1. Theresa Richard M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-S - medslpcollective.com
The Roles and Responsibilities of your Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
Theresa Richard M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-S - medslpcollective.com

2. Did You Know? A Speech-Language Pathologist has to:
Complete 400+ hours of graduate clinical work
Pass comprehensive examinations and the Praxis examination
Earn a Master’s Degree
Then complete a supervised clinical fellowship year
All before becoming fully certified!

3. So You Teach People To Talk?
Yes, we do.
But we also do a whole lot more!
Our field is diverse and continually growing!

4. More Than Just Talking….
The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) says:
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.
Source:

5. The “Big 9” Our scope of practice falls into 9 major categories:
Source:
Speech
Language
Hearing
Swallowing
Cognition
Voice
Social Pragmatics
Fluency
AAC

6. But Wait, There’s More… Speech-Language Pathologists also engage in:
Advocacy and outreach
Research
Supervision
Collaboration
Education
Counseling
Administration/leadership
Prevention & Wellness
Source:

7. The SLP’s Role in Health Care Settings
In hospitals and long-term care facilities, Speech- Language Pathologists are a vital part of the interdisciplinary care team.
However, many people still don’t know what we do.

8. The SLP’s Role in Health Care Settings
SLP’s Role in Swallowing (Dysphagia):
Screen at-risk patients
Complete clinical swallow assessments
Refer for or perform instrumental assessment (MBSS/FEES)
Complete swallow therapy
Educate the patient and caregivers
Work with nursing, CNA’s, and other relevant staff members to improve outcomes and carryover of skills
Make appropriate physician referrals if necessary

9. The SLP’s Role in Health Care Settings
SLP’s Role in Language (Aphasia), Motor Speech (Dysarthria), and Cognition:
Screen at-risk patients
Complete appropriate assessments
Initiate appropriate and functional therapy exercises/activities
Educate the patient and caregivers
Work with nursing, CNA’s, and other relevant staff members to improve outcomes and carryover of skills
Make appropriate physician referrals if necessary

10. The SLP’s Role in Health Care Settings
SLP’s Role with Tracheostomy Patients:
Facilitate use of speaking valves
Assess/treat speech and swallowing skills
Engage in interdisciplinary consultation to problem- solve and facilitate trach weaning

11. The SLP’s Role in Health Care Settings
SLP’s Role (miscellaneous):
Communicate diet recommendations to the registered dietician and kitchen staff
Participate on interdisciplinary teams to identify patients who need ST intervention as early as possible
Attend care plan meetings
Conduct staff education and in-services (like this!)

12. Now Let’s Talk About YOU!
How can you help me help you (and our patients)?

13. When to Refer To Your SLP
If you see the following, refer to your SLP:
Difficulty chewing or pocketing food
Coughing with PO intake
Decreased PO intake
Significant unwanted weight loss
Trouble taking pills
Wet/gurgly voice quality with meals
Reduced vocal quality/vocal loudness

14. When to Refer To Your SLP
If you see the following, refer to your SLP:
Increased confusion
Decreased speech output
Slurred speech
Multiple falls due to unsafe behaviors
Difficulty recalling safety strategies
Difficulty recalling names of people or things

15. When to Refer To Your SLP
If you see the following, refer to your SLP:
Difficulty understanding directions
Decreased awareness of difficulties
Difficulty paying attention while speaking
Garbled speech that doesn’t make sense
Difficulty with remembering the steps of activities of daily living

16. When In Doubt, Refer it Out (To Us)!
We would rather screen someone and find them to be ok than not screen and miss that patient! Please feel free to tell us about your concerns about your patients!

17. We Can’t Do Our Job Without YOU!!!
Seriously.
We can’t.
Thank you for being awesome!

18. Questions???

19. Source: https://www.asha.org/Students/Speech-Language-Pathology/
References:
American Speech Language Hearing Association. (n.d.). Learn About the CSD Professions: Speech-Language Pathology. Retrieved July 30, from Pathology/
American Speech Language Hearing Association. (n.d.). Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology. Retrieved July 30, 2018 from
American Speech Language Hearing Association. (n.d.). Clinical Topics and Disorders in Speech-Language Pathology. Retrieved July 30, from