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Accreditation Information:
Course Outline:
Health care professionals, such as occupational therapy practitioners, are entrusted with patients’ physical and mental well-being during the rehabilitation process, and with this trust comes a great responsibility. Not only do patients physically rely upon occupational therapy practitioners (including occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants) to provide safe, appropriate, and effective care, but they often also rely emotionally upon occupational therapy practitioners throughout the continuum of care. Because most practitioners are able to spend quality time with patients, they are able to individualize treatment content and goal setting. However, this may occasionally give rise to conflict as the well-meaning therapist tries to please the patient at the same time that they try to “do the right thing” professionally. Occupational therapy practitioners can violate ethical principles and standards, whether the violations are intentional or not. The consequences of the violations may have a significant impact on their clients, their reputations, their careers, and their livelihoods, depending on the violation’s severity. Such potential consequences underscore the importance of maintaining knowledge about the profession’s ethical principles and being vigilant in following the standards based on those principles.