Clinic Handbook

On-Campus Clinical Practicum SHS 564

Off-Site Clinical Practicum SHS 566, 568, 570

Updated July 2025

Table of Contents

• Welcome
  • Our Clinical Educators & Contact Information
• Introduction
  • The WSU Clinical Program
• Policies and Procedures
  • Clinic Requirements, Populations, and Experiences
  • Illness/ Injury or Emergencies on Site
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – HIPAA and Confidentiality
  • General Guidelines for Client Information and Security
  • Observation and Clock Hours
    • Guided Clinical Observations
    • On-Site and In-Person Graduate Supervised Clinical Practicum
    • Undergraduate Supervised Clinical Practicum
    • Clinical Simulations (CS)
    • Telepractice Graduate Supervised Clinical Practicum
  • Clinical Assignments
  • Supervision
  • Clinical Educator (CE) Teaching, Meetings, and Support
  • Documentation
  • Observations and Client Family
  • Client Care – Mobility Transfers and Restroom Procedures
  • Client Safety and Emergency Procedures
    • Clinical Sessions
    • Medical Emergency
    • Fire Alarm
    • Earthquake
  • Universal Precautions
    • Hand Washing
    • Gloves
    • Cleaning Supplies
    • Blood Borne Pathogens
  • Required Clinical Training for On-campus Clinical Assignment
    • Health Insurance
    • CPR
    • First Aid Training
    • Immunizations
    • Federal Criminal & Washington State Patrol Background Check
    • Electronic Student Portfolios
    • Health Intern Liability Insurance
  • Professional Behavior
  • Student Contact Information
  • Registration and Tuition
  • Attendance at all Clinical Education Dates
  • Procedure for Clinic Absence
  • Professional Dress
    • Dress Code
    • Name Tags
  • Transportation
  • ASHA Code of Ethics
  • Client Contact
  • Student Grievance
  • Bloodborne/Airborne Pathogens Exposure Policy and Procedure
  • On-Campus Clinic Office
  • Client Charts
  • Therapy Materials, Assessments, and Protocols
  • Grad Room and Student Workspace
  • Treatment Rooms
• Grading Rubric for On-Campus Clinical Performance
  • Meeting Clinical Skill Competencies
  • Clinical Levels
• Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan
• PART II: Guidelines and Procedures for Off-Site Clinical Practicum and Internship
  • Prerequisite for Enrollment
  • Role of the Director of Off-Site Clinical Programs
  • Role of the Community Clinical Educator
  • Role of the Student
  • Requirements in Supervision (ASHA, WA State, WSU)
    • Clinical Contact Hours
    • Site Visits
    • Timeline of Responsibilities/Activities
  • Grading Process
  • Change in Assignment Procedure
  • Schedule and Attendance
• Graduate Student Acknowledgment Form

Welcome

Welcome to WSU’s Speech-Language Pathology program! It is our pleasure to extend a warm welcome to each of you as you embark on this exciting and transformative journey.

Our program is designed not only to provide you with a solid academic foundation but also to ensure that you gain practical, hands-on experience through our clinical training. We are deeply committed to shaping your education and guiding you to become skilled and compassionate Speech-Language Pathologists.

The academic faculty and the clinical faculty work collaboratively to create a supportive and enriching environment. Our goal is to help you develop the knowledge, skills, and professional values that will enable you to make meaningful contributions to the field of speech-language pathology.

Throughout your time here, you will engage in rigorous coursework, as well as varied clinical experiences. Our faculty members bring a wealth of expertise and a passion for teaching, mentoring, and clinical practice. They are here to challenge you, support you, and inspire you to reach your full potential.

In our On-Site Clinic as well as your Off-Site Clinical placements, you will work with a variety of clients, gaining exposure to a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders. This hands-on experience is invaluable in preparing you for the broad and dynamic nature of our profession. You will have the opportunity to apply your classroom learning in real-world settings, under the guidance and supervision of experienced clinical educators.

We believe that the best learning occurs in a collaborative and inclusive environment. We encourage you to actively participate, ask questions, seek feedback, and take advantage of the numerous resources and opportunities available to you. Your journey will be demanding, but it will also be incredibly rewarding.

We are excited to see the impact you will make as future Speech-Language Pathologists. Your dedication, curiosity, and commitment to excellence are what make our program vibrant and successful. We are here to support you every step of the way, from your first day of classes to your final clinical placement and beyond.

Welcome to our community. Together, let’s shape the future of speech-language pathology.

Warm regards,

Emily Schreiner, M.A., CCC-SLP
Director of On-Site Clinical Programs
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
Washington State University

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Our Clinical Educators & Contact Information

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Introduction

This handbook will serve as your guide to the clinical policies and procedures. All students are responsible for the information in this handbook. Please read through this manual carefully and when you believe you understand your responsibilities, please sign the document, “SHS Graduate Handbook Acknowledgement”.  With your signature you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to comply with the policies and procedures in the SHS Graduate Handbook as well as the WSU Clinic Handbook. Once signed, please scan and upload the page to CastleBranch.

The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). With this, in addition to this handbook, you are responsible for the professional standards that are documented in a variety of ASHA publications.

Please start a folder on your computer for this handbook and add this webpage and the following ASHA documents, which you should thoroughly review every so often for your reference.

• Scope of Practice in Speech Language Pathology
• Issues in Ethics: Confidentiality
• Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Supervision
• 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
• Code of Ethics

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The WSU Clinical Program

Our clinical education program will take you through these five phases:

Semester	Clinical Placements
(First) Fall Rotation	On-campus clinical practicum
Spring I Rotation	One ½ of the cohort: Off-campus clinical practicum One ½ of the cohort: On-campus clinical practicum
Spring II Rotation	One ½ of the cohort: Off-campus clinical practicum One ½ of the cohort: On-campus clinical practicum
Summer Rotation	2-3 week placement, several different options to be discussed in the Fall
Second Fall	Half time off-campus clinical practicum
Second Spring	Full time off-campus internship

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Policies and Procedures

Clinic Requirements, Populations, and Experiences

Students are eligible to enroll in Advanced Clinical Practicum courses (SHS 564) contingent upon having met the ASHA prerequisites of class preparation and completion of observation requirements. Students must be simultaneously enrolled in SHS 550.

Standard V-F: Supervised practicum must include experience with individuals across the life span and from culturally/ linguistically diverse backgrounds. Practicum must include experience with individuals with various types and severities of communication and/or related disorders, differences, and disabilities.

Students are required to enroll in a clinic course each semester and must be enrolled in the course to obtain clock hours for that experience. Clinical performance is graded on a Satisfactory/Fail system. 

Students will have opportunities for clinical experience with a variety of clients and in a variety of clinical settings. To obtain the required type and number of clock hours, students are expected to accept all clinical assignments. Prior to participation in clinical activity, the student must review and sign the document “Essential Functions of Speech and Hearing Sciences Education” (Appendix A).

After the first semester of on-campus clinical practicum, possibilities for further training include public schools, outpatient clinics, private practices, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities. Students will complete at least two semesters in on campus clinic and related clinical sites with university educators during the first year of the graduate program (fall, spring I, spring II, and summer specialty clinics).

Students who rotate to an off-site practicum in the Spring I clinical rotation will return to the on-campus clinic for the Spring II clinical semester. Students will then either continue with their off-site practicum placement through the end of June, or participate in a 2-3 week specialty clinic opportunity. 

The type and number of clinical assignments is contingent on ASHA requirements, student needs and interests, departmental needs, successful completion of prerequisite coursework, and other requirements. Clinic assignments are also dependent on providing continuity of service to our clients. Student clinicians will receive clinical assignments only after they have sufficient coursework to qualify for such experience or receive adequate and appropriate individualized instruction for the specific client diagnosis.

Clinic assignments will be made by the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. Students will have the opportunity to request clinical experiences. However, requests may not be granted secondary to availability, student assignment needs, and university needs.

In rare instances, a student may request to be excused from a clinical course for a semester due to extenuating circumstances. This decision must be made in consultation with the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs, Graduate Program Director, and Department Chair. The delay of any clinical practicum for a semester will delay graduation. Students are responsible for adhering to WSU policies and procedures, and state and federal regulations at each site. Students are expected to adhere to ASHA’s Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice.

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Illness/Injury or Emergencies on Site

Students are not considered to be employees during their clinical training experiences. If the student is injured during a clinical experience, the facility may provide emergency medical care to the student in case of need but shall not bear the cost of such care. In a non-emergency situation, the student may seek medical attention at the healthcare provider of his/her choice. The student is responsible for all costs of medical care received.

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Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – HIPAA and Confidentiality

Students must treat all client information confidentially. As stated in ASHA’s Code of Ethics, Principle I, Rules O and P:

O. Individuals shall protect the confidentiality and security of records of professional services provided, research and scholarly activities conducted, and products dispensed. Access to these records shall be allowed only when doing so is legally authorized or required by law.

P. Individuals shall protect the confidentiality of information about persons served professionally or participants involved in research and scholarly activities. Disclosure of confidential information shall be allowed only when doing so is legally authorized or required by law.

Protecting client confidentiality is also the law in Washington: Health care providers may not disclose a patient’s health information to any other person without the patient’s written authorization (Wash. Rev. Code §70.02.020) and federally. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act are federal laws that protect client information. Please refer to HIPAA for Professionals and Hitech Act for specific guidelines. Non-compliance with state and federal laws can result in monetary, civil, and criminal penalties. With regard to the clinical professional performance assessment, it may even have consequences for the final grade and successful course completion.

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General Guidelines for Client Information and Security

Client information and documentation must remain on site and be secured. Any client information and/or documentation must remain in the clinic at all times. This includes client charts, SOAP notes, lesson plans, data sheets, etc. Client information and documentation must be secured when not in use.

No part of the client chart or client information may be copied or photographed for any purpose. Students may not copy, scan, fax, or electronically transmit any client information. All documentation, lesson plans, and report writing must be completed in the clinic on the computers provided in the clinic preparation and treatment rooms.

Do not discuss client information with anyone except those who are involved in the client’s care. Students should be conscious of HIPAA guidelines of “need to know” when discussing therapy principles, materials, goals, etc. with other student clinicians or observers. Be aware of immediate surroundings when making any reference to a client (even without identifying information). Avoid discussion of client information in the lobby, hallways, or outside the clinic area. Discuss specific client related information only in treatment rooms and clinical educator offices, with the door closed.  Students will sign and submit a Confidentiality Agreement Document which goes into greater details on this topic.

Students must consult with their clinical educator prior to contacting their client by phone. It is preferred that students use a Range Community Clinic phone, and if students leave a phone message for a client, they should leave only their name, a contact phone number, and the name of the clinic. The client will usually understand why they are called.

Social Media: No posting of any client information with or without Protected Health Information is allowed. Tele-Practice: See tele-practice policies and procedures.

All students will complete a HIPAA training course and must pass a quiz prior to serving clients. HIPAA violations may result in failing the course or grade deductions. 

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Observation and Clock Hours

Standard V-C: The applicant must complete a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology. Twenty-five hours must be spent in guided clinical observation, and 375 hours must be spent in direct client/patient contact.

Standards for clinical hours are based on the ASHA Standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence:

For Graduate Students initiating their graduate program on or After January 1, 2023,

• The guided observation and direct client/patient contact hours must be within the ASHA Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology and must be under the supervision of a clinician who holds current ASHA certification in the appropriate profession and who, after earning the CCC-SLP, has completed (a) a minimum of 9 months of post-certification, full-time experience (or its part-time equivalent) and (b) a minimum of 2 hours of professional development in the area of clinical instruction/supervision.
• Applicants should be assigned practicum only after they have acquired a knowledge base sufficient to qualify for such experience. Only direct contact (e.g., the individual receiving services must be present) with the individual or the individual’s family in assessment, improvement, and/or counseling can be counted toward practicum. When counting clinical practicum hours for purposes of ASHA certification, only the actual time spent in sessions can be counted, and the time spent cannot be rounded up to the nearest 15-minute interval.

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Guided Clinical Observations

Twenty-five (25) hours of guided clinical observation hours must be completed in the undergraduate and precedes direct contact with clients/patients. Guided clinical observations may occur simultaneously during the student’s observation or afterwards through review and approval of the student’s written reports or summaries. Students may use video recordings of client services for observation purposes. Examples of guided clinical observations with a clinical educator who holds the CCC-SLP may include but are not limited to the following activities:

• debriefing of a video recording
• discussion of therapy or evaluation procedures that had been observed
• debriefings of observations that meet course requirements
• written records of the observations

It is important to confirm that there was communication between the clinical educator and observer, rather than passive experiences where the student views sessions and/or videos. The student is encouraged to (a) observe live and recorded sessions across settings with individuals receiving services for a variety of disorders and (b) complete debriefing activities as described above. The graduate program will determine how the guided observation experience should be documented. Evidence of guided observations includes signatures from the clinical educator and documentation of hours, dates, and activities observed.

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On-Site and In-Person Graduate Supervised Clinical Practicum

A minimum of 250 hours of supervised clinical practicum within the graduate program must be acquired through on-site and in-person direct contact hours.

Although several students may be present in a clinical session at one time, each graduate student clinician may count toward the supervised clinical practicum only the time that they spent in direct contact with the client/patient or family during that session. Time spent in preparation for or in documentation of the clinical session may not be counted toward the supervised clinical practicum. The applicant must maintain documentation of their time spent in supervised clinical practicum, and this documentation must be verified by the program in accordance with Standards III and IV. WSU uses Calipso to maintain documentation of hours earned.

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Undergraduate Supervised Clinical Practicum

At the discretion of the graduate program, up to 50 hours of on-site and in-person direct contact hours obtained at the undergraduate level may be counted toward the 400-hour supervised clinical practicum requirement.

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Clinical Simulations (CS)

At the discretion of the graduate program, up to 75 direct contact hours may be obtained through CS. Only the time spent in active engagement with CS may be counted. CS may include the use of standardized patients and simulation technologies (e.g., standardized patients, virtual patients, digitized mannequins, immersive reality, task trainers, computer-based interactive). Debriefing activities may not be included as clinical clock hours.  Simucase as well as standardized patients are incorporated into the graduate program.

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Telepractice Graduate Supervised Clinical Practicum

At the discretion of the graduate program and when permitted by the employer/practicum site and by prevailing regulatory body/bodies—and when deemed appropriate for the client and the applicant’s skill level—the student may provide services via telepractice. The clinical educator who is responsible for the client and graduate student should be comfortable, familiar, and skilled in providing and supervising services that are delivered through telepractice. Clinical educators must be available 100% of the time during telepractice sessions. Provided that these conditions are met, telepractice may be used to acquire up to 125 contact hours, in addition to those earned through guided clinical observations (25 hours) or on-site and in-person direct contact hours (250 hour minimum).

Supervised Clinical Practicum Options	Required	Minimum for 400 hrs	Maximum for 400 hrs
Guided Clinical Observations	yes	25	25
On-Site and In-Person Direct Contact Hours	yes	250	no maximum
Undergraduate Hours	no	0	50
Clinical Simulations	no	0	75
Telepractice	no	0	125

Clock hours can be obtained only for the time during which the student clinician is providing DIRECT CONTACT with the client or client’s family in assessment, management, and/or counseling. Supporting activities such as writing lesson plans, scoring tests, transcribing language samples, preparing treatment activities, and meetings with practicum clinical educators do not count as clock hours. Clinical clock hours cannot be accrued for client cancellations and/or no shows.

The Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology (CFCC) defines 1 clinical practicum hour as equal to 60 minutes. When counting clinical practicum hours for purposes of ASHA certification, experiences/ sessions that total less than 60 minutes (e.g., 45 minutes or 50 minutes) cannot be rounded up to count as 1 hour.

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Clinical Assignments

Standard V-F: Supervised practicum must include experience with individuals across the life span and from culturally/linguistically diverse backgrounds. Practicum must include experience with individuals with various types and severities of communication and/or related disorders, differences, and disabilities.

