Katie Koziarz

Dr. Bowman

Exercise Leadership

16 October 2020

Code of Ethics 

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) created an Occupational

Therapy Code of Ethics in 2015. The Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics was created to give

members of AOTA a way to prevent potential ethics issues. These ethical issues can occur in a

research setting, practice setting or an educational setting. The Occupational Therapy Code of

Ethics states that it serves two main purposes. The first purpose is to provide Core Values that

guide members toward ethical courses of action in professional roles. The core values include

altruism, equality, freedom, justice, dignity, truth and prudence. The second purpose is to

delineate enforceable principles and standards of conduct that apply to AOTA members. These

principles include beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, veracity, and fidelity.

Together the standards of conduct and the core values are used as the core of the Occupational

Therapy Code of Ethics. 

When reviewing the Occupational therapy code of ethics, I was unaware of some of the

core values and standard of conduct. One of the core values that I was unfamiliar with was

altruism. I learned that altruism is associated with showing that you care for others. This core

value makes sense being in the Occupational therapy code of ethics because as an occupational

therapist you can not do your job successfully without caring for others. One of your jobs is to

help individuals gain back motor functions in order to complete daily tasks. Without caring for

how others feel and about their well being, you are not going to be able to help the individual
reach their full potential. I agree that this core value is on the Occupational Therapy Code of

Ethics.

When reading through the principles and standard conducts I was unsure of the meaning

of autonomy. I learned that this principle deals with the idea that occupational therapists have to

listen to the wants of the patient. If the patient does not want a certain treatment they are not

required to do it. Autonomy also deals with keeping the patient's information confidential. This

means that you can not discuss the patient's information with other people unless you have

consent from the patient. This allows for the patients information to be kept private. An

occupational therapist may consult another therapist or doctor on the patient but must keep their

personal information private unless the patient gives them permission to do otherwise.

Autonomy requires the occupational therapist to disclose any risks, benefits and potential

outcomes involved in the treatment plan. This allows the patient to understand the treatments

which allows the patient to make sound decisions on if they want to go through with the

treatment. I think this principle is very important because patients should be allowed to make the

decision if they want to undergo the treatment based on the risks and benefits associated with the

treatment. I also think that it is important to keep the patients information confidential to prevent

private information from being released. 

The last principle that was new to me was veracity. This principle makes sure that the

occupational therapists are giving accurate, comprehensive, and objective transmission of

information. The occupational therapist needs to make sure that they are giving the most accurate

information to their patients. This will prevent the patient from believing inaccurate information. 

I think that this principle is very important occupational therapists to follow because the patients

trust the information theri therapists are giving. The patients also don't know if the information is
accurate or not so it is important for the therapist to be truthful. All of the codes and principles in

the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics are put in place in order to keep the patient safe and

informed.