Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ANDREW A. GUCCIONE, MS
This survey was an attempt to identify which ethical decisions are most fre-
quently encountered and are most difficult to make for practicing physical
therapists. A questionnaire that described 3 0 situations with an ethical dimen-
sion was sent to 4 5 0 American Physical Therapy Association members practicing
in New England. A total of 187 (41.5%) usable questionnaires was returned.
Issues raised by items were designated a s primary, secondary, or nonpriority.
Seven primary and 11 secondary ethical issues were identified. In brief, these
issues involve the decision about which patients should be treated, what obli-
gations are entailed by that decision, who should pay for treatment, and what
duties derive from the physical therapist's relationship with other health profes-
sionals, including physicians. Some of these decisions are more frequent in
certain types of employment facilities than in others. Sources of ethical conflict
and the role of the professional organization in defining moral values for the
profession are discussed in this paper, and implications for education are
presented.
The need to identify and clarify ethical issues Thompson has suggested that there are three
within a health profession increases as the profession sources of conflict for health professionals making
assumes responsibility for those areas of direct patient ethical decisions. 2 First, conflicts may arise between
care in its domain. A brief comparison of the 1935 an individual's private convictions and his conception
American Physiotherapy Association C O D E OF E T H - of the requirements of his professional role. Second,
ICS with its 1977 American Physical Therapy Asso- ethical dilemmas may be encountered when the atti-
ciation (APTA) counterpart reflects the development tudes, values, and goals of one profession conflict
of physical therapy as a profession in its own right.1 with those of another. Finally, the ethos (ideology) of
The physical therapist today, in defining the limits of a profession and that of the society in which it func-
his legal and professional autonomy, must examine tions may be in conflict.
the practice of his profession from an ethical point of Professional ethics has developed in response to
view. By doing so, he carefully guards the rights of these sources of conflict, and the APTA CODE OF
patients, maintains his integrity as a professional, and ETHICS and the guidelines for its interpretation
promotes the ideals of physical therapy as a profes- emerge historically and sociologically with that de-
sion. velopment. 1 The C O D E may be regarded as an attempt
to counsel physical therapists making ethical judg-
Mr. Guccione was a candidate for the degree of Master of Science
ments by asserting the ideals of the profession and by
in Physical Therapy at Sargent College of Allied Health Professions,
Boston University, when this study was conducted. He is currently defining some of the limits of professionally and
Staff Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Department, Massachu- morally acceptable behavior. Continuing documen-
setts Rehabilitation Hospital, 125 Nashua St, Boston, MA 02114
(USA). tation of the ethical concerns of practicing physical
Adapted from a paper presented at the Fourth Annual Convention therapists is essential to maintain timely counsel.
of the Massachusetts Chapter, American Physical Therapy Associa- The twofold purpose of this study was to identify
tion, Hyannis, MA, April 1978.
This article was submitted April 2, 1979, and accepted January 4, which ethical problems were perceived by physical
1980. therapists to be the most frequently encountered and
TABLE 2
Decisions Regarding the Choice to Treat
Frequency Difficulty
n % n %
1. Establishing priorities for patient treatment when High 67 36.0 Ext 9 4.9
time or resources are limited. Mod 70 37.6 Mod 74 40.7
Min 46 24.7 Min 89 48.9
None 3 1.6 None 10 5.5
N = 186 100.0 N = 182 100.0
D m a x = .237a D max = .201 a
2. Discontinuing treatment for patients who habitually High 13 7.5 Ext 23 14.3
disregard instructions such as for home programs, Mod 61 35.3 Mod 62 38.5
treatment regimens, and safety instructions. Min 88 50.9 Min 65 40.4
None 11 6.4 None 11 6.8
N = 173 100.0 N = 161 100.0
D max = .186 a D max = .181 a
3. Continuing treatment with a terminally ill patient. High 25 14.4 Ext 22 13.2
Mod 63 36.2 Mod 72 43.1
Min 80 46.0 Min 52 31.1
None 6 3.4 None 21 12.6
N = 174 100.0 N = 167 100.0
D max = .216 a D max = .124 b
Nursing Homes and Chronic Care Facilities
High 1 6.2
Mod 12 75.0
Min 3 18.8
None 0 0.0
N = 16 100.0
Dmax = .312 C
4. Continuing treatment to provide psychological sup- High 30 16.5 Ext 34 20.0
port after physical therapy treatment goals have Mod 69 37.9 Mod 60 35.3
been reached. Min 72 39.6 Min 64 37.6
None 11 6.0 None 12 7.1
N = 182 100.0 N = 170 100.0
D max = -19 a D max = .179 a
Nursing Homes and Chronic Care Facilities
High 7 43.8
Mod 6 37.5
Min 3 18.8
None _0 0.0
N = 16 100.0
D max = .313 c
a
p < .01.
