Ethics In Physical Therapy Essay -- essays research papers fc

Ethics in physiologic TherapyOne of the most promptly growing occupations in the United States today is natural Therapy. The United States Department of Labor has projected 23,000 unfilled physical therapist positions in the year 2000 and a lack of qualified physical therapists to fill them (www.apta.org). While Physical Therapy grows rapidly, questions of ethics in this field have too grown in large quantities. Physical therapy is the treatment of disease through physical heart and soul, including light, heat, sound waves, electricity, magnetic fields, and exercise (www.byu.edu). This means that therapists use many different forms to treat people, and treating people can be a large ch eachenge because of all the different possibilities that could occur with the different treatments. Physical Therapy is a very rewarding and lucrative profession if the problems that come on with the job are dealt with in a capable manner.The main problem with Physical Therapy is the problem of the ethics of the profession. There are many ethical conflicts such as how to charge based on your services, and what types of services to give to each individual patient. To guide physical therapists in their decision making the American Physical Therapy Association came up with a code of ethics for its members to set their standards to work by. Their members are required to work by this code and are also required to maintain ethical practices. The first principle in their code is to respect the rights and dignity of all individuals. This includes all patients, employees, and co-workers. The second principle is to comply with all of the laws and regulations governing the practice of physical therapy. Physical therapists learn these laws in school before becoming a therapist. The third principle is that they must accept obligation for their actions and exercise sound judgment. Every therapist must own up to their mistakes, and take responsibility for their patients. The fourth pri nciple is that they must maintain and promote gamey standards for physical therapy practice, education, and research. No therapist should ever compromise his or her beliefs for any reason. The fifth principle is that they must seek remuneration for their services that is deserved and reasonable. This means that they should be paid for the work that they do, but that the pay shoul... ...hysical Therapy. V.77 N.11 (Nov. 1997) p1628. EbscoHost. MasterFILE Elite. A57797069. Owens Lib.Maryville, MO. 18 Mar. 2000. Grover, James. Physical Therapy. 1999. Brigham Young University Physical Therapy Department. 18 Mar. 2000. How to Fix Therapy Services? McKnights Long consideration Care News. V.20 N.14 (Oct. 6, 1999) p.59 Owens Lib. Maryville, MO. 18 Mar. 2000. Physical Therapy Making a Difference. American Physical Therapy Association. 18 Mar. 2000.