Ethics, Laws, and Rules, for Hawaii Physical Therapists, Updated

About the Course
Physical therapists use ethics to examine issues and human behaviors based on values. Ethics involves making decisions about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and otherwise providing a justification for an ethical decision (Doherty & Purtilo, 2016). Because clinical judgments are value laden, ethics figures strongly in the professional lives of physical therapy practitioners. Across all practice, educational, and research settings, physical therapy practitioners face issues that involve ethical questions. To navigate ethical issues and problems, physical therapy practitioners in Hawaii should be well versed in the knowledge and skills of ethical decision making. They need to understand their ethical and legal responsibilities under the APTA Code of Ethics for Physical Therapists (APTA, 2020a), the APTA Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant (2020b), and the Hawaii state practice act. Hawaii’s physical therapy practice act is under HRS §461(Hawaii Physical Therapy Practice Act, 2015).

Although ethics education has become better integrated into physical therapy education over the past decade, many endorse that ethical decision-making requires more skill than simply following a code of ethics in the physical therapy profession since the professional duties are linked to social exception of ethical behavior as well. Many also believe that entry level education was not perceived to be sufficient enough on a world scale for physical therapy, requiring multiple sources for learning to develop an ethical decision-making framework. (Sturm et al., 2023)

This intermediate-level course provides physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in Hawaii with an updated primer on the study of ethics and ethical behaviors as they apply to physical therapy practice and updated information on Hawaii laws and rules governing physical therapy practice. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the learner will be able to: 

• Identify the differences and commonalities among morality, values, ethics, and the law. 
• Describe the purpose and limitations of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Code of Ethics for Physical Therapists. 
• Describe the ethical theories and principles that can guide the physical therapy practitioner in making an ethical decision. 
• Evaluate ethical issues based on an ethical decision-making model. 
• Discuss the rules and laws governing physical therapy practice in Hawaii. 

About the Author/Presenter
Bruce H. Greenfield, PT, PhD, FNAP (Fellow National Academies of Practice), FAPTA, is a professor in the Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, where he has been on the faculty since 1985. He is a senior fellow in the Emory University Center for Ethics, and affiliated faculty, Certificate Program Disability, Health and Culture. He is a member of the Emory University Hospital Ethics Committee. Dr. Greenfield holds a bachelor of arts degree from Oglethorpe University; a certificate in physical therapy and master of medical science degree, both from Emory University; and a PhD in higher education from Georgia State University. He subsequently received an additional master’s degree in bioethics from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Greenfield was appointed by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Board of Directors to serve on the APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee. He currently chairs that committee. He also chairs the Research Committee of the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Physical Therapy Education and the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. Dr. Greenfield’s influential writings on ethics in physical therapy have twice been recognized by the APTA section on Education as he received its prestigious Stanford Award. His scholarship focuses on strategies to improve patient-centered care, including the development of an ethics of care based on phenomenology that contains practical steps to help clinicians understand the values and concerns of a patient living with disabilities as those values emerge and change over time.

Dr. Morgan Rotella PT DPT received her doctorate degree in physical therapy from The Ohio State University in 2019. She has been working as an outpatient orthopedic and vestibular physical therapist for more than four years now and is a certified vestibular and concussion rehabilitation specialist per the American Institute of Balance. Outside of working as a clinician, she works as an author and editor for health blogs and video content to ensure appropriate information is available regarding common medical conditions and physical therapy considerations. Furthermore, she has experience in reviewing, summarizing, and contributing to a number of physical therapy continuing education courses. 

How to Receive Credit 

• Read the entire course online or in print which requires a 2-hour commitment of time. 
• After completion of the course, complete the final examination.  A passing grade of 80% is required. Test questions link content to learning outcomes as a method to enhance individualized learning and material retention. 
• Note to Nursing professionals: Depending on your state requirements, you will be asked to either affirm that you have completed the course, or you will be required to complete the Post-test included in the course.
• Provide required personal information and payment information.
• Complete the mandatory course evaluation.
• Print your Certificate of Completion.

Identification, Mitigation, and Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships 
The planners, faculty, and others in control of content of this educational activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. 
 

Sponsorship/Commercial Support and Non-Endorsement
It is the policy of Colibri not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
©2024: All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without the expressed written permission or consent of Colibri Healthcare, LLC. The materials presented in this course are meant to provide the consumer with general information on the topics covered. The information provided was prepared by professionals with practical knowledge of the areas covered. It is not meant to provide medical, legal, or professional advice. Colibri Healthcare, LLC recommends that you consult a medical, legal, or professional services expert licensed in your state. Colibri Healthcare, LLC has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all content provided in this course is accurate and up to date at the time of printing but does not represent or warrant that it will apply to your situation nor circumstances and assumes no liability from reliance on these materials. Quotes are collected from customer feedback surveys. The models are intended to be representative and not actual customers.