Author: Nancy R. Kirsch, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA

Nancy R. Kirsch, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA is currently the Vice Chairperson for Administration of the Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences Department and the Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Additionally, Dr. Kirsch is a current member of the New Jersey Board of Physical Therapy Examiners and President of the Board of Directors of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Dr. Kirsch’s commitment and service to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is extensive, with her holding appointments as President and Chief Delegate of APTA’s New Jersey Chapter; as a member of APTA’s Ethics and Judicial Committee, and its Reference Committee; and serving on multiple task forces for ethics and clinical education. In 2006, Dr. Kirsch was awarded the APTA Lucy Blair Service Award; in 2014, she became a Catherine Worthingham Fellow. In 2017, Dr. Kirsch was awarded the Distinguished Professional Award from the New Jersey Chapter of APTA. Dr. Kirsch writes a monthly column titled “Ethics in Action” for the APTA publication, PT in Motion, and has recently published the textbook, Ethics in Physical Therapy: A Case Based Approach. Her interest in the Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation developed from her work with students and clinicians in ethical decision making and the exploration of the factors that help to develop mature ethical reasoning in health care providers.  She is particularly interested in how practicing clinicians can remediate unethical behaviors and develop skills for ethical decision making that provides practical guidance using reflection and introspection.