6.2 Supervision of Others by Regulated Members


Standard 6.0 effective September 2015; Standard 6.2 added January 2023

Standard

A regulated member of ACSLPA takes professional responsibility for the work of those who perform restricted activities under their supervision, direction, or control, namely:

a) speech-language pathology, audiology, and hearing aid practitioner students,
b) speech-language pathologists and audiologists who require a period of supervised practice to meet a condition on their practice permit,
c) conditional practice permit holders registered by the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta (CHAPA),
d) practice permit holders registered by CHAPA who are completing a training course involving restricted activities that is being led by a registered, audiologist, and
e) support personnel.

Regulated members provide appropriate supervision to the individuals listed above in relation to the performance of restricted activities, including procedures or episodes of care that involve restricted activities. Examples of procedures that involve restricted activities that speech-language pathologists and audiologists are authorized to perform in Alberta are available as part of ACSLPA’s Restricted Activity Competency Profiles (refer to each individual competency profile page, specifically the section in the table entitled “examples of procedures involving the restricted activity”).

Indicators

To demonstrate this standard, the regulated member will:

a) meet the requirements of Standard 6.1,

b) have a minimum of one year of experience in performing the restricted activity,

c) meet all the requirements outlined in ACSLPA Standard of Practice 4.4 Clinical Supervision, with particular attention paid to Standard 4.4, indicator d) i. This relates to restricted activities or procedures/episodes of care that include restricted activities.

d) determine and provide the degree of direct and/or indirect supervision that, in the regulated member’s opinion, is commensurate with the supervisee’s competence, and

e) be available either in person or virtually (i.e., telephone, video conference) for consultation while the supervisee performs the restricted activity, as required.

Expected Outcomes

Clients can expect that the regulated member has the required competence to perform restricted activities safely and effectively, and that anyone under their supervision performs restricted activities safely and effectively.

Glossary

Client refers to “a recipient of speech-language pathology or audiology services, and may be an individual, family, group, community or population. An individual client may also be referred to as a patient.”

Competence/competent/competency refers to “the combined knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgement required to provide professional services.”

Regulated member refers to “an individual who is registered with ACSLPA in any of the regulated categories of membership prescribed by ACSLPA Bylaws, the Health Professions Act and our Regulations.”

Restricted activities refer to “procedures or services that pose significant risk and require a high level of professional competence to be performed safely. Restricted activities may only be performed by persons authorized by their regulatory College to do so”.

Restricted activities for SLPs include to:

  • Insert into the ear canal: air under pressure
  • Insert or remove instruments or devices beyond the point in the nasal passages where they normally narrow,
  • Insert or remove instruments, devices, or fingers beyond the pharynx,
  • Insert or remove instruments or devices into an artificial opening into the body, and
  • Administer oral diagnostic imaging contrast agents.

Restricted activities for audiologists include to:

  • Insert or remove instruments or devices beyond the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal,
  • Insert into the ear canal: liquid, air or gas under pressure, and
  • Insert into the ear canal: a substance that subsequently solidifies.

Supervision refers to “a dynamic and evolving process involving the oversight of another’s work. Regardless of the relationship, the purpose of supervision is to help ensure the delivery of competent, safe and ethical speech-language and audiology services. As part of the supervision process, the supervisee remains responsible and accountable for their own actions.”

Direct supervision refers to “the supervising SLP or audiologist being physically present within the environment or virtually present via real-time videoconferencing. The SLP or audiologist observes the SP carry out the assigned activity and can provide immediate feedback, redirection, and modeling as necessary.”

Indirect supervision refers to “the supervising SLP or audiologist not being physically or virtually present when an assigned activity is being carried out. The SLP or audiologist monitors and evaluates the supervisee’s performance of assigned activities by reviewing audio/video recordings, written records, and/or through discussions with the supervisee, clients, family, caregivers, team members, and/or employers.”

Support personnel refers to “individuals who, following academic and/or on-the-job training, perform activities that are assigned and supervised by a speech-language pathologist or audiologist registered with ACSLPA. Individuals functioning as support personnel may have a variety of working titles. This excludes teachers, volunteers, students training in speech-language pathology and audiology, and family members.”