COKO Professional Practice UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
What sentence best describes the roles of the College and professional associations?
i. The College serves the public interest and the professional associations serve the interests
of the profession.
ii. The College and the professional associations both serve the public interest.
iii. The College and the professional associations both serve the interests of the profession.
iv. The professional associations direct the operations of the College. - Correct Answer- The
best answer is i. The College's mandate is to regulate the profession in order to serve and
protect the public interest. Answer ii is not the best answer because professional associations
are designed to serve the interests of their members. While professional associations care
about the public interest and often take actions that assist the public interest, they are under
no statutory duty to do so and are accountable only to their members. Answer iii is not the
best answer because the College is not permitted to serve the interests of its members under
its statute. While it tries to ensure that it regulates its members sensitively and fairly, and
consults with its members, the College's mandate is the public interest. Answer iv is not
correct. While the College consults with the professional associations and considers seriously
their views and respects their expertise, the College is not under the control of any
professional association.
Ethics Scenario:
David, a kinesiologist, is always polite to his patients/clients, in a formal way. He feels good
about himself. However, he often says "God" to express surprise. The phrase means nothing
to him and no one has ever expressed concerns about it. One of his patients/clients, Paul, has
shared that he is very religious. Whenever David says "God" Paul flinches a bit. What should
David do? - Correct Answer- David notices and asks Paul if the use of the word "God"
bothers Paul. Paul says that, actually it does. David makes a point of not saying "God"
anymore in front of Paul. After discussing the incident with a colleague, David decides that
the ethical thing for him to do is to stop using the word "God" as an expression of surprise
whenever he is with a patient/client because David cannot tell in advance who will be
offended. This relates to the Code of Ethics that kins must follow.
Discontinuing Professional Services Scenario - Correct Answer- Donna, a kinesiologist,
wants to stop treating a patient/client because the patient/client has stopped paying. She reads
an article in the College's newsletter suggesting that patients/clients should be given at least
two weeks to find a new kinesiologist before one stops treating the patient/client. Donna
cannot see why she needs to see a patient/client who is not paying for her services and does
not follow the newsletter suggestion. The patient/client experiences pain once the treatment
stops and misses ten days of work before the patient/client can find another kinesiologist to
,treat him. The patient/client complains to the College. After investigating the complaint the
College requires Donna to appear before it to receive a verbal caution because Donna
abandoned a patient/client who was in pain without giving the patient/client adequate time to
find another kinesiologist. The fact that Donna was not paid did not remove her duty to the
patient/client who was in pain.
David, a kinesiologist, is registered with the College. David's father is no longer registered
with the College. David's father sometimes drops into David's office to treat his former long
term patients/clients. The office assistant refers to David's father as "Doctor" when booking
patients/clients. A patient/client complains to the College when her extended health insurance
refused to pay for David's father's services because he was unregistered. Is David at risk for
his father's conduct? - Correct Answer- The answer is yes. It is professional misconduct to
permit a person to hold themselves out as practising the profession when they are not
registered. Similarly, permitting a person to illegally use the title "Doctor" in one's practice
would often be seen as professional misconduct if David knew about it. David condoned the
conduct that occurred at David's office. David, by being registered, gave credibility and status
to the illegal conduct of his father. David could face a discipline hearing.
Donna, a kinesiologist, does not really assess her patients/clients. She just asks the
patient/client what is wrong and then gives all of them exactly the same treatment. A
patient/client, Paula, came in with a serious condition. Donna did not recognize it. Paula's
condition worsened. Donna still did not recognize it. After three months Paula went to the
emergency department of the hospital and was immediately diagnosed and treated correctly.
What is this a case of? - Correct Answer- This is an Incompetence Scenario. Paula
complained to the College about Donna's incompetence. The Inquiries, Complaints and
Reports Committee looked at Donna's records and heard Donna's explanation for what she
had done. It sent the case to discipline. The Discipline Committee agreed that Donna showed
a lack of knowledge, skill and judgment. It ordered Donna to participate in specific upgrading
courses aimed at assessment.
David, a kinesiologist, has been drinking a lot more alcohol the last few months. He has been
coming to work with a hangover. More recently he has been drinking at lunch. One day
David comes back after lunch drunk. Paul, a patient/client, notices that David smells of
alcohol and that David is stumbling around the office. What is this a case of? - Correct
Answer- This is an Incapacity Scenario.
Paul tells the College. At first David denies he has a problem. However, during the
investigation, the College learns that some of David's colleagues have noticed a significant
change in David's behaviour in recent months. The College also learned that David has been
charged with impaired driving. The College sends David to a medical specialist who
diagnoses David with a serious substance abuse disorder. The College encourages David to
go for treatment at a treatment centre in his area. David agrees. The matter is referred to the
Fitness to Practise Committee. David and the College agree to an order requiring David to
stop drinking, attend Alcoholics Anonymous group meetings, see his new substance abuse
, specialist regularly and have a colleague watch David at work and send regular reports to the
College.
The sentence "Kinesiologists are sensitive to the wishes of their patients/clients" is most
likely to be found in which of the following provisions?
i. The definition of incapacity.
ii. The definition of incompetence.
iii. The definition of professional misconduct.
iv. Professional standards published by the College.
v. The Code of Ethics. - Correct Answer- The best answer is v. Striving to be sensitive is an
ideal that kinesiologists strive towards. Answer i is not the best answer because incapacity
deals with the kinesiologist's health condition. Seriously insensitive behaviour may
accompany some illnesses (e.g., addictions), but it is the illness that must be treated first.
Answer ii is not the best answer because incompetence deals with kinesiologists having an
adequate level of knowledge, skill and judgment. Answer iii is not the best answer because
professional misconduct deals with the minimum conduct that is necessary to avoid
discipline. The corresponding professional misconduct provision would likely be that
kinesiologists shall not abuse their patients/clients. Answer iv is not the best answer because
professional standards deal with ways in which to practice safely, effectively and
professionally. A professional standard would likely provide practical suggestions about how
to practice sensitively (e.g., advice on how to listen to the patient/client first before doing
anything else.).
Consent Scenario No. 1 - Correct Answer- Donna, a kinesiologist, meets a new patient/client
Paula. Paula complains about feeling stressed and tired. Donna says: "I would like to fully
understand your personal and family background and your medical history. There could be a
lot of things making you feel tired and stressed and this information will help me try to figure
out why. If you are uncomfortable with any of my questions, please let me know. OK?"
Donna has just obtained informed consent for taking a full history.
Obtaining a broad consent (often called a "blanket consent") in writing from the patient/client
on his or her arrival at the office is probably a bad idea because:
i. The patient/client does not know if they will need someone to drive them home afterwards.
ii. The patient/client does not have confidence in the kinesiologist yet.
iii. The patient/client does not know what they are agreeing to.
iv. The patient/client does not know how long the visit will be. - Correct Answer- The best
answer is iii. Informed consent requires the patient/client to understand the nature, risks and
side-effects of the specific procedure proposed by the kinesiologist, as well as who will be
