NPTE-PT Professional Responsibilities and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A PT discovers that a colleague is billing for services not rendered. What is the MOST appropriate initial action?
- Ignore it to avoid conflict
- Report directly to the state licensing board
- Confront the colleague and report to the supervisor or compliance officer (Correct answer)
- Notify the patient immediately
Correct answer: Confront the colleague and report to the supervisor or compliance officer
The PT should first address the concern internally by confronting the colleague and reporting to a supervisor or compliance officer, which follows proper channels before external reporting.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes 'abandonment' in physical therapy practice?
- Discharging a patient who has met all goals
- Terminating care without adequate notice or arranging for continued care (Correct answer)
- Declining to treat a patient before initiating care
- Referring a patient to another specialist
Correct answer: Terminating care without adequate notice or arranging for continued care
Abandonment occurs when a PT unilaterally terminates an established therapeutic relationship without proper notice or transition of care.
Question 3: Under HIPAA, which scenario represents a permissible disclosure of PHI without patient authorization?
- Sharing records with the patient's employer
- Disclosing information to a marketing company
- Providing records to a treating physician for continuity of care (Correct answer)
- Releasing records to the patient's attorney without a subpoena
Correct answer: Providing records to a treating physician for continuity of care
HIPAA permits disclosure of PHI for treatment purposes, including sharing with other treating healthcare providers without explicit authorization.
Question 4: A PT is treating a patient who reveals plans to harm a specific person. The PT's MOST appropriate response is to:
- Maintain confidentiality and continue treatment
- Warn the intended victim and appropriate authorities (Correct answer)
- Immediately discharge the patient
- Consult with the patient's insurance company
Correct answer: Warn the intended victim and appropriate authorities
Under the duty to warn (Tarasoff principle), clinicians must take reasonable steps to protect identifiable third parties from serious credible threats.
Question 5: Which ethical principle is MOST directly violated when a PT provides unnecessary treatments to increase billing?
- Justice
- Autonomy
- Nonmaleficence (Correct answer)
- Veracity
Correct answer: Nonmaleficence
Providing unnecessary treatments violates nonmaleficence (do no harm) by exposing patients to risk without therapeutic benefit.
Question 6: A PT working in a school setting suspects a student has been physically abused. The FIRST action should be to:
- Contact the parents for clarification
- Notify child protective services as required by mandatory reporting laws (Correct answer)
- Document findings and wait to see if the situation resolves
- Consult with the school principal before any action
Correct answer: Notify child protective services as required by mandatory reporting laws
PTs are mandatory reporters in all U.S. states, requiring immediate reporting of suspected child abuse to the appropriate authorities.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST defines 'informed refusal' in physical therapy?
- A patient refusing to sign consent forms
- A competent patient declining recommended treatment after being informed of risks and benefits (Correct answer)
- A PT refusing to treat a patient
- A patient refusing to pay for services
Correct answer: A competent patient declining recommended treatment after being informed of risks and benefits
Informed refusal is a competent patient's right to decline treatment after receiving adequate information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives.
NPTE-PT Professional Responsibilities and Ethics 2
A PT discovers that a colleague is billing for services not rendered.
What is the MOST appropriate initial action?