The student will obtain direct clinical experiences with individuals in both assessment and Improvement across the lifespan from the range of disorders and differences. While ASHA does not require certain hours for disorder, ages, and severities, WSU strives for a minimum of 5 hours per disorder category, severity, ages. Clock hours are, however, not guaranteed.

The 9 disorder categories are:

• Speech Sound Production
• Fluency
• Voice and Resonance
• Receptive and Expressive Language
• Hearing
• Swallowing/Feeding
• Cognitive Aspects of Communication (attention, memory, sequencing, problem solving, executive functioning)
• Social Aspects of Communication (challenging behavior, ineffective social skills, lack of communication opportunities)
• Communication Modalities (oral, manual, augmentative and alternative communication techniques, assistive technologies)

Students, supervisors, and the program maintain documentation of time spent in supervised practicum through the online platform Calipso. Students will record their clinical clock hours on Calipso (after they have created an account) and submit them for clinic educator approval on a weekly basis.

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Supervision

Standard V-E: Supervision of students must be provided by a clinical educator who holds ASHA certification in the appropriate profession and who, after earning the CCC-A or CCC-SLP, has completed (1) a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience (or its part-time equivalent), and (2) a minimum of 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision. The amount of direct supervision must be commensurate with the student’s knowledge, skills, and experience; must not be less than 25% of the student’s total contact with each client/patient; and must take place periodically throughout the practicum. Supervision must be sufficient to ensure the welfare of the individual receiving services.

Supervision will be adjusted to the experience and ability of the student. Supervision will increase if the student’s level of knowledge, experience, and competence warrants additional support. Direct supervision must be in real time and must be no less than 25% of the student’s total contact with each client for treatment. Washington State regulations require 50% supervision for diagnostics/assessments (WAC 246-828-075). Supervision must take place periodically throughout the practicum. A clinical educator will be available to consult as appropriate and will provide direct observation, guidance, and feedback. *See policies and procedures for tele-practice supervision requirements.

The Director of On-Site Clinical Programs verifies each clinical educator’s current ASHA Certification. A database of all clinical educators and their ASHA Certification Account Number is maintained on the Calipso tracking system.

The student clinician’s goal and responsibility in the clinical process is to provide quality service to their clients. Students will learn to plan effective and appropriate assessments and treatment methods and tasks, using appropriate materials. Students will learn documentation, analysis and interpretation of collected data, modification of treatment goals, objectives, and tasks in a timely manner and as needed for the best possible treatment outcome. The student clinician is an active participant in the supervision process. This includes preparation for treatment sessions, critical reflection, self-evaluation of clinical behavior, following directives of clinical educators with the goal of on-going collaboration with the clinical educator. The ultimate responsibility of Improvement lies with the clinical educator.

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Clinical Educator (CE) Teaching, Meetings, and Support

Once students have received their client/CE assignment, they need to sign up for an initial meeting with their clinical educator (CE).  If there is a client file or documentation within ClinicNote, students should carefully read the client’s information before this initial meeting and be prepared to discuss the client in detail.

Students will meet with their CEs on a regular basis (typically at least weekly) throughout each semester. Students with work with the CEs to find a time that works for the weekly meetings. Students may request additional meetings. Weekly meetings will include treatment planning, documentation review, feedback from previous sessions, suggestions for future sessions, etc.  Further topics may be a student’s professional growth and development as an SLP. Students must prepare for all clinical educator conferences, including researching treatment methods, reading assigned readings, and providing treatment plans and materials. Students should be prepared with solutions to solve clinical issues they are encountering with their clients. It is best to consult first with the clinical educator before consulting another faculty member or clinical educator regarding the client’s treatment planning.

CEs will provide written and/or verbal feedback after observed sessions. Students must read and reflect on the feedback carefully. If they are unclear about anything the CEs wrote, they need to seek out clarification from the CEs, as quick follow-up is expected by the CEs. Often CEs model assessment or treatment procedures directly to the student in the treatment room. This is part of clinical teaching and students should welcome such opportunities. Lesson plans are typically prepared on Microsoft TEAMS or ClinicNote, where the supervisor can provide the student with written feedback. CE’s also have hanging folders in the grad room for the purpose of receiving confidential documentation.

In addition to feedback for sessions and documentation, students also receive a midterm and final evaluation from their CE. The midterm evaluation is formative and will not directly affect a student’s final grade. However, if the student has not made sufficient progress in the first part of the semester, the evaluation may be used to initiate a Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan.  The final evaluation is summative and will determine the clinic grade for the semester. Again, if the student has not made sufficient progress in the second half of the semester, the evaluation may be used to initiate a Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan. 

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Documentation

After each assessment or treatment session, students will write a SOAP note. We are using the ClinicNote electronic medical record system for this purpose. This is a secure online system designed to teach students in writing clinical documentation. It allows the CE to give feedback in the program. Notes (and reports) will not be printed for the purpose of CE editing. SOAP notes are due on the day of service, i.e., before students are released from clinical responsibilities for the day. After each assessment, students will write a diagnostic report. If the client qualifies for services, a treatment plan for the semester will become part of the diagnostic report. All other clinic clients will require a treatment plan each semester. All clients will also receive a progress report at the end of the semester, or a discharge report, if clients do not remain until the end of the semester. Students will write all reports on ClinicNote. Each CE has preferences for the format of SOAP notes and reports. This gives students the opportunity to become familiar with different styles, in the process of developing their own styles upon graduation. Students will also write lesson plans for sessions on ClinicNote, due 24 hrs before a session.

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Observations and Client Family

In addition to clinical educators, client’s parents, spouses, and significant others may observe a clinical session at any time. Students are also encouraged to observe the sessions of their peers. Students will have the opportunity to provide feedback to parents/spouses of clients as appropriate. Parents, caregivers, or spouses may participate directly in the therapy interactions. Students are encouraged to develop home programs, and to train parents/caregivers/spouses in the implementation of those programs. A word of caution about sharing information with family members who have not been given permission by the client to receive such information. In case of doubt, students should confirm with their CE.

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Client Care – Mobility Transfers and Restroom Procedures

The restroom in the clinic area is primarily for client use. Students are expected to use the restrooms in the HSB lobby area.

Clients who require assistance with transferring and/or ambulation must bring a caregiver or family member to their sessions. Students, faculty, and staff are not permitted to assist with mobility and/or transferring of clients. Clinic staff and the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs should be notified if a client requests mobility, transfer, or restroom assistance, as the caregiver/family will need to be notified of this policy.

Young clients must be monitored when using the bathroom independently.

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Client Safety and Emergency Procedures

Client welfare and safety are a priority while clients are on the premises of the Range Community Clinic. Students need to familiarize themselves with the evacuation routes in the clinic area.

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Clinical Sessions

During regular clinical activities, follow these procedures:

• Stay with the client at all times, never leave any client unsupervised in the treatment room
• Guide client to the restroom and wait until the restroom visit is completed
• Do not let young clients lock the restroom from the inside

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Medical Emergencies

In case of a medical emergency, follow these procedures:

• Stay with the client
• Call for assistance (open the door and yell for help)
• Offer client assistance as appropriate (CPR, etc.)
• Stay with client until medical assistance arrives
• After situation is resolved, report to clinical educator/Director of On-Site Clinical Programs

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Fire Alarm

In case of a fire alarm, follow these procedures:

• Proceed with client to marked exit.
• Shut all doors behind you.
• Go the appropriate Emergency Assembly Location (EAL). If you are in HSB, the nearest EAL is on the path between HSB and SAC.
• Stay with the client.
• Do not return to building until “all clear” has been given by authorities.

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Earthquakes

In case of an earthquake, follow these procedures:

• Stay with the client
• Drop, cover, and hold
• Get under a desk or study table
• Cover your head and neck
• Stay there until the quake stops
• When the quake stops, carefully evacuate the building with your client and proceed to the nearest Emergency Assembly Location (EAL)

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Universal Precautions

ASHA encourages all providers of clinical services to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Universal Precautions as modified for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Washington State University requires that all students take and pass training in universal precautions. These precautions must be used with all clients.

