ANSWERS.
Aleesha wonders if it is acceptable to provide occupational therapy
treatment to pets. She searches the
College website and finds no standards, guides or regulations that speak to
her question.
Should Aleesha conclude that:
a. No news is good news. If providing services to pets was an issue, there
would be something about it
on the College website.
b. In the absence of a College regulation or standard, she should apply her
best professional judgement.
c. Not every issue is specifically addressed in the College's regulations and
standards. She needs to look
elsewhere for an answer.
d. If nothing is written, then unwritten standards of practice apply. She
should consult with her peers on
the accepted standard of practice. - CORRECT ANSWER -Answer (c) is the best
answer. The College website does not cover every legal issue that an OT
might face,
particularly if an issue is uncommon in occupational therapy practice. In
fact, there is legislation dealing with
the treatment of animals; the Veterinarians Act may well apply and is
administered by another college.
,How should OTs reconcile the "right to remain silent" with their duty to co-
operate with the College?
a. While OTs can remain silent, the College is then free to infer the worst
about the OT's behaviour.
b. The College cannot force an OT to respond. However, it can discipline an
OT who chooses to exercise
that right.
c. The right to remain silent is a popular misconception often seen in TV
dramas.
d. Since the role of the College is to protect the public and not to punish
OTs, OTs are expected to cooperate
with the College. - CORRECT ANSWER -Answer (d) is the best answer. It
addresses the key reason why OTs are expected to co-operate with the
College.
What should an OT do if a client asks him or her for a date?
a. Ask the client to repeat the request once the services are completed.
b. Accept the request if the OT wants to date the client, but tell the client
that they cannot have sex.
c. Explore with the client other people who the client could date.
d. Explain that it is inappropriate for an OT to date his or her client. -
CORRECT ANSWER -Answer (d) is the best answer. OTs need to approach all
client relationships on a professional level and not
allow themselves to dwell on other possibilities. While you could respond
that OTs are "not allowed" to date
clients, that would send the message that the OT would like to date the
client if he or she could, which might
confuse and even harm the client.
,An OT must report the sexual abuse of a client in which of the following
circumstances:
a. Only if the OT personally observes the sexual abuse.
b. Only if the OT believes that the sexual abuse likely occurred.
c. When a client consents to a sexual abuse report being made in writing.
d. When reasonable grounds to believe that sexual abuse has occurred are
obtained in the course of the
OT's practice. - CORRECT ANSWER -Answer (d) is the best answer. During the
course of an OT's practice, if the OT has reasonable grounds to
believe that a client has been sexually abused by a regulated health
practitioner, the OT must report the abuse
to the Registrar of the alleged abuser's college.
Victoria works in a hospital. Her cousin Duffy has been in an accident and
admitted to the hospital. Victoria
works in a different unit and has not seen Duffy. Victoria's uncle calls her in
a panic wanting to know how
Duffy is doing.
What should Victoria do?
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a. Refer her uncle to the admitting department where her uncle can inquire
about Duffy's status.
, b. Check the hospital's electronic records to see Duffy's status and then
advise her uncle.
c. Check the hospital's electronic records to see Duffy's status but only tell
her uncle Duffy's general
condition; for example, fair.
d. Call a nurse she knows in the emergency department for an update on
Duffy's condition and then
report that information to her uncle. - CORRECT ANSWER -Answer (a) is the
best answer. This scenario raises a primary issue of confidentiality and a
secondary issue
of conflict of interest. Although Victoria is related to Duffy and
communicating with a concerned close relative,
Victoria cannot access Duffy's personal health information for non-clinical
or personal reasons. In addition,
Victoria should not use her position in the hospital to obtain information
that her relative would not be able to
obtain. Referring Victoria's uncle to the admitting department is
transferring the concern to a proper channel
of communication.
Alex is transitioning from a man to a woman. Abel, an OT, is performing a
home visit after Alex's surgery to
assess rehabilitation needs and make appropriate recommendations. Abel
has deep religious objections to
what Alex is doing. During their conversation, Abel refers to Alex as a man.
Alex asks Abel to refer to her as a
woman. Abel has enormous difficulties bringing himself to do this.
Legally speaking, what should Abel do?