Section 880 IAC 1-1-7 - Ethical practice standards; competency standardsAuthority: IC 25-35.6-2-2
Affected: IC 25-35.6-1-5
Sec. 7.
The preservation of the highest standards of integrity and ethical principles is vital to the successful discharge of the responsibilities of all licensees. These standards of ethical practice have been promulgated by the board in an effort to highlight the fundamental rules considered essential to this basic purpose. It is the responsibility of each licensee to advise the board of instances of violation of the principles incorporated in this section.
(a) For purposes of the standards of professional conduct, ethics and competent practice of speech pathology or audiology, the following definitions apply: (1) "Professional incompetence" may include, but is not limited to, a pattern or course of repeated conduct by a practitioner demonstrating a failure to exercise such reasonable care and diligence as is ordinarily exercised by practitioners in the same or similar circumstances in the same or similar locality.(2) "Practitioner" means a person who holds a license in speech pathology and/or audiology issued by the board.(b) The ethical responsibilities of the licensee require that the welfare of the person served professionally be considered paramount.(1) The licensee who engages in clinical work must possess appropriate qualifications. Qualifications are provided by IC 25-35.6-1-5 and 880 IAC 1-1-3880 IAC 1-1-3 was repealed filed Dec 15, 1989, 5:00 p.m.: 13 IR 901.. (A) The licensee must only provide services for which he is properly qualified through professional education, training, and/or experience.(B) Any person who has not completed his professional preparation must not provide speech or hearing services except in a supervised clinical practicum situation as a part of his training. A licensee holding a clinical position and taking graduate work is not, for the purpose of this section, regarded as a student in training.(2) The licensee must follow acceptable patterns of professional conduct in his relations with the persons he serves. The licensee shall not: (A) Guarantee the results of any speech or hearing consultative or therapeutic procedure. A guarantee of any sort, expressed or implied, oral or written, is contrary to professional ethics. A reasonable statement of prognosis may be made.(B) Diagnose or treat individuals' speech or hearing disorders by correspondence. This does not preclude follow-up by correspondence of individuals previously seen, nor does it preclude providing the persons served professionally with general information of an educational nature.(C) Reveal to unauthorized persons any confidential information obtained from his client without permission.(D) Exploit persons he serves professionally: (i) by accepting them for treatment where benefit cannot reasonably be expected to accrue;(ii) by continuing treatment unnecessarily;(iii) by charging exorbitant fees.(3) The licensee should use every resource available, including referral to other specialists as needed, to effect as much improvement as possible in the persons he serves.(4) The licensee must take every precaution to avoid injury to the persons he serves professionally.(c) The duties owed by the licensee to other professional workers are many. The licensee should: (1) Seek the freest professional discussion of all theoretical and practical issues but avoid personal invective directed toward professional colleagues or members of allied professions.(2) Establish harmonious relations with members of other professions. He should endeavor to inform others concerning the services that can be rendered by members of the speech and hearing profession and in turn should seek information from members of related professions. He should strive to increase knowledge within the field of speech and hearing.(d) The licensee has other special responsibilities. The licensee: (1) Must guard against conflicts of professional interest.(2) Must not engage in commercial or professional activities that conflict with his responsibilities to the persons he serves professionally or to his colleagues.(3) Should help in the education of the public regarding speech and hearing problems and other matters lying within his professional competence.(4) Should seek to provide and expand services to persons with speech and hearing handicaps, and to assist in establishing high professional standards for such programs.Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board; Reg PA-1,Ch VII; filed Dec 4, 1974, 12:54 pm: Rules and Regs. 1975, p. 324; filed May 30, 1985, 10:25 am: 8 IR 1306; readopted filed Nov 9, 2001, 3:18 p.m.: 25 IR 1345; readopted filed Jul 19, 2007, 12:51 p.m.: 20070808-IR-880070069RFA; readopted filed November 25, 2013, 9:22 a.m.: 20131225-IR-880130285RFAReadopted filed 12/1/2014, 8:41 a.m.: 20141231-IR-880140397RFAReadopted filed 10/28/2020, 1:59 p.m.: 20201125-IR-880200444RFA