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Hand Washing

• Wash hands immediately if they are potentially contaminated with blood or other body fluids.
• Wash hands before and after treating clients.
• Wash hands before and after removing gloves.
• Wash hands after cleaning/disinfecting treatment rooms and/or materials.
• If hand washing is not feasible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

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Gloves

• Wear gloves when coming into contact with blood or other body fluids.
• Wear gloves when performing invasive procedures on clients. This includes performing an oral-motor examination. Change gloves in case accidental touching of anything else but client or assessment tools.
• Wear gloves to clean/disinfect all equipment.
• Change gloves after contact with each client.
• If a glove is torn, remove and replace it as promptly as possible.
• Discard gloves immediately after removing.
• After removing gloves, wash hands immediately.

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Cleaning Supplies

• Cleaning supplies are located in every treatment room.
• Clean as you go during therapy sessions.
• Wipe the doorknobs, table, chairs, and light switches at the end of every session.

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Blood Borne Pathogens

• Student clinicians are required to complete blood borne pathogens and infection control training
• Training will be completed through CastleBranch. All students must complete the training and pass a quiz before they will be allowed to treat clients.

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Required Clinical Training for On-campus Clinical Assignment

At the beginning of the first fall semester during clinical orientation (SHS 550), students are asked to meet the requirements for clinical practicum experiences at Range Community Clinic. In other clinical facilities in which practicum experiences are completed in subsequent semesters, additional criteria or requirements must be met. The student is responsible for completing the additional requirements and providing proof to the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. The student is responsible for the cost of all requirements and criteria. Students will upload their documentation of the following requirements to CastleBranch.

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Health Insurance

All students who are participating in clinical practicum outside of the Spokane area are advised to obtain their own health insurance in addition to any health insurance provided by Washington State University. Clinical facilities may require additional proof of health insurance.

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CPR

Graduate students are required to complete the CPR for Healthcare Providers (infant, child, adult and AED) prior to any clinical experiences. Students will receive the CPR for Healthcare Providers training through Washington State University. Acceptable alternative courses include the American Heart Association Healthcare Provider course or American Red Cross Professional Rescuer course. Proof of CPR certification, however, is each student’s responsibility.

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First Aid Training

First Aid training may be required at off-site practicum placement locations. The student is responsible for the cost of any requirements.

• CPR: Certification of successful completion of CPR for Healthcare Providers
• First Aid (site specific): Certification of successful completion of First Aid

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Immunizations

Prior to the beginning of the clinical education, the student is required to show proof of the following immunizations. The student will keep additional copies of relevant documentation (documentation means written documentation from a health care provider/ facility with the date of vaccination, screening, or titer) readily available to present to each future clinical facility upon request. Clinical facilities may differ in their requirements for immunizations prior to the start of a future practicum or internship. Students are responsible for reviewing any additional specific requirements for their specific clinical experiences and meeting those requirements.

• Measles: Documentation of two doses of live virus vaccine administered on or after the first birthday, with the second dose administered at least 1 month after the first dose or laboratory evidence of past measles (rubella) infection.
• Mumps: Documentation of two doses of live virus vaccine administered on or after the first birthday, with the second dose administered at least 1 month after the first dose or laboratory evidence of past mumps infection or documentation of past mumps infection.
• Rubella: Documentation of one dose of live virus vaccine administered on or after the first birthday or laboratory evidence of past rubella infection.
• Varicella: History of chickenpox or laboratory evidence confirming past infection, or two doses of live virus vaccine administered on or after the first birthday with the second dose administered at least 1 month after the first dose. Documentation may be parent or healthcare provider note of chicken pox history.
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap): Documentation of one dose of TDAP vaccine. A booster may be required every 10 years.
• Hepatitis B: Required due to risk for occupational exposure to blood, blood-contaminated body fluids, other body fluids, or contaminated sharps. Documentation of three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) administered over six months or laboratory evidence of adequate immunity or signed declination required.
• Tuberculosis: Documentation of screening via one-step testing using Mantoux method or via Quantiferon Gold laboratory blood test or negative chest x-ray. Some facilities for future placement require a two-step testing, using Mantoux method. If the clinical facility requires two-step testing, complete the second test and keep proof to show to the supervisor at the facility.
• COVID-19: Documentation of COVID-19 vaccine.

The student is responsible for the cost of all immunizations. The documentation of vaccines must be complete before beginning in the clinic.  There will be exceptions made for flu and Covid based on availability.

Refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for further information on immunizations.

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Federal Criminal & Washington State Patrol Background Checks

Students are required to complete a criminal background check with fingerprinting before beginning off-site clinical experiences. Students will be provided the information and paperwork necessary to complete this process.

Delays in applying for clearance will result in a delay of onset of off-site clinical experience. Findings on the criminal background check may prevent students from progressing through the program or completing a practicum experience. Students are required to notify the directors of on-site and off-site clinical services, if any instances occur while in the program that may result in a change to their background check. Clinical practicum sites may require frequent federal background checks.

Students who are considering a career in a health services field should familiarize themselves with the licensing and other legal requirements that may be required to obtain gainful employment following successful completion of the master’s degree.  These topics will also be covered in Medical SLP and SLP in the Schools courses.

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Electronic Student Portfolios

All incoming students will be required to purchase and set up an account with CastleBranch, a web-based application that manages the required clinical certifications and records. Additionally, all incoming students are required to set up an account with Calipso, a web-based application that manages key aspects of academic and clinical education. Students are responsible for directly paying one-time fees for both applications.

The following documentation will be tracked through CastleBranch:

• Health Insurance
• Immunizations
• Federal criminal background check
• Health Intern Liability Insurance
• Drug testing (if required by off-campus site)
• Confidentiality Agreement
• Clinic Handbook Acknowledgement
• Essential Functions Acknowledgement
• Completion of training in:
  • CPR
  • First Aid (may be required at practicum sites)
  • Bloodborne/airborne pathogens and infection control
  • HIPAA

The following will be tracked through Calipso:

• Clinical competencies
• Clinical evaluations
• Observation hours
• Clock hours
• Client age ranges
• Client factors, such as ethnicity
• Client primary language
• Severity of client communication disorder

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Health Intern Liability Insurance

To participate in clinical education and laboratory experiences involving client contact, each student must be covered by health intern liability insurance. Students sign up with Campus Student Services and pay $15 for liability insurance. Students are responsible for uploading the proof of purchase to CastleBranch.  This insurance will need to be renewed for your second year.

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Professional Behavior

Professional behavior is a key component to the success of each student. Developing competencies in professional behavior is integral to the educational process. Professional behaviors outlined in clinical competencies include:

• Commitment to and taking responsibility for one’s own learning
• Showing initiative for clinical learning opportunities
• Showing respect for the diversity of any client
• Attendance at meetings and scheduled treatment sessions
• Timeliness
• Preparation
• Critical thinking
• Incorporating constructive feedback
• Interpersonal & communication skills
• Time management
• Problem-solving skills
• Responsibility
• Accountability
• Stress management

Students will receive formal and informal feedback from clinical educators throughout clinical experiences that address these competencies. Students who demonstrate behaviors inconsistent with professional behavior expectations may be placed on a clinical and professional assistance plan.

Principle IV of the ASHA Code of Ethics (2023) states that “Individuals shall uphold the dignity and autonomy of the professions, maintain collaborative and harmonious interprofessional and intraprofessional relationships, and accept the professions’ self-imposed standard.” Students should refrain from making negative comments or gossiping about other students, staff, or faculty to clients, other students, staff, or faculty. Concerns and issues should be first directed to the involved party or Clinical Educator. If resolution is not obtained, consult the Director of On-site Clinical Programs.

As students are representatives of the WSU program, they are expected to abide by ASHA guidelines for professionalism when engaging on social media platforms. The ASHA Civility Digital Toolkit is available. In addition, students must abide by HIPAA compliance rules and are not permitted to post client information on their personal sites.

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Student Contact Information

Students must provide the Director of On-site Clinical Programs with a current address, phone number and emergency contact throughout the practicum and internships.

