A physical therapist recently convicted of multiple counts of Medicare fraud is brought to the emergency department after taking an overdose of sedatives. He tells the nurse, 'Sure I overbilled. Why not? Everybody takes advantage of the government. They have too many rules. No one can abide by all of them.' These statements can be assessed as showing:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: lack of guilt feelings. The physical therapist's statements reveal a lack of remorse or guilt for committing Medicare fraud, indicating a disregard for ethical standards and a lack of moral responsibility. This behavior is indicative of a lack of guilt feelings, as the individual shows no remorse for their actions.
Summary of other choices:
A: Glibness and charm typically involve smooth talking and being persuasive, which is not demonstrated in the scenario.
B: Superficial remorse implies a shallow or insincere apology, but the individual does not express any form of remorse in this situation.
D: Excessive suspiciousness refers to being overly mistrustful or paranoid, which is not evident in the physical therapist's statements.