b
p < .05.
c
p < .1.
The first group of concerns to be considered con- The therapist's professional relationship to a pa-
sisted of four related primary issues regarding who tient is a major source of moral obligation. Basic
should be treated (Tab. 2). More than 70 percent of questions concerning the often-unspoken contract be-
the respondents perceived the basic question of estab- tween patient and therapist were apparently not a
lishing priorities for patient treatment when time or problem to the respondents. The primary issue in
resources are limited as moderately or highly fre- patient-therapist interaction emerged from a conflict
quent. This questionnaire item was also rated at least concerning professional adjudication between a
moderately difficult by slightly more than 45 percent patient's needs or goals and a family's needs or
of all those who had experienced the problem. Using goals (Tab. 3). The respondents identified this dilem-
the frequency and the difficulty criteria, responding ma as the primary issue of the second group of con-
therapists also regarded discontinuation of treatment cerns.
on the grounds of habitual noncompliance as a second The nature of the patient-therapist contract has
primary issue of professional ethics. Third, contin- changed as physical therapy has increased its function
uation of treatment with the terminally ill is a priority and scope within the health care system. The first of
issue, especially for therapists in nursing homes and six secondary issues in this group of concerns stems
chronic care facilities, for whom the frequency of this directly from this change, which augmented the ed-
situation is greater than for other therapists. Fourth, ucation component of clinical practice. A problem in
continuation of treatment to provide psychological defining the physical therapist's role in the initial
support after physical therapy treatment goals have education of a patient or family regarding diagnosis
been reached is a primary issue for over half of the or prognosis was encountered often enough to war-
responding therapists, again more frequent for ther- rant attention. This situation was experienced with
apists working in nursing homes and chronic care high frequency by 45 percent of all therapists whose
facilities. primary employment was in pediatric facilities or
When deciding whom to treat, a therapist is re- school-system settings. Students pursuing careers in
quired, in part, to consider two important aspects of the treatment of developmental disabilities should be
this type of professional judgment. First, it is becom- urged to consider the ethical aspects of this problem
ing apparent that the increase in the number of in clinical judgment. Two other secondary issues
patients needing physical therapy knowledge and whose frequency merit discussion are questions about
skills could become overwhelming. The expansion of informing a patient or family about the limitations of
physical therapy into new areas, in which the profes- treatment and assuring that the patient or family have
sion offers a unique viewpoint, forces the choice of input into treatment and discharge planning.
which patients shall be treated and which shall not. The three remaining secondary issues in this group
Even when research into the efficacy of treatment of concerns emanate from the patient's expectations
for certain types of patients sheds some light on this of the therapist. First, the knowledge that a therapist
matter, the therapist is still confronted with a second, might be expected to bring to the treatment situation
and perhaps more important, consideration—per- was examined in an item that questioned the assump-
sonal beliefs and values. Underlying all therapists' tion of personal responsibility for continuing educa-
ethical decisions are the values that help to direct tion. Over 84 percent of the respondents noted that
their choices. 13 The extent to which a person values decisions allowing them to keep up with new treat-
psychological support for patients beyond the usual ment ideas had to be made with either moderate or
physical therapy intervention, as well as what he high frequency. The limits of the clinician's obligation
thinks is an appropriate response to the needs of a to update his practice are unclear. Continuing edu-
dying patient, bear heavily on what he will choose to cation is well-recognized as an essential of providing
do. Conflict between personal values and professional quality health care. However, the growth of physical
values, or between the profession's values and soci- therapy knowledge and the increasing cost of contin-
ety's attitudes, may easily arise. The professional uing education courses also demand consideration.
