Registered Kinesiologists (R.Kins) working within Family Health Teams often collaborate with other health professionals.

This article is intended to support registrants in understanding how to apply COKO’s standards and guidelines in their day-to-day practice to ensure safe, ethical, and effective practice.

Scenario:

Jordan, an R.Kin, works in a Family Health Team providing primary and acute patient/client care, including:

• Seeing patients/clients across the lifespan—from newborns to older adults, some with complex health conditions, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
• Working collaboratively with other health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, dietitians, respiratory therapists, and more,
• Conducting assessments, and
• Designing personalized exercise plans

A patient/client with type II diabetes has been working with a dietitian at a Family Health Team to help manage their condition. It was proposed that the patient/client may also receive care from Jordan to help manage blood sugar levels through a personalized, whole-body exercise program.

What should Jordan consider?

Applying COKO resources to support safe, ethical, and competent practice

COKO provides registrants with practice standards and guidelines that support ethical, safe, and high-quality care. In this scenario, the following resources are particularly relevant:

1. Practice Standard – Professional Collaboration

This standard helps clarify roles, set expectations, and support clear communication within interprofessional teams.

Applying this standard, Jordan should:

• Ensure that any concurrent treatment is provided in accordance with this practice standard (e.g., the concurrent approach is an ethical and efficient use of healthcare services).
• Collaborate closely with the dietitian to support the care;
• Clearly define his role in designing and implementing movement programs, while respecting the dietitian’s role in managing blood sugar through nutrition education and meal planning;
• With the patient’s consent, communicate effectively and regularly with the rest of the care team to ensure everyone is aligned on the patient’s goals and progress; and
• Recognize that each health provider remains individually accountable to their own professional standards, ethical obligations, and legal requirements.

• Practice Guideline – Patient/Client-Centred Care

R.Kins should work to ensure that their treatment, care and services are delivered in a manner that respects patient/client’s values, needs, preferences, and goals. This approach aligns with the principle: “nothing about me without me.” It is also a key component of the Essential Competencies of Practice for Kinesiologists in Ontario.

In this scenario (concurrent and collaborative care), Jordan can provide patient/client-centred care by:

• Considering a proposal or issue through the lens of the Principles of Ethical Conduct and decision-making steps in the Code of Ethics
• Providing treatment, care and services in a manner that is respectful of health system and patient/client resources;
• Actively listening to the patient/client’s concerns and goals ;
• Involving the patient/client in planning and decision-making about their exercise program;
• Explaining the purpose, risks, and benefits of exercises and checking in for consent before proceeding; and
• Adapting interventions based on the patient/client’s feedback, comfort level, and personal goals.

By applying these standard and guideline, Jordan can contribute to concurrent and collaborative care that is ethical, safe, and patient/client-centred. This approach supports improved health outcomes for patients/clients with complex conditions.