AOTA 2020 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics

indicates demonstration of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. Occupational therapy personnel react this concept in actions and attitudes of commitment, caring, dedication, responsiveness, and understanding.

Altruism

indicates that all persons have fundamental human rights and the right to the same opportunities. Occupational therapy personnel demonstrate this value by maintaining an attitude of fairness and impartiality and treating all persons in a way that is free of bias. Personnel should recognize their own biases and respect all persons, keeping in mind that others may have values, beliefs, or lifestyles that differ from their own. It applies to the professional arena as well as to recipients of occupational therapy services.

Equality

indicates valuing each person’s right to exercise autonomy and demonstrate independence, initiative, and self-direction. A person’s occupations play a major role in their development of self-direction, initiative, interdependence, and ability to adapt and relate to the world. Occupational therapy personnel affirm the autonomy of each individual to pursue goals that have personal and social meaning. Occupational therapy personnel value the service recipient’s right and desire to guide interventions.

Freedom

indicates that occupational therapy personnel provides places value on upholding moral and legal principles and on having knowledge of and respect for the legal rights of recipients of service. Occupational therapy personnel must understand and abide by local, state, and federal laws governing professional practice. This pursuit of a state in which diverse communities are inclusive and are organized and structured so that all members can function, flourish, and live a satisfactory life regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, origin, socioeconomic status, degree of ability, or any other status or attributes. Occupational therapy personnel, by virtue of the specific nature of the practice of occupational therapy, have a vested interest in social justice: addressing unjust inequities that limit opportunities for participation in society. They also exhibit attitudes and actions consistent with occupational justice: full inclusion in everyday meaningful occupations for persons, groups, or populations

Justice

indicates the importance of valuing, promoting, and preserving the inherent worth and uniqueness of each person. This value includes respecting the person’s social and cultural heritage and life experiences. Exhibiting attitudes and actions that requires occupational therapy personnel to act in ways consistent with cultural sensitivity, humility, and agility.

Dignity

indicates that occupational therapy personnel in all situations should be faithful to facts and reality. This demonstrated by being accountable, honest, forthright, accurate, and authentic in attitudes and actions.

Truth

indicates the ability to govern and discipline oneself through the use of reason. To value judiciousness, discretion, vigilance, moderation, care, and circumspection in the management of one’s own affairs and to temper extremes, make judgments, and respond on the basis of intelligent reflection and rational thought. Must be exercised in clinical and ethical reasoning, interactions with colleagues, and volunteer roles.

Prudence

What are the Core Values of OT

Altruism, Equality, Freedom, Justice, Dignity, Truth, and Prudence

What are the principles of OT

Beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, veracity and fidelity

shall demonstrate a concern for the well-being and safety of persons. Includes all forms of action intended to benefit other persons. This term has historically indicated acts of mercy, kindness, and charity that requires taking action to benefit others in other words, to promote good, to prevent harm, and to remove harm

Beneficence

Occupational therapy personnel shall refrain from actions that cause harm. It indicates that occupational therapy personnel must refrain from causing harm, injury, or wrongdoing to recipients of service. And requires taking action to incur benefit, it requires avoiding actions that cause harm. Also includes an obligation not to impose risks of harm even if the potential risk is without malicious or harmful intent. This Principle is often examined in the context of due care, which requires that the benefits of care outweigh and justify the risks undertaken to achieve the goals of care

Nonmaleficence

Occupational therapy personnel shall respect the right of the person to self-determination, privacy, confidentiality, and consent. This Principle expresses the concept that occupational therapy personnel have a duty to treat the client or service recipient according to their desires, within the bounds of accepted standards of care, and to protect their confidential information. This referred to as the self-determination principle. Respecting this service recipients acknowledges their agency, including their right to their own views and opinions and their right to make choices in regard to their own care and based on their own values and beliefs

Autonomy

Occupational therapy personnel shall promote equity, inclusion, and objectivity in the provision of occupational therapy services. This Principle relates to the fair, equitable, and appropriate treatment of persons. Occupational therapy personnel demonstrate attitudes and actions of respect, inclusion, and impartiality toward persons, groups, and populations with whom they interact, regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, origin, socioeconomic status, degree of ability, or any other status or attributes. Occupational therapy personnel also respect the applicable laws and standards related to their area of practice. It requires the impartial consideration and consistent observance of policies to generate unbiased decisions.

