The American Physical Therapy Association Code of Ethics and Discipline

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The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a national professional organization representing more than 74,000 members and its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education. The APTA just like every other organization has a code of ethics that it requires its members to follow. In 1935, APTA adopted its first Code of Ethics and Discipline. This Code provided a formal statement that acknowledged the ethical obligations of Association members. Since 1935, the Code has been revised several times. The current version of the Code of Ethics was adopted by APTA's House of Delegates in 2009 and

The APTA code of ethics clearly defines the goals and ethical principles of the organization. It provides an ethical guidance for all physical therapists, and prevents them from taking advantage of their patient/client. It encourages the physical therapist to seek additional advice or consultation in instances where the guidance of the Code of Ethics may not be definitive. This Code of Ethics is built upon the five roles of the physical therapist, which include management of patients/clients, consultation, education, research, and administration, and the multiple realms of ethical action, which include individual, organizational, and societal. Physical therapist practice is guided by a set of seven core values: accountability, altruism, compassion/caring, excellence, integrity, professional duty, and social responsibility. The physical therapists have a special obligation to empower, educate, and enable those with impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and disabilities to facilitate greater independence, health, wellness, and enhanced quality of life. The eight princi...

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... the physical therapist that requires them to make ethical judgments. The APTA code of ethics, guides the physical therapists in making these ethical judgments by asserting the ideals of the profession and by defining some of the limits of professionally and morally acceptable behavior. The APTA code of ethics is very thorough and although it may not be prepared for every situation that may evolve, it is being revised from time to time as the dynamics of the physical therapy profession changes and new patterns of health care delivery are developed and accepted by the professional community and the public.

Works Cited

http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Policies_and_Bylaws1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=73012

http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_APTA&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=41&ContentID=23725

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