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Registration and Tuition

The student will register for clinical experiences following the guidelines provided by WSU. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire the information and register in a timely manner. Registration is required to maintain a full-time student status for the purposes of financial aid and liability insurance. Delayed registration requires a signature from the Department Chair but places the student’s experiences at risk due to lack of coverage under the liability insurance policy. Until registered and liability coverage documented, the student will not be able to participate in practicum or internship. Tuition and fees must be paid according to WSU guidelines.

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Attendance at all Clinical Education Dates

All students are expected to attend and complete the clinical experiences according to the WSU schedule. Professional behavior involves making and keeping commitments. Student clinicians should be prepared and on time for every treatment session. Students are also required to attend and be prompt for all scheduled meetings with Clinical Educators. When you are on off-site placement, absences for any reason must be reported to the Director of off-site clinical placement. Students need to discuss the preferred method of reporting absences with their clinical educator. Failure to attend a clinical assignment without notifying the clinical educator or the director of off-site clinical placement may result in a failing grade. This includes missing clinic in order to keep up with academic requirements.

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Procedure for Clinic Absence

In case of illness, students should contact their clinic educator by email at the earliest possible time. Sometimes, the Clinic and clinical educator will cancel the session. However, in some cases, the Clinical Educator can conduct the session without the student. Therefore, whether a session will be cancelled or not will be decided by the clinical educator. The procedure that the clinical educator and student agree upon is particularly important for early morning sessions. Both the clinical educator and the Range Clinic office can inform the client of the cancellation.

Upon the student’s return, they will fill out an “Illness/Absence Request Form” and submit it to the clinical educator and the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. This form can be found on Canvas.

In rare instances, a planned absence from clinic may be approved prior to the absence. An “Illness/Absence Request Form,” with affected dates and reason for absence must be submitted to the clinical educator and the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs, or the Director of Off-Site Clinical Programs.  A meeting to discuss the absence must be arranged, at which time a determination will be made as to whether or not the request will be approved.

When a client must cancel a session, the client will call the clinic office. The clinic office staff will then notify the clinical educators and we will get word to you via email or in person as early as possible.

If a client does not notify the clinic office and does not attend a clinical session, the student clinician must wait 15 minutes prior to assuming the client is not coming. When that time period has passed, the clinician must notify the clinic office staff prior to leaving the clinic waiting area. In addition, the student clinician must notify their clinical educator of the no-show.

In rare circumstances, sessions may be rescheduled with approval or direction from the clinical educator. The session will be rescheduled with the client for a time when the clinical educator can observe. The clinical educator will notify the front office of this change.

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Professional Dress

Student clinicians are representatives of Washington State University and the profession of Speech-Language Pathology. As such, they are expected to dress and behave professionally. Another reason for appropriate dress is the safety for themselves and their clients. Appropriate dress is required anytime a student is in the physical environment of the clinic (i.e., reception area, waiting area, grad room, faculty offices, observation rooms, etc.).

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Dress Code

Students are expected to wear attire which conforms to a professional image.  Patients/clients, other professionals, and the general public in the WSU Health Clinic form an impression based on our appearance and conduct. Being appropriately dressed and well-groomed exemplify professional behavior and are expected at all times. Safety and comfort concerns for both the client and student clinician also drive the need for dress modifications in the clinical setting, as determined by a clinical educator.

Guidelines for Students’ Attire

Item	Acceptable	Unacceptable
Attire	Business casual; clothing must cover the midriff, chest, and lower back areas, even when the student bends over or sits down; exposed chest or upper torso should not be visible from any angle; footwear should be appropriate for a professional setting (clean tennis shoes are appropriate)	Jeans, shorts, sweats, exercise pants, T-shirts with logos/slogans, sweatshirts or hoodies, clothing which exposes undergarments, short skirts, dirty, wrinkled, and/or torn clothing, open-toed shoes
Body art and tattoos	Visible forms of body art and tattoos appropriate in content	Tattoos with graphics or wording that may be considered offensive must be covered
Body hygiene	Students must be physically clean (including oral hygiene, hair, and fingernails)	Applied fragrances such as perfumes, aftershaves, strong- scented lotions; pervasive body odors such as smoke or sweat
Facial hair	Neat and trimmed facial hair
Fingernails	Fingernails should be clean, well groomed, and have an appropriate length	Nails that would perforate latex gloves
Hair	Hair should be well-groomed and conservative in color. Non-distracting hair dyes may be permitted	Distracting, unkept hair styles or dye colors. Long hair should not interfere with session management.
Identification	Students must wear WSU or WSU Health Clinic identification
Jewelry	Jewelry should be simple and not interfere with client/patient care, clinic performance, or safety	Dangling earrings (safety reasons); other body or oral piercings (including microdermal implants) must be removed or covered
Skin	Skin that is intact and clean	Broken skin or areas that are bleeding or have the potential to bleed must be covered with an appropriate bandage

Students are expected to adhere to the dress code this policy. Attire that may decrease the ability to carry out treatment safely and effectively or present a risk of injury, particularly in case of emergency, is not acceptable. Any exceptions to the dress code policy require prior approval by the clinical educator and/or the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. On days that students are not working in the clinic, they need to be cognizant that clients and their families may still see them as they move through the clinic area.

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Name Tags

Students will be provided with a nametag for use in the clinic. Clinicians must always wear their nametag when working with clients (See WAC246-828-075). This will assist the client and his/her family to readily identify students as a graduate student clinician, as well as to learn the student’s name.

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Transportation

Students are responsible for transportation to the WSU Riverpoint campus and to other clinical sites as necessary for their clinical education.  Please notify the Director(s) of On-Site or Off-Site Clinical Programs regarding any transportation issues. Accommodations for clinical site selection will be considered when possible and appropriate for both on-site and off-site placements.

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ASHA Code of Ethics

Students are required to abide by the ASHA Code of Ethics (PDF).

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Client Contact

Clinical educator approval must be obtained prior to contacting a client or their family member or significant other. Students should use a Clinic phone to contact clients. The student must discuss the nature of the planned interaction with the clinical educator prior to making contact. Students are not permitted to treat or meet with a client at any location outside of the clinic without a clinical educator present. Personal phones and email addresses may not be used for client contact.

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Student Grievance

In some cases, a student may disagree with a faculty member or clinical educator to the extent that the situation warrants communication and action to reach an optimal resolution. The following policies and procedures have been established to guide students and clinical faculty members:

1. Students should meet with the specific clinical educator who is directly involved in the situation. Both parties will discuss the concern and attempt to come to an agreement on the appropriate way to handle the situation.
2. If the issue is not resolved at this level, the student should meet with the Director(s) of On-Site or Off-Site Clinical Programs to share their concerns. The Director(s) and the student can then discuss the situation and attempt to come to an agreement on the appropriate way to resolve the situation.
3. In situations that are not resolved satisfactorily following the meeting with the Director(s) of On-Site or Off-Site Clinical Programs a student may meet with the SHS Graduate Program Director, who will provide guidance, which can include meeting with the Department Chair.

WSU offers the following grievance procedures.

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Bloodborne/Airborne Pathogens Exposure Policy and Procedure

Blood and body-fluid precautions (universal precautions) shall be used in all situations where there is a reasonable anticipated risk of exposure. The blood and body fluids of others will be considered potentially infectious, and barriers will be used by clinicians to prevent exposure.

Gloves will be worn on both hands any time exposure to the following is planned or anticipated: saliva, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, urine, blood, and other body fluids.

Hand washing is indicated after contact with any body fluid, before and after client contacts, after contact with non-intact skin of another, after contact with a contaminated item or surface, before putting on and after removal of gloves, and before and after contact with mucous membranes.

Students must wear protective barriers when they have non-intact skin.

Eating, drinking, applying cosmetics or lip balm, and handling contact lenses are prohibited in therapy rooms. Water is allowed.

An accidental puncture injury, mucous membrane, or non-intact skin exposure to blood/ body fluids should be considered potentially infectious, regardless of the source. In the event of an accidental exposure to blood/body fluid, the site should immediately and thoroughly be washed with soap and water, or the eye/mucous membrane with water or saline. The incident should be reported to the clinical educator or university authority. If the exposure occurs at a clinical site, the student should immediately notify his/her clinical educator and seek medical attention at that site. The student shall also notify the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs to report the incident.

