Application of Principle I
To demonstrate respect for client autonomy, therapists adhere to the following ethical practices:
- Ensuring that clients are as fully involved as possible in the planning and implementation of their own health care
- Providing complete and accurate information in a sensitive and timely fashion to enable clients, or when necessary, a client’s substitute decision maker, to make informed choices
- Listening to and respecting a client’s values, opinions, needs, and cultural beliefs
- Encouraging and being responsive to a client’s choice to accept, augment, modify, refuse, or terminate treatment
- Being informed about moral and legal rights of a client
- Advocating for and supporting a client in exercising his/her moral and legal rights
Practical Guidance
In light of ongoing global events, such as discussions surrounding COVID-19 vaccination, it’s important to approach client interactions with sensitivity and professionalism. Here are specific guidelines:
Avoiding Inappropriate Questions: Refrain from asking questions about vaccination status with the intention to discriminate. Client decisions regarding vaccination are personal and should be respected without judgment.
Treatment Consistency: Regardless of vaccination status, therapists should provide care to all clients equally, without prejudice.
Responding to Inquiries: If asked about a therapist’s vaccination status, respond with: “Our clinic respects individual rights and does not differentiate based on vaccination status. Every individual has the right to choose their medical treatments without discrimination.”
Conclusion
By upholding Principle I – Respect for Persons, massage and manual osteopathic therapists uphold ethical standards that foster trust, respect, and professionalism in healthcare practice. These principles ensure that therapists provide compassionate, patient-centered care while respecting individual rights and choices.