Ethics for Occupational Therapists is a 3-hour online continuing education course that teaches OTs how to handle ethical and moral dilemmas in practice. Ethical and moral issues pervade our lives, especially in the healthcare arena. Occupational therapists are frequently confronted with a variety of ethical and moral dilemmas, and their decisions can have long-range effects both professionally and personally. Why does one decision win out over another? What does the decision process involve? How do these decisions impact those involved? This course will address these questions from the framework of ethical decision models and the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Code of Ethics.

Medical Marijuana is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that presents a summary of the current literature on the various medical, legal, educational, occupational, and ethical aspects of marijuana. In spite of the fact that nearly half of the states in this country have enacted legislation legalizing marijuana in some fashion, the reality is that neither the intended “medical” benefits of marijuana nor its known (and as yet unknown) adverse effects have been adequately examined using controlled studies. Conclusive literature remains sparse, and opinion remains divided and contentious.This course will address the major questions about marijuana that are as yet unanswered by scientific evidence. What are the known medical uses for marijuana? What is the legal status of marijuana in state and federal legislation? What are the interactions with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior? Is marijuana addictive? Is marijuana a gateway drug? What are the adverse consequences of marijuana use? Do state medical marijuana laws increase the use of marijuana and other drugs? The course will conclude with a list of implications for healthcare and mental health practitioners.

Ethics and Social Media is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course that examines the use of Social Networking Services (SNS) on both our personal and professional lives. Is it useful or appropriate (or ethical or therapeutic) for a therapist and a client to share the kinds of information that are routinely posted on SNS like Facebook, Twitter, and others? How are psychotherapists to handle “Friending” requests from clients? What are the threats to confidentiality and therapeutic boundaries that are posed by the use of social media sites, texts, or tweets in therapist-client communication?The purpose of this course is to offer psychotherapists the opportunity to examine their practices in regard to the use of social networking services in their professional relationships and communications. Included are ethics topics such as privacy and confidentiality, boundaries and multiple relationships, competence, the phenomenon of friending, informed consent, and record keeping. A final section offers recommendations and resources for the ethical use of social networking and the development of a practice social media policy.

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care Laura More, MSW, LCSW; Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC-A, CCM Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings. The most common workplace is schools, followed by private practice and hospitals. A growing number of occupational therapists, however, are working full or part-time in skilled nursing facilities as the population of the United States ages. Every practice setting has unique characteristics that affect clinical practice. Skilled nursing facilities have a multitude of regulations, complicated billing practices, and a culture of care that must be learned and integrated into the clinician’s treatment habits. This can make it difficult for the OT working part-time or PRN in a skilled nursing facility. This introductory course will provide an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that affect treatment, including the structure, organization and reimbursement system of skilled nursing facilities. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed.