Standards of Practice

 

Scope of Practice

The practice of Massage Therapy is the assessment and treatment of the soft tissue and joints of the body with the intent of producing a therapeutic outcome.  Massage Therapists also promote rehabilitation and/or prevent or reduce physical dysfunction and pain of soft tissues and joints as well as maintain and enhance health.

 

What are Standards of Practice
The Massage Therapist Association of Alberta (MTAA) has developed the Standards of Practice for Massage Therapists based on the approved Core Competency guidelines. Through the development and use of these Standards the MTAA continues to display its commitment to serving its members and promoting the highest possible quality of Massage Therapy practice in a safe, competent and ethical manner.

 

The Standards of Practice are intended to be generic and have been developed to describe the outcomes of the various tasks the therapist is required to perform within the Scope of Practice. The Standards of Practice describe how well a therapist is expected to perform. How to do each task is determined by the minimum competencies taught through the educational institutions.

 

The Standards of Practice have been adapted to be specific to the MTAA and form a live, dynamic document that will evolve as changes in practice evolve.  Special acknowledgement is extended to the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) for their framework.

 

Why have Standards of Practice
The Standards of Practice have been developed as a tool to determine whether a Massage Therapist can conduct their practice at an acceptable level. These Standards will serve as a reference tool for:

• The therapists to better understand their job requirements
• Educators to address as objectives in curriculum design
• Membership
• Complaints investigation
• Discipline hearings
• Fitness to Practice
• Quality Assurance
• Client relations
• The public, by providing objective standards by which to assess the quality of treatment.

Confidentiality Statement
Massage Therapists are advised that giving information about a client to any person except as required or allowed by law or except to facilitate diagnosis or treatment of a client is considered to be professional misconduct.

 

Accountability for Standards
The Massage Therapist is only held accountable to meet a Standard if he/she is the person who has performed the task.

Massage therapists are also accountable to the following pieces of legislation:

• Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004
• Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2000

Glossary of Terms:
A Standard of Practice consists of three inter-related subcomponents that describe:

Conditions:

Conditions describe the situation in which the task must be accomplished, including any resources, tools, materials, etc. that are given/available.

Task:

A task is a description of what a therapist is expected to accomplish.

Standard:

A standard is a description of a minimum level of performance one is required to demonstrate in the achievement of a task.

A standard is stated in observable and measurable terms. It must be precise and clear to the therapist who is held accountable for accomplishing it. It must also be clear to the clients and the public (who assess the therapist's ability to accomplish a task as measured by the required standard).

Standards include one or more of the following measures:

●  Technical Quality                  ●  Interpersonal Quality

●  Safety                                       ●  Timeliness

 

Section A:  Communication/Public Health Standards

Standard 1 Prepare the Treatment Area

Standard 2 Inform the Client of the Fees and Obtain His/Her Agreement to a Fee Schedule

Standard 3 Wash Your Hands and Any Skin Surface that Will/Has Come in Contact with the Client

Standard 4 Interview the Client to Obtain His/Her Treatment Goals

Standard 5 Risk Identification and Management for an Outbreak of Infectious Diseases

Standard 6 Obtain, Update and Record the Client's Health History

Standard 7 Consent

Standard 8 Determine the Client's Condition by Conducting Assessment/Re Assessment

Standard 9 Determine if Massage Therapy Treatment is Indicated

Standard 10 Treatment and Treatment Plans

Standard 11 Pre / Post Treatment Protocol

Standard 12 Draping

Standard 13 Recommend Self Care

Standard 14 Client Health Record

Standard 15 Use of Personal Protective Equipment During a Treatment

Standard 16 Discharge of a Client

 

Section B:  Technique Standards

Standard 30 Introduction to the Standards for Specific Massage Therapy Techniques

Standard 31 Perform a Stroking Technique

Standard 32 Perform a Rocking or Shaking Technique

Standard 33 Perform an Effleurage Technique

Standard 34 Perform a Petrissage Technique

Standard 35 Perform a Friction Technique

Standard 36 Perform a Vibration Technique

Standard 37 Perform a Tapotement Technique

Standard 38 Apply Deep Fascial Techniques

Standard 39 Myo Fascial Trigger Points

Standard 40 Apply Low Grade Joint Mobilization (Sustained Grade I or II or Grade I or II Oscillations)

Standard 41 Apply High Grade Joint Mobilization (Sustained Grade II and or Oscillations III and IV Joint Mobilization)

Standard 42 Perform a Stretch Technique

Standard 43 Perform an Intra Oral Treatment

Standard 44 Perform Breast Massage

Standard 45 Perform Massage to the Chest Wall

Standard 46 Apply Hydrotherapy

 

Section C:  Additional Techniques Standards

Standard 60 Introduction to the Standards for Specific Additional Massage Therapy Techniques

 

To download a complete set of the MTAA Standards of Practice, please click this link.