Professional Issues and Ethics in Physical Therapy: A Case Based Approach

This unique case-based resource provides real-life ethical scenarios and dilemmas that build your expertise on this increasingly important topic

Carefully selected to encourage thinking and discussion, the cases in Professional Issues and Ethics in Physical Therapy provide a framework for quickly and accurately answering vital questions when it comes to professional ethics in a physical therapy setting like “What should I do?” and “How should I act?” In addition to addressing clinician-patient situations, it explains how to resolve issues within institutional and societal perspectives.

With content specifically designed to help students excel in their Professional Issues & Ethics Course, this updated guide covers everything you need to know, including:

• Healthcare ethics and professionalism
• Ethical risk factors
• Decision-making models for clinical practice
• Frameworks for different practice settings
• Protecting against moral injury in practice
• Practicing ethically in a “hands off” world
• Accountability and boundaries
• Professional relationships, responsibility, and self-regulation

The text is divided into two sections: Ethics for the Physical Therapist provides didactic, foundational material; Types of Ethical Decisions: Case Analysis applies ethical decision-making tools to relevant cases, with the second section focusing on case analyses. The two sections integrate with one another, but each can also be read separately.

Nancy Kirsch, PT, DPT, PhD, is director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Rutgers University.  She is currently on the APTA Scope of Practice Task Force and vice president of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Awarded the Distinguished Professional Award from the New Jersey Chapter of APTA in 2017, Dr. Kirsch writes a monthly column titled “Ethics in Action” for the APTA publication PT in Motion.