NCBTMB Professional Ethics and Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A therapist learns that their colleague is practicing massage while under the influence of alcohol. The therapist's most appropriate action is to:
- Ignore it as it is not their responsibility
- Report the colleague to the state licensing board (Correct answer)
- Warn the colleague privately and monitor the situation
- Inform the clients of the colleague's behavior
Correct answer: Report the colleague to the state licensing board
Impaired practice endangers client safety, and the ethical duty to protect clients requires reporting to the appropriate licensing authority.
Question 2: The term 'scope of practice' in massage therapy refers to:
- The geographic area where a therapist is permitted to work
- The range of services and activities a massage therapist is legally and professionally permitted to perform (Correct answer)
- The maximum number of clients a therapist may treat per day
- The therapeutic modalities covered by insurance
Correct answer: The range of services and activities a massage therapist is legally and professionally permitted to perform
Scope of practice defines the legally and professionally recognized boundaries within which a massage therapist is authorized to operate.
Question 3: A client asks their massage therapist for advice on which herbal supplements to take for pain relief. The therapist should:
- Recommend the supplements they personally use
- Decline to advise and suggest the client consult a qualified healthcare provider (Correct answer)
- Provide general information from a reputable website
- Prescribe a basic regimen and document it in the client's file
Correct answer: Decline to advise and suggest the client consult a qualified healthcare provider
Recommending or prescribing supplements is outside the scope of practice of a massage therapist, and the client should be referred to a qualified professional.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'transference' in the therapeutic relationship?
- The therapist developing romantic feelings for the client
- The client unconsciously projecting feelings onto the therapist based on past relationships (Correct answer)
- The transfer of payment responsibility from client to insurance
- The referral of a client to another healthcare provider
Correct answer: The client unconsciously projecting feelings onto the therapist based on past relationships
Transference occurs when a client unconsciously redirects emotions or expectations from past relationships onto the therapist.
Question 5: A therapist discovers that a client has listed a serious medical condition on their intake form that could be contraindicated. The appropriate action is to:
- Proceed normally and avoid the affected area
- Consult with the client's physician before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Cancel the session and ask the client not to return
- Perform only relaxation massage without addressing the condition
Correct answer: Consult with the client's physician before proceeding
When a client has a serious contraindicated medical condition, the therapist should consult with the client's physician to ensure the safety of treatment.
Question 6: Which principle supports a client's right to make decisions about their own care without coercion?
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects a client's right to make informed, voluntary decisions about their own health care.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of maintaining detailed client session records?
- To satisfy insurance billing requirements only
- To support continuity of care, legal protection, and professional accountability (Correct answer)
- To provide documentation for marketing purposes
- To meet the minimum number of records required by the state board
Correct answer: To support continuity of care, legal protection, and professional accountability
Detailed client records support continuity and quality of care, provide legal documentation, and demonstrate professional accountability.
NCBTMB Professional Ethics and Standards 3
A therapist learns that their colleague is practicing massage while under the influence of alcohol.
The therapist's most appropriate action is to: