different perspective when taking the assessment and therefore different answer choices. On the other hand, following each question we could come to a mutual agreement on what qualities a therapists should possess regardless of the difference in our

1. This observation was between the Physical Therapist (PT), Katie a 15-month-old girl, and her mother. Katie does not have a specific diagnosis but she has significant motor delays for her age. According to the PT and Katie’s mother she has just started walking by holding on to things. This observation took place in the gym, the benches were set up like a bridge and toys were put on top for her to play with. The PT sat behind Katie on one side of the bridge and Katie’s mom on the other side. Katie pulled herself up to reach the toys. The PT would move toys along the bridge to motivate her to move sideways. During this time the PT and Katie’s mother were taking about the progress she has made since she first started. Katie’s mother stated that at home Katie will stand by herself for a few seconds but then realizes it and she falls down. Katie’s mom also stated that she believed Katie does not have the confidence in herself to stand and walk on her own. The mother also reported that she always encourages her to stand and walk when they are at home. The rest of the session consisted of Katie practicing walking side-to-side and transitioning from the floor up to the bridge.

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.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, professionalism is defined as “consistently [demonstrating] core values by aspiring to and wisely applying principles of altruism, excellence, caring, ethics, respect, communication and accountability, and by working together with other professionals to achieve optimal health and wellness in individuals and communities". In the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapist degree program, there is no better model than the precursors before you. As an employee in an acute care rehabilitation setting, I have the opportunity of seeing firsthand the professional qualities that are essential in this profession.

Values often use modified methods and styles; I have utilized these different ethics in my career, which has aided me in improving, the environment at work and in my life. Having these particular skills of approaching situations causes an optimistic environment, respect for others, honesty, and reliable outcomes. I have had the comfort of knowing whether, you’re working or at home or out in public, individuals appreciate this kind of merit. These values cause high points in your character with families, patients and your colleagues. Real richness comes from knowing you’re assisting patients with top-quality care, and these goals are obtainable. Identification of these values prepares an

Excellence: Excellence is a key component behind the practice of evidence-based care in the profession of physical therapy. As a doctoring profession that utilizes high levels of research, the knowledge invested into care will lead to well-constructed successful outcomes. Physical therapy will continue to expand and excel in the quality of patient centered care. I’ve worked hard to meet goals throughout my undergraduate education and will continue to meet higher standards as a graduate student. As a future professional, I will aim far beyond what is necessary to meet basic requirements, and continually pursue growth.