Physical therapy
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This paper presents legal and ethical considerations regarding informed consent for the evaluation and treatment of patients in physical therapy practice. Therapists traditionally think of informed consent in relation to clinical research, but as the trend toward independent practice and private practice increases in physical therapy, the physical therapist must understand the process of informed consent in relation to patient care. ⋯ The patient's moral right to self-determination and the corresponding duty of health professionals to "do no harm" create a strong moral basis for gaining a patient's informed consent. Practical suggestions are offered to physical therapists to help them assess their need for obtaining informed consent.
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Comparative Study
Method of determining optimal stimulation sites for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
This article describes a technique that allows therapists to use a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit and a finger to probe for the superficial points of nerves. The therapist holds one electrode of the stimulator channel in his hand and places the other electrode of the channel on the patient. ⋯ The rationale underlying this technique and its advantages and limitations are discussed. Because many of the points detected with this technique correspond to effective acupuncture points, the technique may also be a method of detecting those acupuncture points that are associated with nerves.