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Sam Kosmacki

Mrs. Bowman

Exercise Leadership

6 November 2019

Physical Therapy Code of Ethics Assignment

The code of ethics for physical therapy includes eight principles that are vital for a

physical therapist to understand and be aware of. They are the ethical responsibilities of physical

therapists. The main principles include respecting individuals’ rights, being trustworthy and

compassionate when addressing other’s rights, being accountable and making appropriate

judgements, demonstrating integrity in relationships, fulfilling legal obligations, enhancing

expertise through refinement of knowledge, promoting organizational behaviors that benefit

clients and society, and meeting the needs of individuals all over the word. Each of these

principles branch into even more detailed guidelines. It is crucial that all physical therapists

follow the code of ethics in order to foster a safe and comfortable environment for clients and

employees.

One new ethical guideline I have learned is that “physical therapists shall discourage

misconduct by health care professionals.” I knew that they must report illegal actions but did not

think about the fact that they should also be proactive in discouraging unethical behaviors. I

think that this is a great guideline for physical therapists to follow because it may limit the

instances of unethical behavior. Another ethical guideline I was not previously aware of is that

“physical therapists involved in research” have to follow standards that lead to the protection of

researchers. I did not realize that there are guidelines for those researching within the field of

physical therapy. This can be seen as extremely important because research is something that
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greatly impacts knowledge and practices in physical therapy. If research is not monitored and

held to certain standards, numerous instances of ethical misconduct may arise. Additionally, this

principle will allow for the best efficiency and quality of research. The third ethical guideline

that is new to me is that “physical therapists shall educate members of the public about the

benefits of physical therapy and the unique role of the physical therapist.” I know that you

should believe in the practices of physical therapy and therefore encourage it when necessary,

however, I did not realize that it is a physical therapist’s ethical responsibility to advocate for

physical therapy to members of the public.

I learned about a variety of new ethical guidelines in reviewing the code of ethics for

physical therapy. I do agree with all of them because I believe they will lead to safe and

effective environments. It is important that clients and employees feel comfortable, both

physically and mentally. Although I am not against any of the principles in the code of ethics, I

think there are a few that do not necessarily need to be included. For example, the guideline that

states that physical therapists should educate people about physical therapy and the benefits that

come along with it; this would be a positive principle to follow, but I do not think it is crucial in

providing the best environment possible for clients and employees. It is a great way to bring

more business to physical therapy, and in many instances will help clients in need, but once

again, I do not believe that it should be a required principle in the code of ethics. Overall, I

learned a lot through reading the code of ethics for physical therapy. I did not know that it

existed, nor did I know that it is something physical therapists have to know. Most of the

guidelines were familiar to me, but there were a few I expanded my knowledge of. In the future,

I will be able to review the code of ethics and apply it to my future career in the field of physical

therapy.