AOTA 2020 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics 4. At that time, many professional associations began creating codes of ethics in response to the ethical issues being raised by the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, in which researchers studied the effects of syphilis on African-American men who had not given informed consent and were told that they were being treated for the disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). Flexion/extensionStrength: 4/5, AROM: 50/50, PROM: 60/60, Radial/ulnar deviationStrength: 4/5, AROM: WNL, PROM: NT, Boston Carpal Tunnel Outcomes Questionnaire (BCTOQ). Occupational therapy personnel have an obligation to be truthful with themselves, recipients of service, colleagues, and society. Occupational therapy should continue to help the lives of those recovering from injuries and people living with long-term disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy. For a full list of AOTA ethics resources, please refer to the AOTA website at https://www.aota.org/Practice/Ethics.aspx. An occupational therapist is responsible for empowering patients to participate more fully in daily tasks when this ability is compromised by a health condition. The entry-level occupational therapy master's degree (MOT) programs on the San Marcos, California; St. Augustine and Miami, Florida; and Austin, Texas, campuses and the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) programs on the San Marcos, California; St. Augustine and Miami, Florida; Austin and Dallas, Texas, campuses are accredited This Principle is often examined in the context of due care, which requires that the benefits of care outweigh and justify the risks undertaken to achieve the goals of care (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019). The Representative Assembly mandates that the Code, as an official AOTA policy document, undergo review every 5 years. (n.d.). They do this through: After making a diagnosis, PTs create personalized plans that help people: Both OTs and PTs work with people on an individual level and develop plans to help them achieve their targets. 2. Describe the type and duration of occupational therapy services accurately in professional contracts, including the duties and responsibilities of all involved parties. The following paragraphs outline the changes made to the 2015 Code. Our content release schedule is bi-weekly. Some of us focus on the heros role: Patient did such and such., Others focus on what we, the guide, accomplish with our skilled interventions: Therapist downgraded, corrected, provided verbal cues.. For example, occupational therapy personnel should consistently balance their duties to service recipients, students, research participants, and other professionals, as well as to organizations that may influence decision making and professional practice. Identify and fully disclose to all appropriate persons any errors or adverse events that compromise the safety of service recipients. American Occupational Therapy Association. (Principle: Justice; key words: policy, procedures, rules, law, roles, scope of practice), 1B. For example, an occupational therapy intervention might require the service recipient to invest a great deal of time and perhaps even discomfort; however, the time and discomfort are justified by potential long-term, evidence-based benefits of the treatment. In every good story, theres a hero and a guide. The OT will work with the person to understand their abilities and goals, then develop a treatment plan based on that information. In communicating with others, occupational therapy personnel implicitly promise to be truthful and not deceptive. EC members divided into work groups to reorganize the Code by dividing the 2015 Code into the following parts: Preamble, Core Values, Principles, Standards of Conduct, and Appendixes. Channel your inner English major. In addition, some states require occupational therapy practitioners to obtain continuing education in ethics in order to maintain licensure. In the OT Potential Club, our OT evidence-based practice platform, you can also access our library of documentation examples. Where (in your professional opinion) should the patient go from here? OTs work with people who are experiencing illness or disability or are recovering from a medical event, such as a stroke or an operation. Documentation. The Code of Ethics underwent revisions in 1988, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, with input from AOTA membership. April is OT Month: 10 Fun Facts About Occupational Therapy For treatment notes, many therapists actually combine their assessment and plan sections, which is where you would find sentences like the ones I listed. Respect and honor the expressed wishes of recipients of service. The occupational therapy profession is grounded in seven longstanding Core Values: Altruism, Equality, Freedom, Justice, Dignity, Truth, and Prudence (AOTA, 1993). Even if you dont use this exact structure in your notes, your documentation probably has all of these dimensions. As charged by the Representative Assembly, the Ethics Commission added a section on Professional Civility in 2020. Release of Results. (Principle: Veracity; key words: documentation, timely, accurate, law, fraud), 3D. So, why do many OTs insist on writing things like: Continue plan of care as tolerated? The field of OT consists of health care practitioners trained and educated to improve mental and physical performance. The Code is an AOTA Official Document and a public statement tailored to address the most prevalent ethical concerns of the occupational therapy profession. Occupational therapy personnel affirm the autonomy of each individual to pursue goals that have personal and social meaning. Physical therapists tend to prescribe a course of exercises to help improve the way the person moves. If your patient tells you in the subjective section that they are not progressing as quickly as they would like, what did you, as the therapist, do to upgrade their intervention? I agree that putting goals in the assessments is a common variation. It provides aspirational Core Values that guide occupational therapy personnel toward ethical courses of action in professional and volunteer roles. Do not participate in any action resulting in unauthorized access to educational content or exams, screening and assessment tools, websites, and other copyrighted information, including but not limited to plagiarism, violation of copyright laws, and illegal sharing of resources in any form. For example, when entering