Ethical Problems in Physical Therapy

Ethical Scenario

A therapist is working at a Physical Rehabilitation Therapy Clinic and a juvenile age 16 is referred to their clinic for treatment of severe burns that has limited the function of the patients arms and hands. Upon examining the child, the therapist notices several other burn marks, and unexplained bruises on the patient. The therapist works with the child for a couple of weeks, and begins pressing the child about how the burns and marks occurred. The child was being physically abused by their parents, but begs and pleads with the therapist not to report their parents for fear of being put in the states custody.

1. The therapist has to decide if she reports the child’s parents or agrees with the child not to report them.

2. The situation is an ethical problem because of the patient confidentiality clause and the therapist’s own ethics and moral beliefs. Does the therapist go against her beliefs and agree not to report the parents to the authorities, or does she report the parents preventing future injuries to the child, but going against the patient confidentiality since the patient is a child.

3. The therapist must first define the problem, then clearly understand and identify