- An issue/problem-ie, there are important values present or challenged.
- A dilemma: 2 courses of action that seem to contradict each other, but both could be considered "right"
- Distress: You know what should be done but aren't authorized to act.
- Temptation: a choice between right and wrong (angel vs devil on your shoulders).
- Silence: Your ethical values are challenged but no one is talking about the challenge.
HE-DPT Students: Fast forward--it is suddenly 3 1/2 years from now. You are preparing to take the licensing examination, and are told by a reliable source about a website that can give you the "inside scoop" on exam questions. How would you characterize this Situation using the 5 categories above? Also, after you review the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist - (this is a link to the code) and describe which of the principle(s) you believe is/are violated by a student that cheats on the licensing (or any) examination. Keep your responses short and to the point!
Got Ethics? I think so! Share your thoughts on this blog! If you have trouble posting on this website, email them to me in the Web CT classroom and I will post on the blog.
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ReplyDeleteWhile reading over the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist, I came across a couple statements I had questions about. Can you answer these before I go on with this assignment?
ReplyDelete1. Physical therapists shall not accept gifts or other considerations that influence or give an appearance of influencing their professional judgment.
What kind of gifts would qualify as inappropriate? The acceptance of lunches, pens, and other printed marketing materials come to mind when drug reps are courting doctors, but in many instances, those are deemed appropriate and accepted. I know we wouldn't be courted by drug reps but this is the only thing I have to compare the ethical issue in this statement to. My clients give me gifts for birthdays and Christmas but I doubt these would be the types of gifts that would influence my professional judgment in any way. To what is this statement referring?
2. Physical therapists shall seek remuneration as is deserved and reasonable for physical therapist services.
Where could we find a pay scale that reflects appropriate “remuneration” for the various modalities and services that we might provide? In the massage therapy community there is much debate about what is acceptable to charge when billing insurance. Does that debate exist amongst PT's or is there a set rate/range that is used?
3. Physical therapists shall be aware of charges and shall ensure that documentation and coding for physical therapy services accurately reflect the nature and extent of the services provided.
I have been burned by hiring billers that didn't really know what they were doing or were billing in an unethical/illegal manner that could have resulted in me losing my license if I wasn't being as vigilant as I had been with their activity. So, I asked this question in the interview with Dr. Page but I don’t feel like I was clear about the answer I received. Where can we look, or what degree or qualifications do we seek, for individuals who have the appropriate training to hire for our medical billing staff that would be well versed in PT billing codes and procedures?
4. Physical therapists shall provide pro bono physical therapy services or support organizations that meet the health needs of people who are economically disadvantaged, uninsured, and underinsured.
Is there a recommended or required percentage of pro bono work per year? I have lawyer and doctor friends who's practices require a certain number of hours per year and I am just wondering if in PT this exists as well, or if it is up to the employer to determine those hours/percentages.
5. Physical therapists shall evaluate the strength of evidence and applicability of content presented during professional development activities before integrating the content or techniques into practice.
I have been doing soft tissue work for a long time, and I have seen the benefits (and experienced them first hand) in the use of various soft tissue modalities for all kinds of ailments, but I am curious to see the studies done to prove the validity these techniques so that I may continue to confidently use them in practice as a physical therapist so that I may be in accordance with this statement and appropriately utilizing evidence-based practice.
Thank you in advance for addressing these questions! I look forward to your answers!
This really is a multi-faceted situation, because we are not just talking about the question of cheating, but also of reporting.
ReplyDeleteIn looking at (#1), we could fit the situation in here. Important values are being challenged--the values of honesty and fairness in test taking. And if a student cheats on a licensing exam, aren't they also cheating every patient from a truly qualified practitioner?
The situation also very easily fits into (#4), Temptation. It's tempting to cheat and pass, but hopefully the angel wins this one. I had the whole interchange between the two but then I saw the "keep it concise" portion of the directions!
If the student chooses not to cheat, then (#5) silence is the situation. Just by knowing of the cheating, the student is challenged in a dilemma, as the report could implicate people that they know and care about. They should report it--but it might not be the easy thing to do.
In the Code of Ethics for the PT, a cheating student is violating every principle in the sense that they are negating the patient's right for competent, ethical care by a licensed PT--a cheater that passes the exam isn't truly licensed in my eyes. In principle #4, demonstrate integrity, providing truthful and accurate information is the most directly violated, as they are misrepresenting their level of knowledge and preparedness. In principle #6, the PT is charged to achieve and maintain professional competence, which starts with passing the NPTE honestly and fairly.