into a therapeutic or research relationship, the service recipient or research participant has a right to accurate information. The Principle of Fidelity refers to the duty one has to keep a commitment once it is made (Veatch et al., 2015). There is a lot of variation in how people use the SOAP note structure. The EC decided that a major revision of the Codes organization was in order, although the majority of the content would remain unchanged. Represent credentials, qualifications, education, experience, training, roles, duties, competence, contributions, and findings accurately in all forms of communication. In an ideal world, we type the abbreviation and our smartie computer fills in the full word or phrase for us. Equality indicates that all persons have fundamental human rights and the right to the same opportunities. The objective section of your evaluation and/or SOAP note is often the longest. Personnel should recognize their own biases and respect all persons, keeping in mind that others may have values, beliefs, or lifestyles that differ from their own. (Principle: Veracity; key words: credentials, competence), 5C. If you're not familiar with this concept, it can be described as a "short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving" according to Psych Central. (Principle: Autonomy; key words: occupational therapy process, intervention, communication, disclose, informed consent), 4F. Appendix B summarizes the history of the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics. Justice requires the impartial consideration and consistent observance of policies to generate unbiased decisions. Oklahoma Occupational Therapists - okmedicalboard.org Justice is the pursuit of a state in which diverse communities are inclusive and are organized and structured so that all members can function, flourish, and live a satisfactory life regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, origin, socioeconomic status, degree of ability, or any other status or attributes. Aurora, NE 68818, OT Potential Occupational Therapy Resources, 100 Most Influential OT Research Articles, OT, Plagiocephaly, and Cognitive Outcomes. (Principle: Justice; key words: billing, fees), 3B. Your email address will not be published. (Principle: Justice; key words: policy, procedures, rules, law, roles, scope of practice), 1E. As an assistant professor, Stephanie trumpets the value of teaching and practicing in the field of OT in an "out loud" manner. In addition, transmission of information must include means to ensure that the recipient or participant understands the information provided. Occupational therapy personnel must understand and abide by local, state, and federal laws governing professional practice. Copyright American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. Reevaluate and reassess recipients of service in a timely manner to determine whether goals are being achieved and whether intervention plans should be revised. 259 CMR 3.00: Occupational therapists | Mass.gov Highlights include a customizable dashboard, course progress and end date indicators, important announcements sent directly to your email, and seven years of access to certificates of completion. U.S. It's time to celebrate Occupational Therapy Month, which is April in the U.S. Occupational Therapy Month is all about celebrating the holistic approach that OT has brought to healthcare. Occupational therapy focuses on improving peoples ability to perform the tasks that they need to do in their everyday life. This continual review is especially important because some states use the AOTA Code as part of their licensure acts. These Principles are not hierarchically organized. According to PRC Resolution No. Hi Sarah, Thanks for this information and the example that you provided. (Principle: Beneficence; key words: occupational therapy process, referral, service recipients), 4L. (Principle: Fidelity; key words: civility, culture, communication, social media, social networking, respect). (Principle: Nonmaleficence; key words: relationships, client, service recipients, abandonment), 2H. We have a serious problem with the expectations around defensible documentation and the lack of time/reimbursement for them! Maintain the confidentiality of all verbal, written, electronic, augmentative, and nonverbal communications in compliance with applicable laws, including all aspects of privacy laws and exceptions thereto (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). ), Objective measures from assessments related to the diagnosis. The OT might also evaluate the persons home, school, or workplace to see whether they can spot any ways to improve them. Last medically reviewed on April 28, 2020. Not only do utilization reviewers hate that type of generic language, but it also robs us of the ability to demonstrate our clinical reasoning and treatment rationale! Every setting and facility is different, so they are not intended to be copied for your own use. (Principle: Nonmaleficence; key words: conflict of interest), 1O. The 1988 revision began to look like the modern Code, with headings called Principles and subheadings called Standards. In 1994, the members of the AOTA Ethics Commission added a focus on bioethical principles rather than professional behaviors, as in the previous two editions. (Principle: Justice; key words: civility, diversity, inclusivity, equitability, respect), 7B. Okay, after all of that, I bet youre ready to see an OT evaluation in action. Temporary License: (Issued for 3 months to recent graduates who have registered for NBCOT . He was able to verbally repeat the home exercise program and demonstrate for therapist, and was given handout. The master's degree in occupational therapy puts you in a position to launch your career with having fieldwork experience, start earning money, and start making a difference sooner within the health and rehabilitative science industry. The Principle of Nonmaleficence also includes an obligation not to impose risks of harm even if the potential risk is without malicious or harmful intent. While I was creating this blog post, I read every piece of advice I could find on documentationand I had to chuckle, because there was simply no consensus on abbreviations. In one setting, I created an eval checklist, made copies of it, and used it to take notes so I always had all of the info handy. Below is an example outpatient hand therapy note. Renowned faculty contribute breakthrough research that becomes best practices, while expanded clinical experiences challenge OTs to take their skills to the next level.