Preface Statements
What is a Code of Professional Ethics?
A Code of Professional Ethics is a statement, which expresses the primary ethical values, obligations and goals of the profession. It is a commitment, which serves to bear witness to our promise as a profession to uphold the values and ethical obligations expressed in the Code.
Why do we need a Code of Professional Ethics?
A Code of Professional Ethics gives definition to our commitment to practice in ethical terms. As regulated health professionals, we have made a promise to society to accept the responsibility and maintain the trust with which we have been invested.
What does a Code of Professional Ethics do?
It clearly states the massage therapy profession’s values and explains what they are. It defines best practice, promotes safe delivery of massage therapy, which in turn helps protect the public.
To whom does this Code apply?
Massage Therapists who act as practitioners, educators, administrators or policy makers are all expected to maintain a commitment to massage therapy values and to follow the principles outlined in this Code.
BMTA Mission Statement
To unify the massage therapy profession while creating, representing, and promoting standards of excellence in health care.
BMTA Definition of Massage Therapy
Massage practice is a therapeutic, integral hands on healing application in which the therapist assists the client in restoring, maintaining and enhancing their well-being.
BMTA Scope of Practice for a Massage Therapist
Massage or massage therapy is any skilled manipulation of soft tissue, connective tissue, and/or body energy fields with the intention of maintaining or improving health by affecting change in muscle tension, circulation, nerve responses, or patterns of energy flow.
1 Members are required to:
1.1. Represent their qualifications honestly, including their educational achievements and professional affiliations and will provide only those services they are qualified to perform.
1.2. Follow guidelines of cautions and contraindications for massage therapy and bodywork. Formulate treatment plans that are beneficial to the client’s health and well-being.
1.3. Acknowledge the scope of massage therapy and refer clients to the appropriate health care professionals when applicable. Members must seek to maintain good relationships and cooperate with other health care professionals.
1.4. Refrain from any discrimination with regard to gender, ethnic origin, cultural background, sexuality, lifestyle, age and social status.
1.5. Ensure that clients have an understanding about what is involved in their treatment and that a voluntary informed consent is obtained in a written form prior to commencement of treatment.
1.6. Be sensitive to a client’s modesty at all times by leaving the treatment room when the client is getting on and off the treatment table. The therapist will use adequate draping that covers all areas of the body not being worked on during a session.
1.7 Be sensitive to any special needs e.g. language difficulties, physical or mental disabilities. The client always has the right to have another person/companion present in the treatment room with them.
1.8. Respect the client/practitioner relationship, the confidentiality of the client and endeavor to foster and maintain trust at all times. The only exception is if the client is a danger to themselves (suicidal) or others.
1.9 Have the presence of a parent or a legal guardian in the treatment room of children under the age of 18 years. If they cannot attend the treatment session, the parent must provide written permission for another adult to attend the session with the child.
1.10. Refrain from and prevent behaviors or conversation that may be considered sexual in nature and uphold the highest professional standards in order to desexualize massage therapy.
1.11. Respect the clients’ right to refuse or terminate treatment at any time, regardless of prior consent given.
1.12. Exercise the right to refuse treatment to any person, or part of the body, for just and reasonable cause.
1.13. Conduct their business and professional activities with honesty and integrity.
1.14. Deal with complaints and criticisms efficiently using appropriate procedures. That must include either reporting to the Bermuda Massage Therapy Association executive board or the legal authorities depending on the level of the accusation.
1.15. Maintain the correct appearance, behavior and conduct expected of the professional person. Any abuse of alcohol, drugs, or conduct is deemed to be a serious offense against this code.
1.16. Never leave a child under the age of 18 years unsupervised in your office or waiting area.
1.17. Follow the SCARS guidelines for protecting children by eliminating risk and reporting any suspected violations to the legal authorities. www.scarsbermuda.com
2 Members may not:
2.1. Date a client, engage in sexual behavior or language with a client, or allow any level of sexual impropriety behavior or language from clients.
2.2. Address or refer to an assistant as “Nurse” unless the person referred to holds a nursing qualification in the country in which the practitioner is operating a clinic.
2.3. Call himself/herself “Doctor”, “Physiotherapist”, or any other licensed medical professional unless they hold the recognized medical qualification/license in the country in which the member is practicing.
2.4. Undertake to attend women in childbirth or treat them 10 days thereafter without permission from the healthcare professional unless they hold an appropriate qualification in midwifery, or have the necessary massage specialist competence in massage, pregnancy and labor.
2.5. Treat animals without express permission from a veterinary surgeon.
3 Code of Practice for BMTA Members
Records
3.1. Members must maintain up-to-date records of all clients in regard to medical history, presenting complaint, assessment and procedures performed.
3.2. The record keeping process must be transparent and clients should be made aware that records are being kept.
3.3. Records must be kept in a secure place, adequately safeguarded and not accessible to third parties. Computerized records must be kept secure from unauthorized access. Follow Bermuda Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) guidelines for legal confidentiality.
3.4. Disclosure to third parties, including other healthcare professionals must be only with the client’s written permission.
3.5. Client records must be kept for seven years. In the case of children’s files, they must be kept for 5 years after their 21st birthday. Terminally or seriously ill client’s records should be retained indefinitely.
Professional – required to send in certificates from the following:
3.6. Maintain a portfolio of continuing professional development. Members must complete 24 hours every two years. Members must complete 12 hours of the 24 hours in hands on, in person training.
3.7. Members must have an up to do date First Aid and CPR Certificate. Members must renew every 2 years.
3.8. Members must have an up to do date SCARS training. Members must renew every 3 years.
Premises
3.9. Treatment areas must be hygienic, safe and equipped to clean, clinical standards. Cleaning supplies should be kept onsite.
3.10. Face cradles must be cleaned after each client use.
3.11. Sheets/face cradle covers must be changed after or each client.
3.12. Clean linens need to be in a closed storage area.
3.13. Treatment rooms and public areas must all comply with current health and safety regulations. Staff facilities and public areas (waiting rooms, hallways, stairs, toilet facilities etc.) must also comply with current health and safety regulations.
Advertising
3.14. Any advertising must be legal, decent, honest, truthful to our scope of practice.
3.15. Advertisements must not abuse the trust of existing or potential clients or exploit their lack of knowledge or make claims of cure.
3.16. Advertisements must be of good character and not bring the profession into disrepute.
3.17. Nothing may be published or advertised in the name of the Bermuda Massage Therapy Association (or with the BMTA logo) without prior approval from the BMTA Executive Board.
4 Violation Protocol for BMTA Members
4.1. If a member of the Bermuda Massage Therapy Association is accused or found in violation of the code of conduct, the situation will be documented and added to her/his BMTA membership file. This documentation will include the complaint, any witnesses’ names and statements as well as the disciplinary actions taken as a result.
4.2. If you have been accused of an illegal offense, including but not limited to: sexual misconduct, abuse, acts of violence, threats toward co-workers or managers, theft or abuse of power, you will be required to take a leave of absence from your job and your BMTA membership while the allegations are under investigation.