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The impact of an evolving profession on the frequency and perceived difficulty of ethical encounters among physical therapists in the clinic

ABSTRACT Background: Ethical decision making is situated within dynamic contexts specific to practice standards and environments, contemporary policy, and responsive educational systems. Reflecting on an evolving profession lends insight into the role of ethical codes of conduct. Objective: The purpose of this study was to gather information about the frequency and perceived difficulty physical therapists (PTs) experience with common ethical situations within contemporary clinical practice. Methods: PTs within the United States were invited to participate in an online questionnaire replicating a 1980 study. Subjects were 336 PTs from a variety of practice environments. Results: Just 1 item was reported as moderately/extremely difficult by contemporary respondents, compared to 16 items in the 1980 study. The number of items meeting moderate/high encounter frequency was similar between the two groups (2015 = 16/19; 1980 = 15/19). Conclusions: While today’s PTs report that they encounter ethical situations at a frequency similar to PTs in 1980, these same PTs report these ethical challenges as minimally difficult when compared to PTs responding to the 1980 survey. It is proposed that a move toward autonomous practice, the elevation of the entry level professional degree, and changing health care policy and environments have been influential in shaping these changes over time.