Occupational therapy practitioners and students commonly experience ethical tensions. In a survey of 436 American occupational therapists, students, and assistants, respondents reported confrontations with ethical issues in the workplace at the following rates: 21% daily, 31% weekly, 32% monthly, 13% yearly, and 3% never. Of particular concern is that only 20% perceived themselves as knowledgeable about ethics, whereas 67% reported some knowledge, 7% were uncertain, and 5% indicated they were not knowledgeable. Researchers have identified ethical tensions that arise due to pressures for cost containment, unfair allocation of resources, insufficient time for quality practice, and the disparity between the resources an occupational therapist requires and the resources available. Participants commonly reported that healthcare systems constrained their work. Institutional roles for occupational therapists were often overly narrowed or expanded by their healthcare contexts. Therapists may feel forced to abandon holistic care because of constrained roles.
started by emking on 12 Nov 15
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Elizabeth_Kinsella/publication/5236634_Through_the_eyes_of_students_ethical_tensions_in_occupational_therapy_practice/links/0046351f6f9ffa69ed000000.pdf
Occupational therapy practitioners and students commonly experience ethical tensions. In a survey of 436 American occupational therapists, students, and assistants, respondents reported confrontations with ethical issues in the workplace at the following rates: 21% daily, 31% weekly, 32% monthly, 13% yearly, and 3% never. Of particular concern is that only 20% perceived themselves as knowledgeable about ethics, whereas 67% reported some knowledge, 7% were uncertain, and 5% indicated they were not knowledgeable. Researchers have identified ethical tensions that arise due to pressures for cost containment, unfair allocation of resources, insufficient time for quality practice, and the disparity between the resources an occupational therapist requires and the resources available. Participants commonly reported that healthcare systems constrained their work. Institutional roles for occupational therapists were often overly narrowed or expanded by their healthcare contexts. Therapists may feel forced to abandon holistic care because of constrained roles.