Reflection #6 -- Emily Rodriguez

I chose to assess the code of ethics from the American Occupational

Therapy Association. I am planning on going to graduate school for
Occupational Therapy so I thought it would be a good idea to become
familiar with the ethical standards expected of OTs. The ethical code is
revised every year so that it is up to date with the ever-changing health care
environment. It is important to keep the code current, since new technology
is always emerging and creating ethical concerns. The code cautions that it
cannot address every possible situation and that OTs may need to consult
an ethical committee or consultant in order to make the best decision.
There are seven core values of the Occupational Therapy profession;
Altruism, Equality, Freedom, Justice, Dignity, Truth, and Prudence. These are
not enforceable per say, but are meant to guide professionals to the most
ethical course of action. Altruism means that the OT should always be
concerned with the welfare of others. Equality means that the OT should
treat people equally and without bias. Freedom means that the OT is able to
tailor each treatment to the values and desires of the client. Justice means
that the OT will do their best to help all kinds of people function in their
community. Dignity means that the OT must always respect the client. Truth
means that the OT will always be honest in their written, oral, and electronic
notes. Prudence means that the OT should use clinical and ethical logic to
create interventions for the client.
The enforceable standards of conduct are the typical principles used in
most health care fields. These are imperative for the OT to follow because
legal action may be taken if they do not. I am not going to redefine each
principle but I will give an example or two about how it relates specifically to
the Occupational Therapy field.
Beneficence is put into practice when clients are reassessed in a timely
manner to determine if their goals were met and too see how effective the
current interventions are. Nonmaleficence is usually determined by using
due care. Due care applies to situations in which clients may be subject to
some pain but it is worth the benefits of the treatment. An example of
autonomy is that the OT has to respect a clients right to refuse treatment.
Justice is put into practice when the OT is up to date with current laws and
AOTA policies. Veracity is put into play when the OT does reports and must
be truthful in their documentation of activities. The principle of fidelity talks a
lot about promoting collaboration and working as an interprofessional team
to give each client the best care.
A common area of misconduct is negligence. Negligence can be a
legitimate case when the Occupational Therapist in question is shown to
have deviated from the standard of care. These cases are usually brought
about because the client sustained an injury either during therapy or as a
result of therapy. The four most popular claims filed against OTs between
the years 1991-1994 are; Improper Treatment, Burns from a Hot Pack, Falls,
and Sexual Misconduct.

Overall, the code is used to guide ethical decision-making and provide

a standard of care for Occupational Therapists in various settings around the
nation. It gives OTs moral values to strive for in practice and in everyday
life. OTs are expected to use the code to weigh the consequences of their
actions and to reflect on the outcomes of their decisions.
https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Ethics/Code-ofEthics.pdf
ajot.aota.org/data/Journals/AJOT/930019/671.pdf?resultClick=1