[ Post a Response | Hot Topics ]
Posted by dawnslp
on 11/4/2008, 10:33 am, in reply to "SLPAs"
24.199.235.66
I have wondered about this as well. Why is there a double standard with regards to PT and OT and why does it always seem that Speech gets the short end of the stick? I recently found out that PTA's can do IEP meetings and write goals! SLPA's cannot do that. I agree with Holly that in an acute setting, no supervision would not be good, but in the schools, I fully support the lessening of supervisory standards, but that is only when the SLPA has worked with you for a while (maybe 2 years) and you are confident of their skills. Maybe there could be some additional test or some kind of advanced certification once they have so many years of good experience, meaning where they were actually trained. I too have seen SLPA's dropped into a school and left to fend for themselves while the SLP's that are responsible for them (and getting paid for contracting them) teach them nothing!!!! I always went the extra mile with my SLPA's because the more they knew made my job that much easier.
I understand that we have had more coursework, but seriously we all know most of this field is on the job training. How many of you actually refer to your notes from grad school for your job? I use a few text books still, but that is every few months I will have to pull one out because I work in an educational setting. In the medical/SNF setting, I think the disorders, as Holly pointed out, are more complex and require a specialized knowledge that can be taught, but would require a lot of time.
It is the setting that should determine the standards for SLPA's and it should be the same for PT and OT as well. Bring it up to ASHA. Although, they could probably care less now that they don't even keep the Assistant registry anymore, which is also a disservice to SLPA's.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread