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Getting to the Core of Professionalism
By Janet Bezner, PT, PhD
A list of core values for physical therapists seeks to define what
others should expect of you--and what you should expect of
yourself.
As a kid I attended many Little League Baseball games--my mom was
president of the local league for a time, so we spent many a Saturday at
the ballpark. Being a very active child, my tolerance for sitting in the
stands and watching was limited, so, after convincing my mom that I
wouldn't go too far, I'd wander off to find some other kids to hang out
with.
Once when I was bored and looking for something to amuse me, I was
kicking the dirt under the bleachers and found a $5 bill! Looking around
furtively and not sure what to do, I wondered whose it was and what I
should do. I can remember standing there with my foot covering the
money, feeling torn between picking it up, running to the snack bar, and
spending every penny on candy and popcorn, or giving it to my mom, who
would pat me on the head in a "good girl" kind of way and try to return
it to its rightful owner.
After thinking through the two possible courses of action and
considering the consequences, I determined that the best decision would
be to turn in the money. The consequences of eating all of that candy
and trying to explain where I got the funds seemed too great. Besides, I
reasoned, if nobody claimed the money maybe my mom would let me keep
it.
Maybe you had a similar experience as a child: an early lesson in
values in which you sacrificed a desire or prize in order to "do the
right thing." Although the stakes weren't that high in my experience at
the ballpark, I learned a valuable lesson about honesty that I still
reflect on today in situations in which the stakes are much higher.
Dishonesty or lack of integrity today could cost me my license, a
business deal, my membership in APTA, and my reputation--stakes that are
very significant and important to me and to my future as a
professional.
Of Vision and Values
Whatever values you adopt as an adult and as a professional, they
guide your decision-making and thus are important to consider and
develop. Stephen Covey talks about this process in his book The 7
Habits of Highly Effective People.1 One's beliefs
and ideas are based on one's values, which generate one's behaviors,
which in turn determine the outcomes one experiences. In the case of
young Janet and the $5 bill, because I valued honesty (and feared a good
talking-to!), my behavior was to hand over the money to my mom. The
outcome I experienced was praise and reinforcement for my behavior and
my beliefs. (And the fact that I can't even remember whether I got to
keep the money says something, I think, about the power of praise and
reinforcement.)
Until recently, APTA hadn't spent a great deal of time or resources
on the development of professional values. Although many "value" words
can be found in the Guide to Physical Therapist
Practice,2 A Normative Model of Physical
Therapist Professional Education,3 and various APTA core
documents,4 the Association had not created a core set of
values it could use to communicate to others the ideals we believe are
most important, or to guide the individual member seeking to develop
further professionally.
APTA Vision Statement for Physical Therapy
2020
(HOD 06-00-24-35) |
| Physical therapy, by 2020, will be provided by physical therapists
who are doctors of physical therapy and who may be board-certified
specialists. Consumers will have direct access to physical therapists in
all environments for patient/client management, prevention, and wellness
services. Physical therapists will be practitioners of choice in
clients' health networks and will hold all privileges of autonomous
practice. Physical therapists may be assisted by physical therapist
assistants who are educated and licensed to provide physical
therapist-directed and -supervised components of interventions. Guided
by integrity, life-long learning, and a commitment to comprehensive and
accessible health programs for all people, physical therapists and
physical therapist assistants will render evidence-based service
throughout the continuum of care and improve quality of life for
society. They will provide culturally sensitive care distinguished by
trust, respect, and an appreciation for individual differences.
While fully availing themselves of new technologies, as well as basic
and clinical research, physical therapists will continue to provide
direct care. They will maintain active responsibility for the growth of
the physical therapy profession and the health of the people it
serves.
|
With the adoption of the APTA Vision Statement for Physical Therapy
2020 (see sidebar) by the House of Delegates in 1999, the
importance of professionalism was identified as critical to the future
of physical therapy and specifically to the movement of physical therapy
toward a doctoring profession. It is tempting to argue that we are all
professionals simply because we graduated from accredited physical
therapy programs and obtained licensure--and that we thus need not pay
further attention to the subject. On the contrary, however,
professionalism is so critical a part of realizing Vision 2020 that it
was of great import to the Association to further define this quality
and to identify the attributes relative to professionalism that a
graduate of a physical therapist (PT) program ought to demonstrate and
that individual practitioners should display on a daily basis.
Toward this end, APTA held a consensus conference in July 2002 at
which 18 members with expertise in physical therapy education, practice,
and research discussed and agreed upon the core values of the profession
and the indicators (judgments, decisions, attitudes, and behaviors)
consistent with those values. I was fortunate to be able to participate
as Board liaison to this group, which was led by Joe Black, PhD, MDiv,
and Jody Gandy, PT, PhD, of APTA's Education Department.
Everyday Indicators
During the 3-day conference, the participants generated an impressive
list of values that all PTs should possess. The group pared that list
down to seven core values that represent the critical or essential
elements of professionalism in PTs. These core values and their
definitions appear in alphabetical order in the table on this page.
Conference participants also created a list of indicators for each core
value to describe what one would see if the PT were demonstrating that
core value in his or her daily practice. While space limitations
prohibit publication here of the entire list of indicators (for that, go
to www.apta.org, click on "Education," then click on "Professionalism in
Physical Therapy: Core Values"), what follows are brief descriptions of
some of the indicators associated with each core value.
