Reference Guide to the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards

Students and faculty must uphold academic integrity, as must researchers who also need to respect participants, use the highest scholastic standards for their work, and honestly and accurately report evidence. Practitioners must work hard to ensure competent, appropriate interventions for clients and their families or caregivers, respecting both them and their situations.

This edition of the Reference Guide to the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards helps occupational therapy personnel explore and analyze ethical dilemmas and take action when challenges arise. Recognizing the many contexts in which occupational therapy personnel work, the Reference Guide arms occupational therapy students, practitioners, faculty, and researchers with both a foundation of professional values and guidance in the face of complex dilemmas.

Deborah Yarett Slater, MS, OT/L, FAOTA, is the staff liaison to the Ethics Commission and the Special Interest Sections of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She has more than 35 years of experience in administration and management within diverse health care organizations, including oversight of large single and multidisciplinary departments in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She was chair of the Ethics Commission from 2000 to 2001.