Bioethics in Physical Therapy

Understanding the basics of ethics is essential for a physical therapist. Diagnostic skills, technical expertise, and knowledge of the body are insufficient; being a good clinician requires a moral education as well.

Bioethics in Physical Therapy: A Reader helps students develop a deeper understanding of moral principles and their philosophical underpinnings. The text encourages readers to exercise their moral imaginations and prepares them to respond to professional conflicts in an ethical manner.

The reader is organized in seven units. The text begins with an introduction to classical moral theories, the fundamental philosophical pillars of biomedical ethics, and a history of ethics in physical therapy. Additional units explore such topics as moral distress and the choice to be ethical, acting with integrity in the face of uncertainty, and the importance of hope in the patient encounter. Students learn about moral courage, the broad reach of justice in the medical field, and the lived experience of illness. Each unit features an opening scenario, a section on cultivating professional values, introductions to the key topic and the readings, comprehension questions, and post-reading critical thinking questions that reference the opening scenario.

Written to be engaging and accessible, Bioethics in Physical Therapy: A Reader is designed to help future therapists understand the importance of ethics in practice. It is an ideal resource for all courses in the discipline.