Carolyn
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ReplyDeleteBased on this hypothetical scenario the main points that are highlighted include the possible act of cheating and reporting of such examination questions.
ReplyDeleteFrom this scenario both the act of cheating and reporting of such sites involve temptation. Just imagine being at this point in your academic career and all that stands between you and your dream of becoming a therapist is a unanimous source informing you of such a site which provides examination questions. Although when under so much pressure hopefully we will all choose the right choice and not cheat. On the other hand depending on the situation you don’t know how someone will react unless you are put in that particular situation.
Also both acts can challenge an individual’s moral values. For example, both the act of cheating and making a decision of whether to report or not report the source of the examination exams provides situations where you can go against your morals instilled in you as a child or you can decide to work even harder and achieve the ultimate goal of passing the license exam on your own. I would rather earn this privilege of being titled a therapist then gaining this status through cheating.
Now in respect to the code of ethics and more importantly the preamble in which therapists within the profession live by on a number of accounts are failed. In this respect, if failure to report conflicting sites or decisions were made to cheat the overall code that we live by is ultimately failed. This is definitely an example for why I believe a verbal oath should be taken when coming into such a profession where you will engage with the well being of others. Furthermore, specifically principle 3 which states,’ Physical therapists shall be accountable for making sound professional judgments. (Core Values: Excellence, Integrity)’ is failed on all accounts is failed on all accounts. How can you say the individual that decided to cheat his way into the profession wouldn’t take shortcuts again and this time possibly with a patients well being since he likes to take the easy route AND not work hard for all that he desires.
1. an issue/problem-ie, there are important values present or challenged.
ReplyDeleteANSWER: The problem is that now you have a situation where you need to report the issues and the possibility of cheating arises
4. Temptation: a choice between right and wrong (angel vs devil on your shoulders).
ANSWER: This category definitely fits into this problem, do you do the right thing “angel “or do you remain silence and follow thru “devil”
5. Silence: Your ethical values are challenge but no one is talking about the challenge.
ANSWER: If you decide to remain silence that does not mean you are following through. You don’t want to jeopardized anyone so sometimes you figure if you stay quite no one will ever know
This situation is tough because for one cheating is never the way to go this is our career and I would not want to work with a physical therapist that cheated their way through school. In addition, now you face the dilemma where you may need to report the person who was trying to “help” in a way. Even though cheating is not really helping you at all.
The principles that have been violated are:
Principle #4A. Physical therapists shall provide truthful, accurate, and relevant information and shall not make misleading representations.
Principle #5: Physical therapists shall fulfill their
Legal and professional obligations.
(Core Values: Professional Duty, Accountability)
Principle # 6A. Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional
competence.
I honestly do not know what I would do.. Do you really want to "rat" someone out whom in a way was trying to help? Is this the right thing to do, what will happen to the person once you report this issue? I am not saying cheating is right or that this reliable source is also doing the right thing. However, what if this was a family member or someone you truly cared about would you want to jeopardize their career as well. Situations like this are hard to come up with a solution I honestly do not know what I would do.
ReplyDeleteJessica, I agree. I don't know what I would do in this situation either. It's definitely a hard one to find a solution to.
ReplyDeleteCharacterizing the Situation:
- Issue/problem- cheating is wrong, and this goes against the moral values of the student. Then there is the issue of whether to tell someone about the website and the people using it.
- Temptation- you have the temptation of using the website, because you know it's there.
- Silence- when you or other people do not say anything about the website, even though you know it is wrong.
Principles in the Code of Ethics Violated:
- Principle #2: Physical therapists shall be trustworthy and compassionate in addressing the rights and needs of patients/clients.
- By cheating on the licensure exam, you are not being truthful to your patients; if you had not cheated and failed, you may be hurting your patients by the lack of skill needed to help your patients. Someone who cheats on the licensure exam isn't really licensed.
-Principle 4A: Physical therapists shall provide truthful, accurate, and relevant
information and shall not make misleading representations.
- By cheating on the exam, they are not being truthful to their patients, and are making a misleading representation by saying they are licensed when they cheated to get there.
- Principle 6A: Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional
competence.
