ASHA CCC Ethical & Professional Standards — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a fundamental ethical responsibility of a speech-language pathologist?
- Sharing patient data with colleagues freely
- Maintaining patient confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Ignoring ethical guidelines if requested by a supervisor
- Using client information for personal research without consent
Correct answer: Maintaining patient confidentiality
Speech-language pathologists must ensure patient confidentiality and adhere to HIPAA regulations to protect client information.
Question 2: Which organization establishes professional standards for speech-language pathologists and audiologists?
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) (Correct answer)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Correct answer: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) sets ethical and professional standards for speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
Question 3: What is an example of professional misconduct for an audiologist?
- Documenting patient progress accurately
- Providing treatment without informed consent (Correct answer)
- Referring patients to specialists when necessary
- Following HIPAA regulations
Correct answer: Providing treatment without informed consent
Providing treatment without obtaining informed consent from the patient is considered professional misconduct in audiology and speech-language pathology.
Question 4: What must speech-language pathologists do to maintain ASHA certification?
- Renew certification without completing continuing education
- Complete continuing education requirements (Correct answer)
- Ignore new research developments
- Operate without following state licensure laws
Correct answer: Complete continuing education requirements
ASHA-certified professionals must complete continuing education to stay updated on best practices and maintain certification.
Question 5: Why is cultural competency important in speech-language pathology?
- To standardize therapy for all patients
- To ensure equitable care for diverse populations (Correct answer)
- To limit treatment options based on cultural beliefs
- To prioritize clinician convenience over patient needs
Correct answer: To ensure equitable care for diverse populations
Cultural competency helps clinicians provide equitable care by understanding and respecting clients’ diverse backgrounds and communication needs.
Question 6: Which action is considered unethical in clinical practice?
- Consulting with interdisciplinary teams
- Failing to refer a patient when needed (Correct answer)
- Providing treatment based on evidence-based practices
- Educating patients about their treatment options
Correct answer: Failing to refer a patient when needed
Failing to refer a patient to a specialist when necessary can negatively impact their treatment outcomes and violates ethical standards.
ASHA CCC Ethical & Professional Standards
What is a fundamental ethical responsibility of a speech-language pathologist?