Code of Ethics - Two Practical Takeaways

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One of my professional development goals this term was to read the entire AOTA Code of Ethics and blog about two practical ways that the Code can be implemented into clinical practice. However, I recognize that there are countless ways that the principles and standards of conduct in the document apply to occupational therapy practice. Because we have spent much of our Healthcare Management and Policy course dissecting the principles (beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, veracity, and fidelity), I chose to focus more on the standards of conduct in this reflection.

Standard of conduct 3D states, "Do not follow arbitrary objectives that compromise the rights or well-being of others, including unrealistic productivity expectations, fabrications, falsification, plagiarism of documentation, or inaccurate coding" (AOTA, p. 5). One practical way to abide by this standard in practice is to be completely honest about the time you spend with the patient during documentation. Sometimes therapists "guesstimate" the time on the clock spent with patients. However, it is best practice to wear a watch and document the exact time that you spent with the patient. Not only does this uphold the truthfulness of your documentation, but also provides evidence as to how you spent your work day. If your employer were to question your productivity, it would be best to have detailed and specific evidence of your time. This also prevents two practitioners from billing for the same time. 

Standard of conduct 3L states, "Engage in collaborative actions and communication as a member of inter-professional teams to facilitate quality of care and safety for clients" (AOTA, p. 9). As professionals, we have a tendency to come to work and "stay in our lane." However, the quality and safety of our care is increased when we interact with other disciplines. One practical way to stay up to date with the team is to write clear clinical documentation and to read the documentation of others in the electronic health record. Of course, it is also good practice to discuss with other professionals face-to-face, but written communication is very important as it can be accessed any time, and everyone has varying schedules.

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). (2020). Occupational therapy code of ethics. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(3), 1-13.

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