Appendix
Introduction |
Current Status of SLP Employment |
Retention vs. Recruitment |
SLPs' Prioritization of Job Satisfaction Factors |
Recruitment and Retention Strategies |
Home Care Recruitment and Retention |
Hospital Considerations |
Outpatient Facility Considerations |
Skilled Nursing Facility Considerations |
Appendix
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Qualifications Needed to Provide SLP Services in
Health Care
Certificate of Clinical Competence
A qualified speech-language pathologist holds a Certificate of
Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which requires: 1) a
Master's degree from an accredited graduate program; 2) a
passing score on the national PRAXIS exam; and 3) completion of a
nine-month Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of a
certified SLP.
State Licensure
Most states license speech-language pathologists. Requirements
for licensure tend to be comparable, but may not be equivalent,
to the qualifications for the Certificate of Clinical
Competence. SLPs licensed in other states must apply for
licensure in the state in which they are practicing; holding the
Certificate of Clinical Competence tends to facilitate more rapid
processing of applications for licensure.
Clinical Fellows
In some states, individuals who have completed their Master's
degree and passed the PRAXIS exam may meet state requirements to
be licensed on a provisional basis and may be hired to work in
health care settings as Clinical Fellows with the required
supervision.
Students
Students pursuing their Master's degree in speech-language
pathology are placed in external practicum settings as part of
their graduate program requirements. This is an invaluable
opportunity to introduce students to the caseloads and procedures
typically associated with health care settings, and to
potentially recruit students for positions as Clinical Fellows
following graduation. Students may not bill or treat
patients independently of the supervising SLP.
Competencies
In addition to meeting the basic requirements of certification
and licensure, many health care facilities verify competencies of
SLPs in selected areas of practice and procedures. Documentation
of competency in the high volume or high risk activities of the
professional in a specific setting is required by accrediting
bodies such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health
Care Organizations (JCAHO). SLPs who have not achieved
competency in specific treatment areas (e.g., swallowing
disorders, laryngectomy rehabilitation, trach/vent management) or
procedures (e.g., performing and interpreting videofluoroscopic
studies of swallowing) may need to complete a combination of
reading professional literature, continuing professional
education, observation, mentoring, and supervised practice before
being deemed competent to practice independently in these
areas.
If you recruit SLPs from other settings, offering professional
development programs will help new staff achieve a higher degree
of competence and compliance with practice patterns in the
setting and ultimately, a higher level of satisfaction in their
employment.