Application of the OT Code of Ethics; case studies and practice dilemmas

Pamela Pediatrics, a company owned by Pamela, an occupational therapist, provided therapy services to preschool children with special needs in a clinic setting. Pamela had been a clinical field- work supervisor for 8 years, and although the practice was busy and the clinic’s staffing level was low, she currently had 3 Level I fieldwork students. The fieldwork students were concerned that the children were receiving inadequate care and that they were receiving insufficient supervision.

Principles at stake:


Principle 4, Justice, specifically, social justice: All children desert same amount of attention regardless their abilities
Principle 1, Beneficence, because understaffing could lead to a lack of safety for both the children and students
RSC 4H, regarding the provision of appropriate supervision by those with supervisory responsibility, also was relevant
They realized RSC 4N held Pamela to the same obligations to her clients and fieldwork students in her private practice as she would have in an institution. Pamela was responsible both for providing competent services to the children, who may have been at increased risk for injury, and for supervising the students according to relevant guidelines (e.g., Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, 2012).

Solution:
The students consulted their school for guidance