Tut 1: Information technology and ethical isses

The Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus (2005) defines information technology (IT) to be "Information technology is the use of computers and electronic technology to store and communicate information".

IT is all around us and has become an everyday activity for almost every one of us. The majority of people use email, telephone, fax etc everyday, and this is not limited to those who use IT for business. IT is now used a lot in schools, workplaces, tertiary education, homes. Young people now grow up with this technology and understand more than the generations before them.

When asked what IT devices or systems I was comfortable using, I could write a large list without stopping! Some of these included: internet banking, digital cameras, blackboard, search engines, various computer software and now blogging. It is amazing how we take all this for granted and do not think twice about the 'old' ways of doing things. These 'new' ways have become the ways for most.

So what does it have to do with Occupational therapy? Why are we learning about it? Well... IT has become a big part of OT practice. We now use various forms of technology for communication, assessment, intervention, research, note writing etc.

Of course there are many ethical issues involved with the use of new technology which include the likes of finding new ways of confidentiality.
The information may not be as confidential as older methods, therefore more care must be taken in the storing of information. For example if a camera is used in a setting with one client, the photo’s may not be deleted off the camera.
On the other hand, the person who took the photo’s may not have saved them off the camera yet either and they could be deleted off without either party knowing. Also IT is not fool-proof. There are people out there with a great deal of knowledge around computers who can probably hack into the setting’s computer system.

By understanding IT, we can begin to use it in our everyday (both professional and personal) lifes. In theory, you do not need a great deal of knowledge around computers etc just some basics, however it does help to have a bit more than the basics. It is important to have knowledge around the ethical issues, so we can keep ourselves, (plus family and friends), and clients safe. We need to be aware of the content of the information we are putting out and whether it is acceptable or necessary.