Ethics 😇

Beneficence

• Well-being and safety of client; ensuring what you provide is beneficial

  • Evaluation- make sure assessments are up to date and useful

  • Interventions- make sure they are evidence-based and in OT scope

  • Re-Eval- timely; make sure services are terminated when goals are met/services are no longer needed

  • Key points- use evidence-based practices, be careful with emerging/specialty practices that you don’t have experience with; do research when considering more alternative practices that clients may be interested in

  • Research- consider benefits to participants

• A violation of beneficence typically looks like an OT not doing something that they know is beneficial for a client

Nonmaleficence

• Avoiding doing things that are harmful to clients

  • i.e. neglecting/abandoning patient without ensuring continuity of care

  • irresponsible professional behaviors (coming late; being under the influence) 

  • having inappropriate relationships with clients/their families 

  • exploiting others for own gain due to power as a provider

• A violation of nonmaleficence typically looks like an OT actively doing something harmful for a client

Autonomy

• self determination, right to freedom and choice, right to confidentiality

  • Cannot force/coerce a patient to receive services that they are not interested in (also cannot force them to stop doing most harmful actions)

  • Should provide education regarding potential benefits/risks, but know that at the end of the day, the client has the right to make decisions regarding their own life

  • Make sure to facilitate comprehension so that the client fully understands big picture and is able to make the most informed decision possible

  • Research- must give informed consent for study participants and allow them to drop out 

  • HIPAA- don’t do anything to jeopardize client’s privacy

Justice

• promote fairness and objectivity in the provision of OT services

  • OT services need to be timely and equitable (non-discriminatory)

    • NO preferential treatment

  • Gifts- don’t accept any that could impact relationship or blur professional boundaries

  • Procedural justice- upholding national/state/local laws

    • NBCOT code of conduct- not sharing board exam questions

    • Holding proper license while working

    • Maintaining high standards/education/competence

    • Know current laws (ex: ADA) and AOTA policies

    • Billing & Documentation- needs to follow laws and be fair

Veracity

• truth, transmitting honest information

  • Resume should be accurate

  • Need to use accurate credentials

  • Documentation needs to be honest and accurate

  • Need to properly credit others’ work through citations

  • When recruiting students/workers should be honest

  • Should be accurate when rating a student/mentee’s performance

Fidelity

• faithfulness (maintains trust in our profession)

  • Treat other professionals respectfully to maintain professionalism

Leading Cause of Moral Distress/Ethical Concerns in the Workplace for OTs

-Reimbursement constraints

-Being pressured to provide services primarily for financial benefit rather than the well-being of clients