A student who has experienced an exposure should immediately assess the level of risk for transmission of blood borne pathogens. If exposure is considered high risk for transmission of HIV or Hepatitis B, the student should immediately (within 2 hours) be evaluated at a Hospital Emergency Room.

If the student is uncertain whether an exposure warrants an Emergency Room visit, the student should:

• Call the Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) hotline at 1-888-448-4911
• Call an Emergency Room for advice
• Call the Cougar Health Center (during office hours).

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On Campus Clinic Office

The main office of the on-campus clinic is located in HSB 120 and can be reached at 509-505-7481. The clinic office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday.

Clients will check in at the front desk and be seated in the lobby until their graduate student clinician picks them up.

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Client Charts

Students will document daily performance and write clinical reports on the ClinicNote platform. ClinicNote can only be accessed on the clinic computers in the grad room and the treatment rooms. Further client charts for WSU Health Clinic are kept electronically on the Athena EMR. Client sensitive documents must always remain in the clinic area. This includes the grad room, treatment rooms, and clinic educators’ offices. Students may not photograph, copy, or remove client documents from the clinic area. All information in client documents is confidential. Students must follow HIPAA guidelines at all times.

Client protocols are kept in a WSU Health Clinic filing cabinet. Testing protocols should not be kept in a student’s hanging folder after the diagnostic/treatment plan report has been completed, signed, and shared with the client. They need to be submitted to the clinical educator involved with that client’s care. Students will be asked to submit their protocols after diagnostic/treatment plans are completed, or at the end of each term.

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Therapy Materials, Assessments, and Protocols

The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences has an inventory of therapy materials, assessments, and protocols. These items are available for student use through a regulated check-out system.  Students are expected to treat these materials with care. The Director of On-Site Clinical Programs must be notified if any materials are damaged or missing so that it can be ordered and restocked for future use.

Assessments and materials must be returned as soon as possible following their use and within 24 hours. Because therapy materials are shared among all students, a quick return will allow others access to our inventory items.

Test protocols are available in the clinic file cabinet in the foyer. These are to be used only for actual test administration and inclusion in a client file. If the student wishes to practice administering a test, copies of protocols are available on Canvas and may be used for educational purposes only. Copyright laws should always be honored.

Materials and assessments will be provided for students on a first come, first served basis. Using materials is a privilege which may be revoked for any student if inventory is handled in a neglectful manner or returned late. A replacement charge may be assessed for unusual damage or loss, or for overdue materials.

Offsite practicum and internship students may check out tests overnight only for special circumstances and with explicit permission of the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. Offsite practicum and internship students should use the inventory of tests at their practicum sites.

Clinical educators may provide students with an audio recorder or tablet for some of their sessions. Recordings of a client must remain in the clinic area at all times. A student may not use their personal phone or tablet to record any part of a session with their client. The student may purchase a personal audio recording device (not a phone) to use for clinical purposes, but this device may not leave the clinic premises with recordings of the client. Taking a recording device with client recording outside of the clinic premises, e.g., for the purpose or transcribing a language sample, etc., constitutes a HIPAA violation and may have serious consequences. For the student, it may result in a failing grade. In other words, the student must delete all client recordings before taking the recording device outside of the clinic premises.

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Grad Room and Student Workspace

HSB Room 124 is the primary graduate student clinical work area. Students enrolled in SHS 550 have priority use of this space. Students may not keep personal belongings in the grad room while not working on clinical projects in the room. To keep the room organized and clean, students will be asked at the end of each term to clean/tidy the space.

Students have access to a printing and copying machine in the foyer of the grad room. This printer is to be used exclusively for clinical purposes, e.g., therapy materials. Students will be provided a code for this purpose. The printer may not be used for printing any documents other than those needed for clinic. Printers and copiers for personal/academic use are available in the library and computer labs on campus.

Computers are available for clinical use to prepare lesson plans and documentation on the Electronic Medical Record (ClinicNote). The computers are not accessible for any flash drives/memory sticks. Students may also use computers in the treatment rooms for preparation and documentation when they are not in use.

HSB Room 124 is a confidential space, thus only clinicians, faculty and staff are allowed access. Friends, family, clients, etc. are not permitted to enter this room, as this will be considered a HIPAA violation.

Food or drink (other than water) is not allowed on desks with computers in the grad room (water in a closed container is permitted).

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Treatment Rooms

Clinical educators will schedule treatment times and treatment rooms. Some rooms are intended for children, while others are for adults. Each treatment room is equipped with a one-way mirror. Sessions may be video recorded for educational purposes. Each room contains a white board, a cabinet for materials storage, tissues, gloves, tongue blades, cups, and cleaning supplies. Students may store items in the cabinet on the day of their session with approval of the clinical educator. All student items need to be removed when the session is over. Items are not to be stored long-term in the treatment rooms.

Please inform the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs if there are any missing or damaged items in the treatment rooms.

Students are responsible for keeping the treatment rooms clean. Please wipe down the tables, chairs, doorknobs, light switches, and any other surfaces that the client has touched after each session. Please clean the whiteboard after use. Clean toys and materials as appropriate. Toys can also be cleaned in the dishwasher in the pre-school room.

Clients and clinicians should wash their hands before every session. Students should also wash their hands after each session and follow appropriate infection control procedures.

Food or drink (other than water) is not allowed in treatment rooms except for swallowing evaluation and therapy. Please be mindful to place water for the client where it will not damage computers or materials if spilled.

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Grading Rubric for On-Campus Clinical Performance

Meeting Clinical Skill Competencies

The American Speech-Language Hearing Association requires graduate students in speech-language pathology to meet clinical skills and competencies for certification. The skills and competencies will be met through successful completion of clinical practice and clinical labs that are part of coursework. Skills and competencies will be assessed during the following activities: Screening/prevention, evaluation, Improvement, and in interaction and personal qualities. Clinical educators will rate students’ clinical performance on a 4-point scale while they are receiving clinical training in the on-site campus clinic. (The 5 will be reserved for off-campus)  The following rating scale will be used:

Calipso Performance Rating Scale

Skills and competencies must be met at a minimum level 3 in the following nine KASA areas:

• Speech sound production, to encompass articulation, motor planning and execution, phonology, and accent modification
• Fluency and fluency disorders
• Voice and resonance, including respiration and phonation
• Receptive and expressive language, including phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics (language use and social aspects of communication), prelinguistic communication, paralinguistic communication (e.g., gestures, signs, body language), and literacy in speaking, listening, reading, and writing
• Hearing, including the impact on speech and language
• Swallowing/feeding, including (a) structure and function of orofacial myology and (b) oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, pulmonary, esophageal, gastrointestinal, and related functions across the life span
• Cognitive aspects of communication, including attention, memory, sequencing, problem solving, and executive functioning
• Social aspects of communication, including challenging behavior, ineffective social skills, and lack of communication opportunities
• Augmentative and alternative communication modalities

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Clinical Levels

Student clinicians will be evaluated based on the skills they have acquired in their clinical program. Expectations for clinical performance will increase as the student progresses through the graduate program. Student clinicians will be expected to increase independence, work more efficiently, and apply their knowledge as they progress through the clinical levels. Grades for clinical performance will be satisfactory/fail. This provides students with the opportunity to focus on clinical learning without the added pressure of traditional letter grades, fostering a more holistic approach to education skill development and growth are prioritized over performance metrics.

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Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan

A Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan may be made with a student clinician who demonstrates insufficient clinical or professional performance.  Any of the previously mentioned areas could be addressed within a Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan.

 “At risk” is defined as performing below the minimum competency semester level at midterm and at final or demonstrating behavior which raises any professional or ethical concerns in any aspect of the clinical or academic experience, a list of some examples follows.

The purpose of such a plan is to provide a structured and individualized experience, with intensive clinical educator/ faculty input, for student clinicians who are experiencing difficulty acquiring and/or demonstrating satisfactory clinical and /or professional skills.

