CTRS Ethics & Professionalism in Recreation Therapy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CTRS discovers that a colleague has been falsifying client progress notes to meet productivity quotas. What is the most appropriate first step?
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
- Confront the colleague privately and encourage self-reporting
- Immediately report to state licensing board without discussion
- Document the behavior and report to a supervisor or ethics committee (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Document the behavior and report to a supervisor or ethics committee
The CTRS should document the concern and report through appropriate internal or professional channels rather than ignoring misconduct or bypassing internal processes.
Question 2: Under the ATRA Code of Ethics, which principle requires recreation therapists to respect clients' rights to make their own decisions?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the ethical principle that upholds the client's right to self-determination and informed decision-making.
Question 3: A CTRS working in a psychiatric facility is asked by a client to keep information about suicidal ideation confidential. The therapist should:
- Honor the request to maintain therapeutic trust
- Disclose only to the client's family members
- Break confidentiality and report to the treatment team immediately (Correct answer)
- Document the request and do nothing unless ideation worsens
Correct answer: Break confidentiality and report to the treatment team immediately
Suicidal ideation represents a duty-to-protect situation that ethically and legally overrides confidentiality obligations.
Question 4: Which NCTRC standard requires CTRSs to complete continuing education to maintain certification?
- Scope of Practice standard
- Recertification standard (Correct answer)
- Entry-level competency standard
- Supervision standard
Correct answer: Recertification standard
The NCTRC recertification standard mandates ongoing continuing education hours to ensure competence is maintained throughout a career.
Question 5: A recreation therapist posts a photo from a client's therapy session on social media without obtaining consent. This violates which ethical and legal principle?
- Beneficence
- HIPAA Privacy Rule (Correct answer)
- Scope of Practice
- Nonmaleficence
Correct answer: HIPAA Privacy Rule
HIPAA's Privacy Rule prohibits sharing identifiable patient health information, including images from treatment settings, without proper authorization.
Question 6: When a CTRS feels personal values conflict with providing a service required by a client's treatment plan, the best course of action is to:
- Refuse to work with the client entirely
- Consult a supervisor and arrange for appropriate referral if needed (Correct answer)
- Provide the service despite the conflict without disclosing it
- Ask the client to modify their goals to match the therapist's values
Correct answer: Consult a supervisor and arrange for appropriate referral if needed
Consulting a supervisor and facilitating referral protects the client's care while respecting the therapist's professional limits.
Question 7: The ethical principle of 'fidelity' in recreational therapy practice refers to:
- Treating all clients equally regardless of status
- Honoring commitments and being trustworthy with clients (Correct answer)
- Avoiding actions that cause harm
- Promoting the client's best interest above all else
Correct answer: Honoring commitments and being trustworthy with clients
Fidelity involves keeping promises, being honest, and maintaining trustworthiness in the therapeutic relationship.
CTRS Ethics & Professionalism in Recreation Therapy 2
A CTRS discovers that a colleague has been falsifying client progress notes to meet productivity quotas.
What is the most appropriate first step?