Justice

Occupational therapy personnel shall provide comprehensive, accurate, and objective information when representing the profession. This Principle refers to comprehensive, accurate, and objective transmission of information and includes fostering understanding of such information. This is based on the virtues of truthfulness, candor, honesty, and respect owed to others. In communicating with others, occupational therapy personnel implicitly promise to be truthful and not deceptive.

Veracity

Occupational therapy personnel shall treat clients (persons, groups, or populations), colleagues, and other professionals with respect, fairness, discretion, and integrity. This Principle refers to the duty one has to keep a commitment once it is made . This commitment refers to promises made between a provider and a client, as well as maintenance of respectful collegial and organizational relationships. Professional relationships are greatly in influenced by the complexity of the environment in which occupational therapy personnel work.

Fidelity

What principle is to complete evaluation and reevaluation of clients based on best available evidence

• The practitioner must maintain current and evidence-based competencies (including credentials, qualifications, and skills) to ensure that the best care is provided to clients

• Do not provide services outside of the occupational therapist's scope of practice and clinical competency

• The scope of occupational therapy service provision must always be a collaborative process with the client and caregivers

Beneficence

This principle is avoid inflicting harm or injury to the client. This may include:

• Ensuring continuity or transition of services when the occupational therapist is unable to continue service provision

• Solving personal problems or limitations to providing services

• Avoid causes of conflicts of interest in practice:

• Avoid relationships that may obstruct clear professional boundaries

• Avoid sexual or romantic relationships with clients and colleagues while a professional relationship is ongoing

• Avoid exploiting professional relationships that may cause conflicts of interest

nonmaleficence

This principle respect the right of the client to make critical decisions about their health and well-being, including:

• Identifying needs and wants during service provision

• The client's right to refuse services

• Willingness to participate in research studies

• Disclosing all potential risks, benefits, and harms of services

• Maintain confidentiality of the client on all verbal, written, or electronic communication, conversations with others, and social media posts

Autonomy

This principle ensure that clients have fair, equitable, and appropriate access to high-quality occupational therapy service. This may include:

• Ensuring access to care is free from bias, discrimination, and conflict of interest

• Billing and collection of fees adhere to principles of justice and adheres to state and federal laws and regulation

Reducing barriers to service provision

• Advocate for fair, equitable, and access to high-quality service provision.

• Maintaining awareness of relevant policies, procedures, and laws gov-

• Leadership in advocating for policies that impact practice

Justice

The occupational therapy professional must ensure truthful and accurate representation of services, information, and any content they provide. This includes

• Statements and claims about services provided and marketing of such

• Citing and crediting published and unpublished work in all professional

• Representing information, credentialing, and curricula in educational venues

• Representing qualifications and credentials

Veracity

Treat colleagues with respect. The occupational therapist must avoid the following:

Using disrespectful and unprofessional communications with colleagues

Using position of power and authority and volunteer affiliations and roles that may give rise to potential conflict

Use appropriate conflict resolution resources to address professional issues

Fidelity

is classically defined as identifiable statements about norms and values that can be used to guide professional practice

Ethics

defines as the "philosophical inquiry about norms and values, about ideas of right and wrong, good and bad, what should or should not be done, what ought to be done, and how you make moral decisions in your professional work

Moral reasoning

occurs when an individual is uncertain about which moral principles apply to a situation or whether a situation is indeed a moral problem.

Ethical uncertainty

occurs when an individual knows the right course of action but feels constrained to act otherwise by institutional rules.

Ethical distress

occur when an individual faces two or more equally unpleasant alternatives that are mutually exclusive

Ethical dilemmas