Clinical educators formally evaluate all graduate student clinicians at mid-semester (formative) and at semester end (summative) and determine if the student is demonstrating at-risk clinical and/or professional skills which may include but are not limited to:

• Performance below the minimum competency mid-semester or semester level score
• Unsatisfactory skill development according to KASA. Students must earn a 3.0 for each individual clinic assignment to be signed off as acquiring the KASA skills related to that specific assignment.
• Violations of ethical and/or professional standards, including but not limited to:
  • Excessive or unexcused absences or tardiness in the classroom, laboratory, clinic, or clinical site.
  • Unprofessional, unethical, and/or dishonest behavior (e.g., lying, stealing, cheating, fabricating or falsifying required paperwork, drug or alcohol abuse, lack of concern for client care, unprofessional personal appearance) and/ or any violations of the ASHA Code of Ethics.
  • Unprofessional conduct toward a peer, instructor, clinical educator, lab instructor, or client.HIPAA Violations
  • Violation(s) of the Handbook for on-Campus Clinical Practicum

A student will be placed on a “Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan,” if they are demonstrating at-risk clinical and/or professional skills at mid-term or final of their on-site or off-site clinical experiences.

A Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan document will be completed by the student, the Director(s) of On/Off-Site Clinical Programs and the clinical educator(s), grad director and program chair.

Should the graduate student receive the grade of ‘pass’ for their overall course grade and successfully complete their Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan, the Clinical and Professional Progress Note will be completed, signed, and placed in the student’s file. If a student does not successfully complete the Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan and does not receive at least a 3.0 (B) for their overall course grade, a second Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan will be implemented for the next semester. The Graduate Program Director and Department Chair will be notified of the concerns regarding the student’s clinical and professional performance. Students who do not successfully complete their Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan over the course of two semesters and receive at least a 3.0 for their overall course grade will be dismissed from the program regardless of academic performance. Graduate students may be placed on the Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan at any point during their graduate clinic work.

To be eligible to enroll in SHS 566/568, students must have at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative average in clinical courses (SHS 564) and have received at least a “Satisfactory” in the clinical course immediately preceding the off-site clinical placement. Students must also be recommended by faculty and clinical educators to be placed in an off-site practicum.

The following process for Clinical and Professional Assistance Plans will be used:

1. By mid-semester of the student’s practicum term: If a clinical educator is concerned about a student’s clinical and/or professional performance, that clinical educator will formally identify the student clinician as being “at risk” by notifying the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs. “At risk” is defined as performing below the minimum competency semester level at midterm and at final or demonstrating behavior which raises any professional or ethical concerns in any aspect of the clinical or academic experience.
2. The Director of On-Site Clinical Programs and the clinical educator(s) with concerns will contact the student and arrange to meet with the student within one week.
3. During the remainder of the semester, the student will participate in the following activities:
   • The student will meet with the concerned clinical educator/s to review specific concerns.
   • The clinical educator(s) will provide a formal evaluation using the Calipso grading form. The student may be asked to complete a self-evaluation. Performance ratings, written commentary, and a midterm grade will be provided by the clinical educator(s). 
   • The student and clinical educator(s) will sign the evaluation, which will be filed in the student’s clinical and academic files.Within a timely manner, and based on the midterm evaluation, the clinical educator(s) and graduate student clinician will develop and sign a Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan. This plan must include quantitative objectives. Qualitative objectives may be determined as well. A copy of this plan will be filed in the student’s clinical and academic files.
   • The clinical educator(s) and student will continue to meet weekly throughout the remainder of the semester. During these meetings, they will discuss the student’s progress toward achieving the objectives stated in the Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan.

If a student does not receive a passing grade after being placed on a Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan during the semester, they will be placed on a second Clinical and Professional Assistance Plan for the following semester and be asked to complete a number of clinical activities, as appropriate, designed to address areas of clinical weakness. Performance will be reviewed by a committee comprised of the Director of On-Site Clinical Programs, clinical educator(s), graduate director, and/ or department chair, as appropriate.

1. This committee will meet to plan the student’s clinical experience, specific to areas of concern identified on the previous semester’s final evaluation. The expectations for performance and performance evaluation, along with roles and responsibilities for the student and the clinical educator/s, will be determined and documented during the first weeks of the semester, on a collaborative basis.
2. Students are required to enroll in a clinical course each semester and must be enrolled and pass the course to obtain clock hours for that clinical experience. Clock hours will not be given if the student is not currently enrolled in a clinical course.

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Guidelines and Procedures for Off-Site Clinical Practicum and Internship

Prerequisite for Enrollment

Proof of health intern liability insurance, Washington State Patrol and FBI fingerprint clearance, CPR, and blood borne pathogens training must be documented. Additional requirements designated by an individual site must be completed and documented prior to placement. 

The student must be in academic good standing (approval from academic faculty) in all academic and clinical coursework (recommendation from previous clinical educators). The student must have satisfactory completion of all required coursework for a specific site with an earned grade point of 3.0 or better in related coursework. A student must maintain a cumulative grade point of 3.0 or better in graduate level clinical courses. The student must obtain a Pass in the clinical course immediately preceding the off-site practicum placement, have faculty and clinical instructor recommendations, and complete paperwork specific to individual sites.

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Role of the Director of Off-Site Clinical Programs

The Off-Site Director develops, implements, and manages program policies and procedures for off campus student placements. This person is also a resource person for matters related to the clinical educatory process, ASHA certification, eligibility requirements, certification for public schools, and Washington state licensure.

Additional responsibilities include:

1. Facilitating placement of SLP graduate student with each site. Students will be offered at least 2 offsite placements over the duration of the program. Rare exceptions will be considered post approval of Off-Site Director and Graduate Program Director.
2. Facilitating SLP graduate students’ professional trainings, confirm completed requirements for each site.
3. Work directly with WSU Contract Administration and site contract office to establish affiliation agreements with each site.
4. Orienting community clinical educators to WSU’s internship program, reviewing evaluation forms, and providing supervision instruction as needed.
5. Monitoring the professional training sequence throughout off-site practicum and internship, the activities, progress, and supervision through scheduled site visits, written and/or virtual contact.
6. Teach practicum didactic course.
7. Facilitate practicum and internship orientation seminars (e.g., pediatric orientation, adult placement orientation)
8. Developing appropriate feedback and report forms for use by community clinical educators.
9. Managing all clinical performance issues in cooperation with the community clinical educators.
10. Arranging for payment of the honorarium to internship clinical educator, as applicable, at the end of intern supervision.

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Role of the Community Clinical Educator

The clinical educator is the professional responsible for the direct supervision and training of the student during off-campus experience. The clinical educator holds the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology and meets additional supervision requirements (i.e., CEU in supervision training and 3 years experience).

Additional responsibilities include:

1. Creating a positive learning environment fostering supervisee’s professional and personal growth.
2. Orienting the supervisee to the facility’s operating procedures, establishing specific starting and ending dates, and conveying facility expectations to the student intern.
3. Providing consistent, ongoing continuum of internship supervision and guidance through written and verbal feedback regarding planning, clinical skills and professional qualities, and by arranging conferences at least once weekly with the intern.
   • Communicate and collaboratively set clear expectations, requirements, and goals
   • Demonstrate clinical methods, professional conduct
   • Assist the supervisee in developing and refining assessment, intervention, and professional practice skills
   • Adjust clinical educatory style based on level and needs of the supervisee
4. Providing increasing opportunities for the supervisee to conduct supervised therapy and evaluations, with the eventual goal of providing the supervisee time to serve the entire caseload as appropriate.
5. Supervising the student in accordance with standards and Code of Ethics published by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, state Departments of Health, and WSU. These requirements state a minimum of 25% of therapy sessions and 50% of each evaluation session be directly supervised.
   The amount of direct supervision must be commensurate with the student’s knowledge, skills, and experience.
6. Providing formative feedback on a regular basis.
7. Completing mid-term (not required but recommended) and end-of-term written evaluations via CALIPSO describing the student’s performance, strengths, and areas needed for growth.
8. Providing formative feedback (e.g., written, verbal) and summative evaluations (e.g., Calipso evaluation) to assist the Director in determining the final grade of satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S or U).
9. Reporting needs and concerns to the Director promptly.

