"If I tell a friend a dirty joke, it's just me telling my friend a dirty joke. But if I do the same thing with a patient, I'm at risk of a complaint of sexual misconduct and could face a license suspension."

In episode 1, Jody Prohar, Registrar and Executive Director of Physiotherapy Alberta and Leanne Loranger, Manager of Policy and Practice touched on behaviours that are normal in a personal relationship, but unacceptable in a physiotherapist-patient relationship.

In this episode we go into greater detail about how dirty jokes and other seemingly innocent comments could lead to big trouble for physiotherapists because of how sexual misconduct is defined by theHealth Professions Act.We discuss the concepts of professionalism, power, and power imbalance in therapeutic relationships.

Towards the end of the episode, we highlight strategies physiotherapists can use to try to share power with their patients.

Can the power imbalance between patient and physiotherapist ever be fully equalized?

Resources:

• https://www.physiotherapyalberta.ca/files/practice_standard_sexual_abuse_misconduct.pdf
• https://www.physiotherapyalberta.ca/public_and_patients/protecting_patients_from_sexual_abuse_or_misconduct
• https://www.physiotherapyalberta.ca/physiotherapists/what_you_need_to_know_to_practice_in_alberta/protecting_patients_from_sexual_abuse_or_misconduct
• https://www.physiotherapyalberta.ca/physiotherapists/news/power_and_the_therapeutic_relationship_considerations_for_physiotherapists?

Links:

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Google Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify