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The
preservation of the highest standards of integrity
and ethical principles is vital to the responsible
discharge of obligations in the professions of
audiology and speech-language pathology. This code
of Ethics sets forth the fundamental principles and
rules considered essential to this purpose.
Every
individual who is a full member, an associate
member, and/or an affiliate member of the Louisiana
Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall abide by
this Code of Ethics. Any action that violates the
spirit and purpose of this Code shall be considered
unethical. Failure to specify any particular
responsibility or practice in the Code of Ethics
shall not be construed as denial of the existence of
such responsibilities or practices.
The
fundamentals of ethical conduct are described by
Principles of Ethics and by Rules of Ethics as they
relate to responsibility to persons served, to the
public, and to the professions of speech-language
pathology and audiology.
Principles
of Ethics form the underlying moral basis for the
Code of Ethics. Individuals shall observe these
principles as affirmative obligations under all
conditions of professional activity.
Rules
of Ethics are specific statements of minimally
acceptable professional conduct or of prohibitions
and are applicable to all individuals.
PRINCIPLE
OF ETHICS I
Individuals
shall honor their responsibility to hold paramount
the welfare of persons they serve professionally or
participants in research and scholarly activities.
Rules
of Ethics
A. Individuals shall provide all services
competently.
B. Individuals shall use every resource, including
referral when appropriate, to ensure that
high-quality service is provided.
C. Individuals shall not discriminate in the
delivery of professional services or the conduct of
research and scholarly activities on the basis of
age, gender, race, religion, national origin, sexual
orientation, or disabling condition.
D. Individuals shall fully inform the persons they
serve of the nature and possible effects of services
rendered and products dispensed, and they shall
inform participants in research about the possible
effects of their participation in research
conducted.
E. Individuals shall evaluate the effectiveness of
services rendered and of products dispensed and
shall provide services or dispense products only
when benefit can reasonably be expected.
F.
Individuals shall not guarantee the results of any
treatment or procedure, directly or by implication; however,
they may make a reasonable statement of prognosis.
G. Individuals shall not evaluate or treat speech,
language, or hearing disorders solely by
correspondence.
This does not preclude delivery of services
by telecommunication (for example, telehealth,
telepractice, e-health).
H. Individuals shall maintain adequate records of
professional services rendered, research and
scholarly activities conducted, and products
dispensed, and shall allow access to these records
when appropriately authorized.
I. Individuals shall not reveal, without
authorization, any professional or personal
information about the person served professionally
or identified participants involved in research and
scholarly activities, unless required by law to do
so, or unless doing so is necessary to protect the
welfare of the person or of the community.
J. Individuals shall not charge for services not
rendered, nor shall they misrepresent services
rendered, products dispensed, or research and
scholarly activities conducted.
K. Individuals shall use persons in research or as
subjects of teaching demonstrations only with their
informed consent.
L. Individuals shall withdraw from professional
practice when substance abuse or an emotional or
mental condition may adversely affect the quality of
services they render.
M. Individuals shall exercise appropriate universal
infection control precautions for the protection of
those they serve and themselves.
N. Individuals shall not engage in sexual activity
with a patient/client or other individual over whom
professional authority is exercised.
PRINCIPLE
OF ETHICS II
Individuals
shall honor their responsibility to achieve and
maintain the highest level of professional
competence.
Rules
of Ethics
A. Individuals shall engage in the provision of
clinical services only when they hold the
appropriate credential or when they are supervised
by an individual who holds the appropriate
credential.
B. Individuals shall engage in only those aspects of
the professions that are within the scope of their
competence, considering their level of education,
training, and experience.
C. Individuals
shall not misrepresent the credentials of support
personnel and shall inform those they serve
professionally of the name and professional
credentials of persons providing the services.
D. Individuals shall continue their professional
development throughout their careers and shall
accurately report participation in continuing
education activities.
E.
Individuals shall delegate the provision of clinical
services only to persons who are properly
credentialed. The provision of support services may
be delegated to persons who are neither
certified nor in the certification process only when
an individual holding appropriate credentials
provides adequate supervision.
F.
Individuals shall prohibit any of their professional
staff from providing services or conducting research
activities that exceed the staff member's
competence, considering the staff member's level
of education, training, and experience.
G.
Individuals shall ensure that all equipment used in
the provision of services or research and
scholarly activities is in proper working order and
is properly calibrated.
PRINCIPLE
OF ETHICS III
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.
Rules
of Ethics
A. Individuals shall not misrepresent their
credentials, competence, education, training,
experience, or scholarly or research contributions.
B. Individuals shall not participate in professional
activities that constitute a conflict of interest.
C. Individuals shall not misrepresent diagnostic
information, research, services rendered, or
products dispensed, or engage in any scheme to
defraud in connection with obtaining payment or
reimbursement for such services or products.
D. Individuals' statements to the public shall
provide accurate information about the nature and
management of communication disorders, about the
professions, about professional services, and about research and scholarly
activities.
E. Individuals' statements to the public -
advertising, announcing, and marketing their
professional services, reporting research results,
and promoting products - shall adhere to
prevailing professional standards and shall not
contain misrepresentations.
PRINCIPLE
OF ETHICS IV
Individuals
shall honor their responsibilities to the
professions and their relationship with colleagues,
students, and members of allied professions.
Individuals shall uphold the dignity and autonomy of
the professions, maintain harmonious
interprofessional and intraprofessional
relationships, and accept their professions'
self-imposed standards.
Rules
of Ethics
A. Individuals shall prohibit anyone under their
supervision from engaging in any practice that
violates the Code of Ethics.
B.
Individuals shall not engage in dishonesty, fraud,
deceit, misrepresentation, sexual harassment, or any
other form of conduct that adversely reflects on the
professions or on the individual’s fitness to
serve persons professionally.
Individuals shall not engage in any
scheme or enter into any arrangement whereby clients
are referred to or from any person or business
entity in return for any remuneration of any kind,
including referrals back to the person or business
entity.
C. Individuals shall assign credit to those who have
contributed to a publication, presentation, or
product, and shall reference the source when using
other person's ideas, research, presentations, or
products in written, oral, or any other media
presentation or summary. Credit shall be assigned in
proportion to the contribution and only with the
contributor's consent.
D. Individuals' statements to colleagues about
professional services, research results, and
products shall adhere to prevailing professional
standards and shall contain no misrepresentation.
E. Individuals shall not provide professional
services without exercising independent professional
judgment, regardless of referral source or
prescription.
F. Individuals
shall not discriminate in their relationships with
colleagues, students, and members of allied
professions on the basis of race or ethnicity,
gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual
orientation, or disability.
G. Individuals who have reason to believe that the
Code of Ethics has been violated shall inform the
Board of Ethics.
H. Individuals shall cooperate fully with the Board
of Ethics in its investigation and adjudication of
matters related to this Code of Ethics.
Revised:
April 24, 2004
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