Question

A pt with carpel tunnel has met all her goals with OT and reports decreased pain but wishes to come back because she likes the paraffin because it makes her hands feel soft. If the OTA says yes which principle would the OTA be violating?

A. Fidelity
B. Non-maleficence
C. Veracity
D. Beneficence

Answer 1

The OTA would be violating the principle of Beneficence by continuing treatment with paraffin for non-therapeutic reasons, which is not promoting the client's health or functional benefits.

Step-by-step explanation:

If an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) continued to treat a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome solely based on the patient's preference for the way paraffin treatments make her hands feel despite meeting all therapeutic goals, the OTA would likely be violating the ethical principle of Beneficence. Beneficence involves promoting the well-being of clients by providing effective treatments with a clear benefit to the client's health or function.

In this scenario, continuing treatment for reasons unrelated to therapeutic goals might lead to unnecessary use of healthcare resources or give the impression that therapy is needed when it is not. This can also lead to dependency on the service. It's important for the OTA to instead educate and empower the patient to manage her condition independently and seek out other resources or treatments that can maintain her hand's softness without unnecessary medical intervention.