Accountability. A PT demonstrates accountability by
acknowledging and accepting the consequences of his or her actions, by
responding to the patient's or client's goals and needs, and by
maintaining membership in APTA and other organizations.
Altruism. A PT demonstrates altruism by placing the
patient's or client's needs above those of the PT, by providing pro bono
services, and by providing services to the patient or client that go
beyond expected standards of practice.
Compassion and caring. A PT demonstrates compassion and
caring by being an advocate for patients' or clients' needs,
understanding an individual's perspective and the various influences on
that person's life in his or her environment, and demonstrating respect
for others and considering them as unique and of value.
Excellence. A PT demonstrates excellence by
internalizing the importance of using multiple sources of evidence to
support professional practice and decisions, seeking out and acquiring
new knowledge throughout his or her professional career, and by
demonstrating high levels of knowledge and skill in all aspects of the
profession.
Integrity. A PT demonstrates integrity by abiding by
the rules, regulations, and laws applicable to the profession, adhering
to profession's highest standards (in practice, ethics, reimbursement,
and other areas), confronting harassment and bias in oneself and others,
being trustworthy, and choosing employment situations that are congruent
with practice values and professional ethical standards.
Professional duty. A PT demonstrates professional duty
by facilitating the achievement of each patient's or client's goals for
function, health, and wellness; promoting the profession; mentoring
others; and getting involved in professional activities beyond the
practice setting.
Social responsibility. A PT demonstrates social
responsibility by promoting cultural competence within the profession
and the larger public; promoting social policy that affects the
function, health, and wellness needs of patients and clients; promoting
community volunteerism; and working to ensure the blending of social
justice and economic efficiency of service delivery.
Matters of Communication
The achievement and demonstration of these core values, the Board
believes, is essential if our profession is to realize Vision 2020. They
are the values that society and the profession itself expect from a
doctor of physical therapy (DPT) who practices autonomously. They also
are the beliefs and behaviors we want the greater public to associate
with physical therapy and PTs. Because of their primary importance and
their relationship to our major goals (direct access, evidence-based
practice, the DPT, being seen as practitioner of choice, and autonomous
practice), the Board is carefully considering how best to communicate
and use them.
The core values will be integrated into the next revision of A
Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education--Version
2004--and thus will influence future physical therapist students. Their
application to the practitioner is equally important and is being
discussed by the Board at this writing (in late October). If you have
thoughts or ideas about how these core values can be most useful to the
membership and best applied, please contact me or any Board
member.
In the interim, I would encourage each of you to review these core
values and reflect on the extent to which your daily actions and
decisions are consistent with them and the greater good they represent.
Identify areas in which you can improve. Seek out all the indicators of
each core value, observe others who exemplify them, and select
activities and situations that challenge you to demonstrate each value.
The next time you find yourself faced with a difficult decision, use the
opportunity to reflect on the values upon which you rely to make
decisions.
Perhaps you can recall a childhood encounter that offered you a
choice that led you to integrity. Or, you might reflect on a more-recent
situation in which you've seen someone choose the less value-driven path
and experience the consequences; unfortunately, the media is full of
stories such as these. Whatever your current situation, remind yourself
that candy and popcorn may be great in the moment, but they won't get
you as far in the long run as will giving back that $5 bill!
________________
Janet Bezner, PT, PhD, is vice president of APTA and senior
vice president of PeakCare Inc. She can be reached at janetbezner@apta.org.
References
1. Covey SR. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York:
Simon & Schuster; 1990.
2. Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. 2nd ed. Phys Ther.
2001;81:9-744.
3. A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional
Education. Alexandria, Va: American Physical Therapy Association:
Version 2000; 2000.
4. APTA core documents. Available at www.apta.org/About/core_documents.
| Professionalism in Physical Therapy: Core
Values |
| Core Value |
Definition |
| Accountability |
Active acceptance of the responsibility for the diverse roles,
obligations, and actions of the physical therapist, including
self-regulation and other behaviors that positively influence
patient/client outcomes, the profession, and the health needs of
society. |
| Altruism |
Primary regard for or devotion to the interests of
patients/clients, thus assuming the fiduciary responsibility of placing
the needs of the patient/client ahead of the physical therapist's
self interest. |
| Compassion/Caring |
Compassion is the desire to identify with or sense something of
another's experience; a precursor of caring. Caring is the concern,
empathy, and consideration for the needs and values of others. |
| Excellence |
Physical therapy practice that consistently uses
current knowledge and theory while understanding personal limits,
integrates judgment and the patient/client perspective, embraces
advancement, challenges mediocrity, and works toward development of new
knowledge. |
| Integrity |
The possession of and steadfast adherence to high moral principles
or professional standards. |
| Professional Duty |
The commitment to meeting one's obligations to
provide effective physical therapy services to patients/clients, serve
the profession, and positively influence the health of
society. |
| Social Responsibility |
The promotion of a mutual trust between the profession and the
larger public that necessitates responding to societal needs for health
and wellness. |
PT Magazine - January 2004
| PTmagazine, PTmag, magazine |
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