Ethical insights for speech-language pathologist’s practicing in hospital settings

Abstract

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP’s) who practice in hospital settings may work with babies, children or adults in acute, subacute or mental health settings. Frequently, they work with people who are experiencing the crisis of illness and the uncertainty and fear that this brings. They may also work with teams on the cutting edge of new treatments and technologies. In fast-paced hospital environments, having the time and cognitive space to reflect on the ethical implications of work may be hard to find. This discussion draws on the Speech Pathology Code of Ethics 2020, specifically its Principles and Values, as a framework to facilitate reflection in a practical way on ethical celebrations and challenges for SLPs working in hospitals.

Keywords:

• Ethical reflection
• hospital ethics
• ethical approaches

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).