Last Updated Apr 2012
Ethical and moral issues pervade our lives. In the healthcare arena especially, professionals are confronted daily with a variety of ethical and moral dilemmas, and their responses can have long-ranging effects both personally and professionally. Though not legally binding, Codes of Ethics are voluntary standards adopted by each profession that set expectations for behavior and stress the fundamentals of ethical conduct as it pertains to your interaction with your patients, clients, colleagues, and society as a whole.
The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) provides a unique Code of Ethics for speech-language pathologists. It identifies the values that should shape best practices and offers general statements of conduct and commitment applicable to the many situations you may face in your everyday therapy practice. In reconnecting with ASHA’s Code of Ethics, we are able to think carefully and critically about how specific practices can help us further benefit those we serve.
ASHA Code of Ethics for SLPs
In the preamble, the ASHA Code of Ethics states: The preservation of the highest standards of integrity and ethical principles is vital to the responsible discharge of obligations by speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. This Code of Ethics sets forth the fundamental principles and rules considered essential to this purpose.
Every individual who is (a) a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, whether certified or not, (b) a nonmember holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the Association, (c) an applicant for membership or certification, or (d) a Clinical Fellow seeking to fulfill standards for certification shall abide by this Code of Ethics.
Below are the Principles of Ethics as outlined by the Code:
Individuals shall honor their responsibility to hold paramount the welfare of persons they serve professionally or who are participants in research and scholarly activities, and they shall treat animals involved in research in a humane manner.
Individuals shall honor their responsibility to achieve and maintain the highest level of professional competence and performance.
Individuals shall honor their responsibility to the public by promoting public understanding of the professions, by supporting the development of services designed to fulfill the unmet needs of the public, and by providing accurate information in all communications involving any aspect of the professions, including the dissemination of research findings and scholarly activities, and the promotion, marketing, and advertising of products and services.
- Principle IV
Individuals shall honor their responsibilities to the professions and their relationships with colleagues, students, and members of other professions and disciplines.
Within each principle is a unique set of rules that further outlines the actions and behaviors it promotes and serves as a guideline for therapy professionals. When faced with an ethical dilemma, it is important to consider your obligations to your patients’ quality of life, spirituality, and cultural background, as well as the social and legal obligations of your area of practice.
To learn more about the value of a professional Code of Ethics, as well as the common ethical dilemmas SLPs may face and how to respond, take our online course: Ethics for Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists.
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