I. Background

The Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (ACSLPA) is a professional regulatory body that protects and serves the public by regulating and supporting speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists to ensure competent, safe, and ethical practice, including the provision of services that are free from racism and discrimination. SLPs and audiologists have been regulated under the Health Professions Act (HPA) in Alberta since July 1, 2002. The HPA directs the activities of ACSLPA and outlines the regulatory responsibilities of the College that are required to protect and serve the public.

Under the HPA, ACSLPA must establish, maintain, and enforce a Code of Ethics (Code) for the regulated professions. The Code outlines the ethical conduct expectations for both professions. It applies to all regulated members regardless of their practice setting, length of time in practice, or role (e.g., direct service to the public, research, education, administration, consultation, or any other area of practice). The Code states the minimum expectations for professional conduct that SLPs and audiologists should demonstrate to ensure competent, safe, and ethical practice.  Each regulated member of ACSLPA must practice in accordance with the Code; any breach of the Code may constitute unprofessional conduct, as defined in the HPA.

A visual depiction of the relationship between ACSLPA’s overarching legislation, minimum professional requirements that apply to regulated members, and resources to support the application of those requirements is provided in the diagram to the right.

II. Purpose

The purpose of the Code is to support an ethical culture by:

  • providing a reference for regulated members to guide them in ethical behaviour and decision-making;
  • serving as a tool for evaluating ethical behaviour and a legal reference for professional conduct; and
  • outlining to the public what they can expect in terms of ethical practice from SLPs and audiologists in Alberta.

The Code outlines the ethical principles, values, and responsibilities to which regulated members must adhere.

III. Ethical Principles

The following four bioethical principles[1] serve as the foundation for ethical behaviour and decision-making of regulated members:

  • Beneficence – acting in ways that benefit the health and welfare of others.
  • Non-maleficence – practicing with the intent of doing no harm or minimizing any potential harm which could occur.
  • Justice – believing in fairness and the right of others to equitable access to services.
  • Respect for autonomy – acknowledging the rights of others to self-determination and autonomy in making choices and informed decisions.

[1] Beauchamp, T.L., & Childress, J.F. (2001). Principles of biomedical ethics. New York City, NY: Oxford University Press.

IV. Ethical Values

Ethical values are the fundamental principles that guide and support regulated members in all aspects of their work as speech-language pathologists and audiologists. These values are aligned with ACSLPA’s organizational values of: Respect for All Persons, Professionalism, Collaboration, and Accountability. The overall expectation for each of these values is defined as follows:

  • Respect for All Persons
    Regulated members demonstrate respect for all persons, promote the well-being of others, and recognize clients’ rights to autonomy in decision-making regarding their care.
  • Professionalism
    Regulated members demonstrate professional behaviour and integrity in the delivery of safe, ethical, quality services.
  • Collaboration
    Regulated members foster collaborative practice with clients, service providers, and others to support integrated client-centred care.
  • Accountability
    Regulated members take responsibility for their actions and decisions.