organization's declaration of its values sometimes is The final two secondary issues pertaining to pa-
helpful in these instances. However, beyond this dec- tient's expectations are encountered in actual treat-
laration, each physical therapist must decide what he ment: weighing the effects of treatment against the
values as a health professional. Educators may need discomfort created by the procedure and maintaining
to provide the student with the opportunity to ex- a patient's sense of personal space and dignity during
amine his own values as he is formally and informally treatment. Both of these issues are usually addressed
socialized into the profession. in the classroom and the clinical education of the
TABLE 3
Obligations Deriving from the Patient-Therapist Contract
Frequency Difficulty
n % n %
1. Determining professional responsibilities when a High 8 4.4 Ext 16 9.5
p a t i e n t s n e e d s or g o a l s conflict with the family's Mod 64 35.4 Mod 71 42.0
n e e d s or g o a l s . Min 97 53.6 Min 65 38.5
None 12 6.6 None 17 10.1
N = 181 100.0 N = 169 100.0
D max = . 2 0 5 a Dmax = .155 a
2. Defining the limits of the physical therapist's role High 32 17.9 Ext 8 4.7
in the initial education of a patient/family regarding Mod 70 39.1 Mod 53 31.0
diagnosis or prognosis. Min 70 39.1 Min 90 52.6
None 7 3.9 None 20 11.7
N = 179 100.0 N = 171 100.0
D max = . 2 8 9 a
Pediatric Facilities and School System Settings
High 9 45.0
Mod 6 30.0
Min 5 25.0
None 0 0.0
N = 20 100.0
D max = . 4 5 a
3 . Informing a patient/family about the limitations of High 52 28.0 Ext 5 2.7
treatment. Mod 83 44.6 Mod 51 27.7
Min 49 26.3 Min 102 55.4
None 2 1.1 None 26 14.1
N = 186 100.0 N = 184 100.0
Dmax = .239a
4 . Assuring that the patient/family h a s input into High 62 34.8 Ext 8 4.5
treatment and discharge planning. Mod 83 46.6 Mod 29 16.4
Min 32 18.0 Min 103 58.2
None 1 0.6 None 37 20.9
N = 178 100.0 N = 177 100.0
D max = . 3 1 5 a
5. Assuming personal responsibility for continuing High 73 39.5 Ext 14 7.7
education to k e e p up with new treatment ideas in Mod 83 44.9 Mod 61 33.5
order to maintain quality of care. Min 26 14.1 Min 73 40.1
None 3 1.6 None 34 18.7
N = 185 100.0 N = 182 100.0
D max = . 3 4 3 a
6. Weighing the effects of treatment against the dis- High 36 19.5 Ext 8 4.4
comfort created by the procedure. Mod 81 43.8 Mod 62 34.3
Min 64 34.6 Min 94 51.9
None 4 2.2 None 17 9.4
N = 185 100.0 N = 181 100.0
D max = . 2 2 8 a
7. Maintaining a patient's s e n s e of personal s p a c e High 51 29.0 Ext 2 1.2
and dignity when treatment requires arrangements Mod 65 36.9 Mod 17 10.2
s u c h a s c l o s e proximity and group settings. Min 50 28.4 Min 108 65.1
None 10 5.7 None 39 23.5
N = 176 100.0 N = 166 100.0
Dmax= .193a
a
p < .01.
