Professionalism, Ethics, and Law Flashcards
7 cards from real NCBTMB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professionalism, Ethics, and Law flashcards as text
A therapist receives a subpoena for a client's records. The correct action is to:
Answer: Consult an attorney and notify the client before releasing records
A subpoena is a legal order, but therapists should consult legal counsel and follow proper procedures, which may include notifying the client.
Which of the following best describes 'informed consent'?
Answer: A process ensuring the client understands and agrees to proposed treatment
Informed consent is an ongoing process of communication ensuring the client understands the nature, risks, and alternatives to proposed treatment.
If a client is intoxicated when they arrive for their appointment, the therapist should:
Answer: Postpone the session and reschedule when the client is sober
An intoxicated client cannot give valid informed consent and may be more vulnerable to injury, making postponement the appropriate action.
When transitioning a client to a different therapist in the same practice, what is the ethical requirement?
Answer: Obtain the client's written consent before transferring records
Even within the same practice, transferring a client's records to a different provider typically requires the client's authorization.
A massage therapist diagnoses a client with 'tight hip flexors causing sciatic pain.' This statement is problematic because:
Answer: Diagnosing a condition is outside the massage therapist's scope of practice
Diagnosis is the exclusive domain of licensed medical practitioners; massage therapists may observe and describe but cannot diagnose.
A client who has previously consented to massage now appears reluctant during a session. The most ethical action is to:
Answer: Stop and check in with the client verbally
Consent is ongoing and can be withdrawn at any time; therapists must be attuned to nonverbal cues and check in when a client seems uncomfortable.
Which of the following would be considered sexual misconduct by a massage therapist?
Answer: Engaging in sexual discussion at a client's request during a session
Sexual discussion or activity during a session constitutes professional misconduct regardless of whether the client initiates it.