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AOTA-S5 — Standards of Conduct 5: Professional Competence, Education, Supervision, and Training

AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2025) · Reference for OTs, OTAs, and OT students · Source: AOTA

What does AOTA-S5 say?

Occupational therapy personnel maintain credentials, degrees, licenses, and other certifications to demonstrate their commitment to develop and maintain competent, evidence-based practice. Standards include: 5A. Keep and maintain required credentials for occupational therapy services provided in all work settings, including academic, research, physical, and virtual settings. 5B. Represent credentials, qualifications, education, experience, training, roles, duties, competence, contributions, and findings accurately in all forms of communication. 5C. Take steps (e.g., professional development, research, supervision, training) to ensure proficiency and weigh potential for harm when generally recognized standards do not exist in emerging technology or areas of practice. 5D. Maintain competence through ongoing participation in professional development relevant to one's practice area. 5E. Take action to resolve incompetent, disruptive, unethical, illegal, or impaired practice in self or others. 5F. Ensure that all duties delegated to other occupational therapy personnel are congruent with their credentials, qualifications, experience, competencies, and scope of practice. 5G. Provide appropriate supervision in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. 5J. Provide students with access to accurate information regarding educational requirements and academic policies.

Official source: read the full text in the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2025) (official document).

Related sections

AOTA-COMMON-ETHICAL-ISSUES — AOTA Advisory: Common Ethical Issues in Occupational Therapy PracticeAOTA-CORE — AOTA 2025 Core ValuesAOTA-DOCUMENTATION-BILLING — AOTA Advisory: Ethical Documentation and Billing PracticesAOTA-ENFORCEMENT — AOTA Enforcement Procedures for the Code of Ethics (2021)AOTA-EQUITY-ACCESS — AOTA Advisory: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in OT EthicsAOTA-ETHICS-COMMISSION — AOTA Ethics Commission: Role and ResourcesAOTA-P1 — Principle 1: BeneficenceAOTA-P2 — Principle 2: Nonmaleficence
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