Physical Therapist’s Legal and Ethical Issues

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Physical Therapist’s Legal and Ethical Issues Dayton HCA 322: Health Care Ethics & Medical Law Instructor: Judith Watkins January 7, 2013 Physical Therapist’s Legal and Ethical Issues In the health care industry all physical therapists and all other professionals are ruled by codes of ethics, which mandate the highest level of integrity, honesty, and responsibility. These codes of ethics have been established to offer guidance to them in case an ethical predicament arises. Physical therapy is said to be the art and science of preventing and treating neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disabilities through the evaluation of an individual’s disability and rehabilitation potential. The use of physical means such as heat, cold, electricity, water, and light and neuromuscular procedures have a psychological effect on patient’s helping to improve or sustain their ideal functional level (Pozgar, 2012 pg.290). There are countless types of physical disabilities that patients have like a countless number of injuries and medical problems. However it is a very essential part of a patient’s total health care and when they interprets a physician’s orders wrong it can lead to legal and ethical issues. Ethical Codes for Physical Therapists During this period of time a physical therapist needs to look at their practice from an ethical point of view and by doing this it will protect the rights of their patient’s, maintain their integrity as a trained professional, and uplift the ethics of physical therapy as an occupation. The team of physical therapists has ethical codes that provide guidelines for demonstrating their professional behavior. All members of the physical therapist team are responsible for demonstrating ethical behavior at all times. They are to maintain the highest level of ethical conduct at all times and always respect the
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