The CPTA's College Conversations College of Physiotherapists Alberta

Speakers: Sean FitzGerald and Leanne Loranger
“A bystander is a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part.” What does bystander intervention mean and why does bystander intervention matter for physiotherapists?
In late 2023 and early 2024, the College highlighted trends in allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct received by the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta. One of the College’s messages is that we need the help of all physiotherapists to disrupt these trends by intervening when they see conduct that is either clearly sexual misconduct or is tipping in the direction of becoming inappropriate. Further, the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethical Conduct call upon physiotherapists to act when they observe others acting in a racist or discriminatory manner towards others.
In short, physiotherapists need to shift from witness to intervenor when they observe an incident or conduct in the practice setting that is not consistent with professional norms and expectations. In this podcast we discuss highlights and take away messages from the February 2024 Introduction to Bystander Intervention webinar the College hosted with the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton.
Do you know the 4Ds of bystander intervention and how to apply them? Check out this episode to learn more!
Resources:
·       Webinar:  https://www.cpta.ab.ca/news-and-updates/webinars/an-introduction-to-bystander-intervention/
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Speakers: Jody Prohar and Leanne Loranger
When you think about the College’s past messaging about its role – that it exists to safeguard and serve the public interest and receives its mandate from the Government of Alberta, on some level it’s understandable that physiotherapists might ask, “if that’s the case, why am I footing the bill?”
In this conversation, Jody and Leanne address the age-old question of “what’s in it for me?” when it comes to regulation. Along the way, they discuss the contract that exists between government and regulated health professionals, different regulatory models, and the concept of co-regulation. They touch on the benefits physiotherapists gain through regulation and what could potentially occur if the profession was not regulated.
Being a regulated health professional offers benefits but it also demands that we work to continually raise the bar for ourselves and those around us.  Albertans deserve a physiotherapy profession that is accountable and that serves the public’s interests.
Listen to this episode to learn more about the benefits and obligations of being a regulated health professional.
Resources:
·       Webinar: What does it mean to be a member of a self-regulating profession in 2021?
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Speakers: Jody Prohar and Leanne Loranger
All physiotherapists need a basic awareness of the rules of practice and professional expectations for physiotherapists in Alberta. The College uses many tools to get that information into your hands, to make you aware of and help you understand and meet your regulatory responsibilities. You can’t fulfill a responsibility if you don’t know about it or don’t understand what it means, but we need you to meet us halfway,
At the end of 2023, the College engaged in a review of its communications practices. In this episode, Jody and Leanne discuss the findings of the communications review and actions the College is planning to address the feedback received and to try to make our communication efforts more effective. If you have ever asked yourself why the College spends time and resources on communications, or wondered what resources are available to help physiotherapists understand the rules of practice, this episode is for you.
Listen to the episode to learn more about the resources the College creates, the feedback received during the review, and some of the changes we are working on.
Resources:
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Speakers: Sean FitzGerald and Leanne Loranger
The Consent Standard of Practice and Consent Guide for Alberta Physiotherapists both refer to the importance of ensuring that a physiotherapist has ongoing informed consent when providing physiotherapy services. The College often hears from physiotherapists and others who have questions about the College’s expectations related to ongoing consent. Does ongoing informed consent mean that the physiotherapist must engage in an extensive discussion of the risks, benefits, and options for care at every visit? Can a physiotherapist ensure that the patient continues to consent to treatment at subsequent visits by asking a few simple questions and being alert to the patient’s replies? Does a patient’s attendance at an appointment mean that ongoing informed consent is in place?
In this episode Sean and Leanne answer these questions and more and highlight the risks that can arise if express ongoing informed consent is not sought and received. What does this look like in clinical practice? Listen to the episode to learn more.
Resources:
·       Consent Standard of Practice
·       Consent Guide for Alberta Physiotherapists
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Speakers: Jody Prohar and Leanne Loranger
On this episode of College Conversations Jody and Leanne continue the discussion of trends in complaints related to allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, highlighting one of the underlying themes identified from the review of these complaints – communication.
They discuss the comments highlighted in the #WordsMatter infographic and why they are problematic. They connect the concerning comments back to the concept of professional boundaries, the importance of maintaining therapeutic relationships, and the difference between therapeutic relationships and personal relationships.
They also discuss the important roles that context, non-verbal and para-verbal communication play when it comes to how a comment is received, highlighting that how a comment is received depends on both the person speaking and the person on the receiving end of the comment. Towards the end of the episode, they touch on trauma-informed practice and highlight some tips for integrating a trauma informed approach into daily patient interactions.
Communication is one of the hardest skills to master and one that physiotherapists can spend their entire careers developing. Check out this episode to learn more.
Resources:
·       Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Standard of Practice
·       Words Matter: Comments & Sexual Misconduct Infographic
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Speakers:  Jody Prohar, Sean FitzGerald, and Leanne Loranger
In this episode, Jody, Sean, and Leanne discuss common questions and issues related to physiotherapy business practices.
·       Is it appropriate for a physiotherapist to continue to sell their services without demonstrable progress towards the patient’s goals, or is that a conflict of interest?
·       Where does demonstrable progress fit into decisions about providing ongoing care or discharging a patient?
·       What about maintenance plans for patients with chronic conditions?
·       Are there rules or requirements to keep in mind when selling physiotherapy equipment or products?
·       What about incentive contracts that see physiotherapists receive a bonus based on volume of product sales?  
·       What are the risks of accepting pre-payment for physiotherapy services?
We address all these questions in this episode.
Resources:
·       Conflict of Interest Standard of Practice
·       Fees and Billing Standard of Practice
·       Code of Ethical Conduct
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