Ethical Standards are a set of standards that an educated massage therapist stands by. Ethics is defined by Webster as the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment; this system or code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, profession, etc.
Since each person is unique with their own experiences and beliefs, ethics can be difficult to define. My own list of ethics as a Massage therapist are as follows:
Informed Consent
Clients need to be able to make a decision as to whether they want you to work on them and what they want you to do. This is informed consent. They must be given enough information, such as : what are the goals and purpose of the session, what are the possible consequences of the treatment, what risks are involved, what are the possible benefits of a treatment, how much time will the treatment take, how much money will the treatment cost and how will it be paid for. With this information, a client will be able to determine if they want the treatment for themselves or do they refuse the treatment.
Right of Refusal
Clients have the right to refuse the service for any reason at any time. If they determine that the session should be stopped right in the middle, their needs must be respected. Be aware that a session interrupted before completed may also cause a problem in the financial agreement. Does the client owe for the whole time?
This same right also applies for the practitioner. You can end a session at any time, for any reason. The bottom line is to work on only people who are nurturing to you and do not drain your energy. If your mother just died of lung cancer it may not be advisable to work on someone who smokes.
Confidentiality
A clients information, both written and verbal belongs to the client. Conversations that occur during a session, should not be repeated or included in the chart notes unless it is describing their physical condition. A client may also not want to be approached outside the treatment clinic. If you see a client walking down the street and stop and say hello, this may violate their right of confidentiality, as they may not want it be known that they are seeking treatment.
Boundaries
A Boundary is a space within a perimeter that may be a physical, emotional or mental space. The emotional (mental) space is determined by past experiences, values and morals. The physical space is the actual physical limits of space that is needed by each person to feel safe and secure. Boundaries can be communicated by verbal conversations or body language.
What does this mean to me?
It simply means that as your therapist I follow these guide lines in my business to better serve my clients.