TABLE 5
Physical Therapist's Relationship to Other Health Professionals
Frequency Difficulty
n % %
1. Maintaining a patient's/family's c o n f i d e n c e in High 23 12.7 Ext 8 4.8
other health professionals regardless of personal Mod 77 42.5 Mod 62 36.9
opinions. Min 68 37.6 Min 75 44.6
None 13 7.2 None 23 13.7
N = 181 100.0 N = 168 100.0
Dmax = . 178a Dmax = . 2 0 2 a
2. Determining criteria for delegating duties to s u p - High 58 34.3 Ext 5 3.2
portive personnel. Mod 63 37.3 Mod 42 26.6
Min 37 21.9 Min 88 55.7
None 11 6.5 None 23 14.6
N = 169 100.0 N = 158 100.0
Dmax = . 2 1 6 a
3 . Reporting questionable practices of another phys- High 6 3.8 Ext 37 43.0
ical therapist to the appropriate person. Mod 5 3.1 Mod 28 32.6
Min 75 47.2 Min 17 19.8
None 73 45.9 None 4 4.7
N = 159 100.0 N = 86 100.0
Dmax = .256a
4. Reporting questionable practices of a physician to High 5 2.9 Ext 52 43.0
the appropriate person. Mod 28 16.2 Mod 26 21.5
Min 88 50.9 Min 31 25.6
None 52 30.1 None 12 9.9
N = 173 100.0 N = 121 100.0
Dmax = . 1 8 a
5. Reporting questionable practices of another health High 7 4.2 Ext 35 29.2
professional w h o is not a physical therapist or a Mod 22 13.2 Mod 42 35.0
physician to the appropriate person. Min 90 53.9 Min 31 25.8
None 48 28.7 None 12 10.0
N = 167 100.0 N = 120 100.0
Dmax = .15a
a
p < .01.
TABLE 6
Conflicts Between Two Ethical Principles
Frequency Difficulty
n % n %
1. Deciding what to do when two of my ethical prin- High 2 1.1 Ext 26 20.8
ciples or values are in conflict. Mod 25 14.2 Mod 50 40.0
Min 100 56.8 Min 44 35.2
None 49 27.8 None 5 4.0
N = 176 100.0 N = 125 100.0
Dmax = .21 a
a
p < .01.
There is, at present, no simple resolution to this sional. However, such a decision clearly poses mod-
conflict. Those physical therapists concerned with this erate difficulty in the case of another health profes-
issue should participate forcefully in changing societal sional and extreme difficulty in the cases of another
concepts of adequate and essential health care. physical therapist or a physician, when it needs to be
In light of developments in other health profes- made.
sions, which have included strikes by physicians and
nurses, 14 one question examined the issue of curtail-
Identification of Ethical Decisions
ment or limitation of physical therapy services in
order to improve work conditions, salaries, staff/pa-
tient ratios, and the like. Most of the respondents Ethical dilemmas arise when two or more ethical
perceived this item as inapplicable to their present principles or values conflict with each other in a given
situations. Of those therapists who regarded this event situation. Despite the fact that respondents perceived
as a possibility, most had no personal experience of seven primary issues and they recognized the diffi-
it. However, slightly over 38 percent of those who had culty of making decisions when principles conflict,
experience with this problem reported that it was an they did not perceive themselves as making a choice
extremely difficult decision to make. Further exami- between conflicting principles or values with any
nation of this issue may become necessary. great frequency (Tab. 6). Although respondents rec-
ognized that a difficult decision had to be made in
some instances, they probably had not identified it as
Relationship to Other Health Professionals a decision of ethical choice. The moral point of view
requires that some unique aspects of a situation be
The last group of issues considered the physical explored. Failure to recognize that a moral point of
therapist's relationship to other health professionals view is required is a first step toward unethical be-
(Tab. 5). Maintaining a patient's or family's confi- havior. The educational implication of this data is
dence in other health professionals regardless of per- inescapable: in order to meet all the challenges of
sonal opinions has traditionally been an issue of clinical practice, physical therapy students must be
professional ethics, 8-11 and the data collected show taught how to make ethical as well as clinical judg-
that it was perceived to be the primary issue of this ments. To prepare future clinicians less adequately
group. The response that a therapist makes in situa- could jeopardize the integrity and the autonomy that
tions of this type is derived, in part, from the place physical therapy as a health profession has so ar-
the profession holds within the health care team with duously worked to achieve.