PT Ethics: Introduction

Ethics

• The discipline deals with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.

• An area of study on what is morally justified.

Normative Ethics (aim)

Aim: Identifying, understanding, and applying justified moral values.

Normative Ethics (goal)

Goal: Understand and apply justified moral values to personal decisions and character, public policies and laws, and organizational structures.

Physical Therapy Ethics (Normative Sense)

It is the normative inquiry into morally justified decisions and principles, ideals and virtues, and policies and laws concerning physical therapy.

Physical Therapy Ethics (Normative Sense) A

an interdisciplinary study that draws on the insights of physical therapists, other health professionals, philosophers, religious thinkers, attorneys, administrators, and members of the public. (a)

Physical Therapy Ethics (Normative Sense) B

It is the set of justified conduct, beliefs, attitudes, relationships, principles, policies, and ideals in physical therapy. (b)

Descriptive Ethics

• refers to facts about what people believe in moral matters and how people actually act, regardless of whether their beliefs and actions are justified.

• what groups believe about morality, without necessarily endorsing them in any way

Physical Therapy Ethics (Descriptive Sense)

Refers to any or all of the following:

• The conduct of physical therapists (as individuals or as groups)

• The beliefs of physical therapists

• The empirical (realistic) description and explanation of the origins and functions of practices concerning morality in physical therapy

Moral Competence

Empathy allows people to add dimension and multiple perspectives into their thinking process, and in so doing they can move through the development of moral principles and reasoning.

Morality

It is about right and wrong, good and bad, and what one ought and ought not to do.

Ethical Relativism

Morality as: Obeying the Law or other dominant customs

Ethical Egoism

Morality as: Pursuing what is good for ourselves

Utilitarianism

Morality as: Producing the most good for the most people

Right Ethics

Morality as: Respecting human rights

Advanced expertise

It combines sophisticated practical skills with a strong grounding in sophisticated theory. The professionalization of physical therapy is manifested in the steady movement toward more advanced training in science and medicine and by the increased union between know-how and knowing-that as exemplified in evidence-based practice.

Independent judgment

It implies the need for discretion—in contrast with merely mechanical or routine procedures—in making diagnoses of problems, considering alternative solutions, and reaching sound verdicts about how to proceed.

Social Organization

Typically includes one national professional society (APTA in the USA and PPTA in the Philippines).

Social Recognition

It means that the profession, through its professional organization, wins support from state and national governments to educate, license, discipline, and in other ways regulate its membership.

Commitment to the public good

Refers to a shared devotion to some public good or to some aspect of the good of society. The specific aspect enters into the definition of particular professions.

Ethical Relativism

Right action consists always and only in following the customs of the group or society to which one belongs.

1. Moral Reasons

2. Facts

3. Options and Outcomes

4. Deliberation and Decision

5. Action

6. Review

6 steps that are typically involved in responding to ethical dilemmas