Ethical Dilemmas in Physical

Therapy
Samantha Kosmacki
October 2, 2021
SLA 400 75
Physical Therapy Code of Ethics

https://www.apta.org/siteassets/pdfs/policies/codeofethicshods06-20-28-25.pdf
Ethical Issues in Treating COVID-19
Patients
 This virus caused a great increase in the number of hospitalizations
 Many questions came about:
 Which patients should receive care?
 Should physical therapists assist COVID-19 patients at all?
Assessing the
Situation

Affliction of
The unknown decision Emotional toll
making
https://www.bartonhealthcarestaffing.com/blog/physical-therapists-step-up-to-
the-challenges-posed-by-covid-19
The Unknown
 New information weekly
 Proper use of personal protective equipment
 Questions about guidelines

https://www.umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2020/10/COVID-therapists-restore-movement.html
Affliction of Decision Making
 Determining which patients  CST:
should receive care first  Rights and responsibilities
 Honoring what the patient  Option for the poor and
vulnerable
wants versus what is best for
their health
 Providing care versus
preventing the spread of the
virus
Emotional Toll
 Burn out, guilt, sadness
 “And you find yourself starting to kind of slide into a more of
an apathetic versus an empathetic or sympathetic mindset
because it’s almost easier to not care as much, than it is to keep
pushing on, pushing on, pushing on, caring, caring, caring and
then just being devastated when those patients aren’t achieving
the outcome that you know they could otherwise. And that is
for me that has been the most difficult situation. I found even
outside of work for me having to adjust, I guess self-care
routines, anxiety medications.” Taylor.
In Summary https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

 Learned more about the virus over the past year

 Vaccines
 Allows for more ethical decision-making
 We can use the lessons we learned from this time period during
future ethical dilemmas that may arise
https://hillcrestclaremore.com/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_view/pu
blic/iStock_000019233912Medium.jpg?itok=Ri4ogYKn
Difficulties of the
Conversation
 Confrontation can be challenging
 Easy to ignore the issue and let someone else handle it
 Finding the appropriate words

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q=tbn:ANd9GcRMPwD_tJXpxYjXX0d6Nb-
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Resources
 “Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist - Apta.” Code of Ethics for the Physical
Therapist, American Physical Therapy Association,
https://www.apta.org/siteassets/pdfs/policies/codeofethicshods06-20-28-25.pdf.
 Ditwiler, Rebecca E et al. “Professional and Ethical Issues in United States Acute
Care Physical Therapists Treating Patients With COVID-19: Stress, Walls, and
Uncertainty.” Physical therapy vol. 101,8 (2021): pzab122. doi:10.1093/ptj/pzab122
 Richardson, Robert W. “Ethical Issues in Physical Therapy.” Current Reviews in
Musculoskeletal Medicine, Springer US, June 2015,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4596180/.