Professional Conduct, Ethics, Boundary Issues, and Prohibited Practices
Core ethical duties
PTs and PTAs must practice with integrity, honesty, and respect. That includes competence, informed consent, confidentiality, avoiding exploitation, and reporting impaired or unsafe practice. The patient's welfare outranks financial gain. Billing must reflect services actually provided.
Boundaries and prohibited practices
Sexual relationships with current patients are prohibited; boundary crossings such as gifts, self-disclosure, and social media contact must be managed to avoid harm. Dual relationships that impair judgment are risky. Prohibited practices include practicing beyond scope, aiding unlicensed practice, false documentation, fraud, abandonment, and practicing while impaired.
Worked example
A long-term patient gives a PT an expensive watch. The PT should follow organizational policy, consider the therapeutic relationship, and likely decline or redirect to a clinic-wide thank-you. Accepting may create obligation or favoritism. If the patient pushes a personal relationship, the PT sets limits and documents.
Traps
Boundary issues are not only sexual. A harmless social media follow can blur the professional relationship. Do not assume a colleague's impairment is someone else's problem-report through the proper channel. Do not let billing codes describe care that was not delivered.