Professional Conduct and Ethics
Professional Conduct and Ethics
This domain tests the standards that apply even when no clinical skill is at issue: honesty, boundaries, conflicts, billing, and respect for patients.
Core rules
- Put patient welfare first. Provide competent, non-discriminatory care and obtain informed consent.
- Be honest in licensing, billing, advertising, and documentation. False or misleading claims, billing for services not rendered, and upcoding are unprofessional conduct.
- Maintain professional boundaries. Sexual or exploitative relationships with patients are prohibited. Avoid dual relationships that impair judgment.
- Protect confidentiality and disclose only as authorized or required by law.
- Do not practice impaired. Substance use or mental health impairment must be addressed, not hidden.
- Report suspected abuse and unprofessional conduct as required. Retaliation is prohibited.
Worked example
A PT bills a 45-minute therapeutic-exercise session but spent 20 minutes on exercise and 25 minutes on paperwork. Reasoning: billing must reflect the service actually provided, and documentation must support it. If the payer requires timed codes, the PT cannot round up or bill for unskilled time. The fix is accurate timekeeping and documentation, not a “close enough” entry.
Traps
The ethics questions often hide a billing or boundary issue inside a clinical scenario. Do not assume a physician’s order makes an unethical act acceptable. Do not discuss a patient’s case in a public area or on social media. Do not accept a gift that could influence care.