Professionalism
Students must not only demonstrate competent patient treatment skills, but also must develop and demonstrate professional behaviors in the clinical setting. The clinical instructors along with the academic faculty are responsible for mentoring professional development in students.

Refer to APTA position Mentoring of Professionalism in Academic and Clinical Education HOD P06-03-29-27.

The Values-Based Behaviors for the Physical Therapist Assistant describes the values that would most significantly influence the PTA when performing patient treatments as part of the physical therapy team. There are eight values-based behaviors that include altruism, caring and compassion, continuing competence, duty, integrity, PT/PTA collaboration, responsibility and social responsibility. Students are instructed on the values-based behaviors and complete the Values-Based Behaviors for the Physical Therapist Assistant Self-Assessment Tool to increase their awareness and to foster development of the behaviors. Academic faculty also completes assessments on the students and discusses the students’ progression in development of these behaviors.

Refer to the APTA Document: Values-Based Behaviors for the PTA, BODP01-11-02-02

Ethical and Legal Practice
All students are required to comply by all ethical and legal standards for patient/client management. The students receive education on the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant which describes ethical obligations as determined by the APTA. Students are also expected to abide by the practice act of the state they are practicing in and the clinical sites policies and procedures. Students are educated on the practice acts of the states that clinical education sites are located in. CIs and CCCEs are expected to promote legal and ethical practice and mentor the students as needed to maintain all ethical and legal standards.

Refer to the APTA document: Standards of Ethical Practice fort he Physical Therapist Assistant  HOD S06-09-20-18

Refer to the APTA document: Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant that interprets the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant.

Refer to the APTA document: Ethical and Legal Consideration for Clinical Education HOD P06-01-16-18 for their position.

Refer to Practice Acts by States to find the practice act of the state you are located in.

Pennsylvania

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