- The therapist did not achieve professional competence by cheating on the exam.
I would characterize this situation as a temptation. We know that looking up exam questions are wrong. Our possible benefits from using the website are a better score on the exam. We relinquish those gains by not looking at the website and doing the right thing.
ReplyDeleteThe principles in the Code of Ethics I feel are violated by using the website are numbers 3,4,5 & 6.
Principle #3: Physical therapists shall be accountable for making sound professional judgments.
-This is broken by knowing what is wrong and still doing it.
Principle 4A. Physical therapists shall provide truthful, accurate, and relevant information and shall not make misleading representations.
-I think there is a misleading representation if the therapist passed the test by cheating.
Principle 5A. Physical therapists shall comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
-Therapists can be punished for cheating by losing their license or surrendering the opportunity to take the test, amongst other things.
Principle 6A. Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional competence.
-Competence hasn't been fully achieved if it was through cheating.
This situation most likely falls under the category of temptation. You spend four years working towards the goal of becoming a PT, and the last step is passing the licensing exam. You wand to do everything you can to best prepare for the exam, and clearly the website can be helpful. You are torn between the ethical thing to do, which is not look at that site, and wanting to be as prepared as possible and take advantage of everything out there in order to do so.
ReplyDeleteThe principles that I feel are violated by a student who cheats on the licensing examination are:
5A. Physical therapists shall comply with applicable local, state,
and federal laws and regulations.
Part of those federal regulations, banned perspective PT’s from looking at such sites.
6A. Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional
competence.
If you use this site to help pass the licensing exam, then you are falsely representing your professional competence.
I would find cheating to be a large problem where all the important values of honesty and integrity are violated. It may be tempting to look at the website since it would be such a stressful time. But, I feel that cheating on an exam like that defeats the purpose of all the hard work that we put into the 4 years of this program. The appropriate people should be made aware that a site exists so that everyone has a fair chance on the exam. This site goes against principle 6A because the physical therapist is not demonstrating professional competence solely on their own.
ReplyDeleteThe Situation
ReplyDeleteIssue- There are two issues that are presented in this situation. The first issue is, are you going to do what you know is right and have the moral fortitude not to cheat. The second issue is reporting the website.
Temptation- The temptation is to take the easy route and use the website to cheat which would be the wrong thing to do, or you can choose to do the right thing and not cheat and report the website.
Silence- Your ethical values have been challenged and due to the fact that the website is still up it seems that no one is talking about the situation. So, you have the choice to also stay silent or tell someone about the website.
PT Principles violated:
Principle #2 (2A)Physical therapists shall adhere to the core values of the profession and shall act in the best interests of patients/clients over the interests of the physical therapist.
Principle #4 (4 A, B, C) 4A. Physical therapists shall provide truthful, accurate, and relevant information and shall not make misleading representations. 4B. Physical therapists shall not exploit persons over whom they have supervisory, evaluative or other authority (eg, patients/clients, students, supervisees, research participants,or employees). 4C. Physical therapists shall discourage misconduct by healthcare professionals and report illegal or unethical acts to the relevant authority, when appropriate.
Principle #5 Physical therapists shall fulfill their legal and professional obligations.
Principle #6 Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional competence.
The Situation:
ReplyDeleteIssue- The obvious issue in this situation is cheating. As a student we are taught morals and what is right and wrong. Cheating is definitely something that is not considered right. In any educational program whether it be undergraduate or professional has disciplinary actions for cheating. Therefore in no way can cheating be considered right.
Temptation- The temptation found in this situation is the website. Wanting to check out the information found on the website. It is said that the source is reliable therefore the website has been proven effective. This gives us the
temptation to want to take a look at the website.
Silence- In this situation no one has reported the website. This can challenge us in either keeping the information to ourselves or reporting the website.
PT Principles Violated:
Principle 4A and 6A.
4A. Physical therapists shall provide truthful, accurate, and relevant information and shall not make misleading representations.
- In this cheating your misleading your patients in making them believe you passed your board exams through hard work and your acquired education.
Physical therapists shall achieve and maintain professional competence.
- Can cheating be considered an achievement of professional competence.
In general I think this situation can be tough for one due to the stress one is going through to pass there boards. It is obvious that one cannot practice without passing, therefore they might want to take the easy way out. But, I believe at the end of the day one must be confident in themselves and their education will get them through the boards.