Journal of Clinical Research & Bioethics

Abstract

Ethical Issues Related to the Physiotherapist Patient Relationship during the First Session - The Perceptions of Danish Physiotherapists

Jeanette Praestegaard and Gunvor Gard

Maintaining and enhancing professional autonomy requires continuous development of one’s professional and ethical competences in order to meet society’s mutable expectations to physiotherapy practice. As physiotherapy is a relational practice based on professional bodily analysis and touch it seems relevant to explore whether and how ethical issues arise during the first physiotherapy session. It is increasingly popular to choose a carrier in private practice, why understandings from physiotherapists within this context frame the study. Through a qualitative approach it is shown that ethical issues do occur within the first session and that the first session and the clinical context in private practice are essential from an ethical perspective. The consciousness about ethical issues differs in Danish physiotherapy private practice, and reflections and acts are vaguely based on ethical theories, principles and ethical guidelines. Beneficence towards the patient is seen as a fundamental aspect of the physiotherapists’ understanding of the first session. However, if the physiotherapist lacks a deeper ethical awareness, the physiotherapist may reason and/or act ethically to a varying extent: only an ethically conscious physiotherapist will know when he or she reflects and acts ethically. Further exploration of ethical issues in private practice is recommendable, and as management policy is deeply embedded within the Danish public sector there are reasons to explore public contexts of physiotherapy as well.