Associations Between Ethical Climate and Job Satisfaction Among Physical Therapists

Physical therapy requires clinicians to have interpersonal relationships with patients while managing productivity standards. Such dynamics demand special attention to rules, regulations, as well as personal and organizational ethics. If the organization's ethical climate is not in line with the clinician's, then stress may occur. Ethic stress is caused by related issues that are found in an organizational setting due to the emotional, physical, and psychosocial consequences of moral distress (Ulrich C, O'donnell et al.; 2007). Ultimately, ethic stress is induced by the organization's ethical climate(Ulrich C, O'donnell P, Taylor C, Farrar A, Danis M, & Grady C; 2007). Conse-quences of such stress may cause a decrease in job satisfaction(Ulrich C, O'donnell P, Taylor C, Farrar A, Danis M, & Grady C; 2007).Low job satisfaction is associated with increased stress and subsequent clinician illness, absenteeism, musculoskeletal injury, and burnout (Escriba-aguir, 2006., Hakanen, 2007., De Croon, 2004., Kivimaki, 2006. Vitell SJ, & Davis DL; 1990). The purpose of this study is to examine associations between ethics or ethical climate and job satisfaction of physical therapists. To date, there are no such studies in the literature.