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Role of the Student

The student is to engage in an intensive 10, 11, 12, or 15-week, supervised field experience in speech-language pathology. The student will gradually assume an increasing number of clients under continuous supervision until the student has responsibility for the clinical educator’s workload. By the same token, the clinical educator will gradually decrease the amount of direct service until the student conducts a full-time workload independently (there will be exceptions depending on various circumstances). At that time, the clinical educator is strongly encouraged to allow the student to carry the full workload as long as possible. Please see the suggested timeline of expectations for more guidance.

Additional responsibilities include:

1. Completing the off-site placement according to the requirements of WSU’s Speech and Hearing Sciences Department, ASHA standards, and host site. Following an initial orientation/observation period at the site, the student will be directly involved in providing evidence-based assessment, treatment, and related activities to assigned clients supervised in real time by the on-site ASHA CCC-SLP clinical educator not less than 25% of the student’s total treatment contact time, 50% total assessment contact time, 100% of teletherapy, and required supervision percentage specific to medical requirements (e.g., Medicare Part B) with each client. The student will use written/verbal feedback from the community clinical educator to continue to increase their clinical competencies throughout the practicum or internship.
2. Adhering to the ASHA Code of Ethics in all their professional clinical practicum experiences (Standard IV-E). All students will be expected to wear their host site or program name badges during their internships.
3. Reading and following the policies and procedures of each internship host site in which they are completing clinical practicum (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA, infection control, immunizations, professional dress, work schedules).
4. Maintaining their clock hour requirements from the time they enter the program. It is not the responsibility of the community clinical educator to provide specific clients only to fulfill the student’s clock hour needs. However, the student is encouraged to advocate for needed clinical experiences. No grade will be submitted until the clock hours and evaluation have been approved in Calipso and received by the Director. The Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) interprets the clock hour to be 60 minutes. Only direct contact with the client or the client’s family in assessment, intervention, and/or counseling/educating on IEPs/treatment plans can be counted toward clock hours.
5. Completing and submitting all internship forms and questionnaires including follow-up questionnaires.
6. Completing all internship responsibilities as outlined by the director and clinical educator.
7. Reviewing Canvas for additional information regarding suggested weekly learning outcomes and responsibilities.

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Requirements in Supervision (ASHA, WA State, WSU)

Supervision of students must be provided by a clinical educator who holds ASHA certification (i.e., CCC-SLP), has completed (1) a minimum of *9 months of full-time clinical experience (or its part-time equivalent), and (2) a minimum of 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision. (3) ASHA-certified individuals who are engaged in supervision of student clinicians are bound to honor their responsibility to hold paramount the welfare of persons they serve professionally and to ensure that services are provided competently by students under their supervision, and maintain their certificate of clinical competence, including continuing education requirements as required by ASHA . Whether the term used is supervisor, clinical educator, or preceptor, all of these individuals exercise professional authority or power over students. With that professional authority or power over students also comes an expectation of trust.

The amount of direct supervision must be commensurate with the student’s knowledge, skills, and experience; must not be less than 25% of the student’s total contact with each client/patient for treatment, 100% of the total contact time for teletherapy, and per WA State, 50% of evaluation time; and must take place periodically throughout the practicum. Supervision must be sufficient to ensure the welfare of the individual receiving services. Supervision of clinical practicum is intended to provide guidance and feedback and to facilitate the student’s acquisition of essential clinical skills.

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Clinical Contact Hours

Only direct contact with the client or the client’s family in assessment, management, and/or counseling can be counted toward the practicum requirement.

More information pertaining to clinical supervision can be found in ASHA’s Position Statements: Clinical Supervision in Speech-Language Pathology, Clinical Education and Supervision, and Issues in Ethics: Supervision of Student Clinicians.

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Site Visits

The Director will make visits to placement sites as appropriate. The purpose of these visits is to create strong community connections; to collect feedback from both the student and supervisor; respond to questions or needs the student and/or clinical educator may have; to review the student’s professional growth to date; to provide guidance in the clinical educatory process; and to provide additional feedback by observing therapy and/or providing feedback regarding strengths or suggestions for improvement.

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Timeline of Responsibilities/Activities

The objective of supervision is to assist in developing independent professionals who think critically, problem solve, and provide optimal services. It is recognized that supervision in speech-language pathology is a complex activity, and clinical educatory styles may vary from one setting to another and from clinical educator to clinical educator. ASHA offers guidance on clinical education and supervision practices.

Supervision consists of a continuum of stages (e.g., evaluation-feedback, transitional, and self-supervision) that allows a student to move from interdependence to independence. While the student should be competent in many clinical areas, the student is not expected to be completely independent in all areas at the beginning of the placement. The student may be independent when working with certain client types while requiring more direct supervision when working with others. Modeling, demonstration, and guidance along with clear communication and expectations are required to provide the student with continued growth in developing their practitioner self. Timelines are flexible to be adapted to the needs of the varied clinical educators, student interns, and placement sites.

The clinical educator and student are encouraged to determine student readiness for assuming increased responsibility. Practicum and internship are designed to give the student the opportunity to function as an SLP in the professional working environment. The student gradually assumes responsibility for caseload and workload activities over the 10, 11, 12, 15-week placement.

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Grading Process

Practicum is graded on a Satisfactory/Fail basis. Students’ clinical performance will be evaluated by the director, who will consider input from the clinical educator. The clinical appraisal conducted by an off-site clinical educator will be heavily weighted in the grading process. If a student does not pass a clinical course, the retention of clock hours for the assignment will be determined on a case by case basis. 

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Change in Assignment Procedure

The purpose of the practicum or internship is to provide a community-based training experience for student speech-language pathologists under the direct supervision of a certified professional. The internship site is carefully selected by the student and the Director to provide a mutually beneficial situation that provides a challenging training experience. If there is an additional concern in placement, the following will occur:

• A site visit or phone/video conference (which can be requested at any time prior to the established date), will be scheduled with all three parties to address any concerns and solutions to resolve the problem will be generated (with the approval of the three parties). A timeline for completion will also be established.
• A follow-up conference between the three parties will take place. If it is determined that an understanding has been reached, no further action is required.
• If a follow-up conference determines that the plan has not successfully addressed the problem, further dialogue between the Director, the student, and the field clinical educator will take place. The purpose is to document continued difficulties and to design possible solutions.
• If a solution is not found, the Graduate Program Director will be informed of the possibility of a change in assignment.
• If a change in assignment is advised, the student will be placed in an alternative site to be determined by the Director.
• If circumstances are such that continued placement in any setting is not advised, then the student will be required to withdraw from the practicum/internship, return to campus, and an appropriate intervention plan will be implemented.
• The Director will notify the Graduate Program Director of the intervention. The completed intervention plan will be placed in the student’s file.

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Schedule and Attendance

This off-site clinical experience is either part-time ranging from 16-20 hours per week, or full time ranging from 34-40 hours per week. This schedule will be determined with the Director of Off-Site Programs/course instructor and the off-site clinical educator. The student’s schedule will follow the working schedule of the off-site clinical educators at their site.

Attendance is required. An excused absence for assigned practicum by director or internship days can be requested for: a) health emergency, b) medical appointment, c) family emergency, d) observance of a religious holiday, e) ASHA exam, f) one job interview, g) professional conference, h) attending a funeral i) WSU comprehensive exam. Requesting time off to work on a thesis, research project, classroom assignment or campus work is not permitted.  Family or personal vacations and events are not excused. Students are expected to make up all missed days as coordinated with their practicum/internship supervisors and Director.

In case of absence, a student must notify their supervisor and the Director in writing by email, and in some cases text message.

Non-excused absences of any duration from practicum or internship meetings or assigned days will affect the final grade, may result in a “I” “F” grade, or may result in program extension. Non-excused absences may also result in dismissal of the student from the site. Failure to notify in a reasonable time frame or get prior approval from the course instructor will result in the absence being classified as unexcused.  More than one unexcused absence will result in failure of this course.

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Graduate Student Acknowledgment Form

Please request the acknowledgment form from the SHS office. Then print, sign, date, and upload to CastleBranch.

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