Nick:
You bring up a very important issue that I believe is at the essence of
the future evolution of the Physical Therapy field. I say "field" because
any body of practitioners that do not have authority to autonomous practice
fails to meet what most authorities define as a "true profession".
May I refer you to Jerome Martin PT, PhD, letter to the editor found in
"Physical Therapy" October 1999. Here, Dr Martin asks "Do Physical
Therapists have autonomy of practice?" Dr Martin recognizes that generally
physical therapists (in the USA) are not positioned to make independent
programmatic decisions nor have autonomous governance/responsibility over
the care they provide or the patients they treat.
Dr Martin then references Blau PM, ScottWR. "Formal Organization." San
Francisco,CA. Chandler Publications Co; 1962:60-63. Blau and Scott describe
the six characteristics of a "true profession". Practice autonomy is
described to be a requirement for "professional" status.
Dr Martin and I concur that patient "direct access" to physical therapy
is the best route to practice autonomy and its resultant professional
status.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: nick bent <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2000 1:40 PM
Subject: autonomy
> Can anyone help me find somewhere where it says that a
> chartered physiotherapist has a right to autonomy?
>
> I have found this in the CSP standards:
>
> "the therapist has a duty and a consequential right to
> decline to perform any therapy which his professional
> training and expertise suggests is actively harmful to
> the patient."
>
> This means that if somebody tells you to perform a
> treatment that you know to be dangerous, that you can
> refuse.
> But is there anything to state that you should be able
> to take a course of action that you know to be
> beneficial to the patient when somebody stupid is
> trying to stop you?
> For example, referral to a surgeon.
>
> Anyone who can help me quickly will get a big xmas
> kiss but don't let that put you off replying.
>
>
> Nick
>
>
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