Part V. Standards of Practice
18VAC30-21-140. Supervisory responsibilities; supervision of unlicensed assistants.
A. Responsibility of a licensee.
1. A licensed audiologist who supervises unlicensed assistants shall document such supervision, shall be held fully responsible for their performance and activities, and shall ensure that they perform only those activities that do not constitute the practice of audiology and that are commensurate with their level of training.
2. A licensed speech-language pathologist who supervises unlicensed assistants shall document such supervision, shall be held fully responsible for their performance and activities, and shall ensure that they perform only those activities that do not constitute the practice of speech-language pathology and that are commensurate with their level of training.
a. A speech-language pathologist shall not supervise an assistant without the speech-language pathologist's knowledge and consent by the assistant and the licensee documented prior to assumption of supervisory responsibilities.
b. The frequency in which the speech-language pathologist personally delivers treatment or services to a client who is receiving some services from an assistant shall be up to the professional judgment of the speech-language pathologist and shall be determined by the treatment needs of the client, the type of services being provided, and the setting in which the client is being served, but shall occur at least every 30 days.
3. The identity of the unlicensed assistant shall be disclosed to the client prior to treatment and shall be made a part of the client's file.
B. Qualifications of a speech-language pathologist assistant.
1. A person acting as a speech-language pathologist assistant shall have:
a. A bachelor's degree or associate's degree and documented training by a licensed speech-language pathologist in topics related to the client population to be served; or
b. Employment as a speech-language pathologist assistant in a United States jurisdiction within the last five years preceding July 27, 2016.
2. A speech-language pathologist supervising an assistant shall be responsible for determining that the knowledge, skills, and clinical experience of the assistant are sufficient to ensure competency to perform all tasks to which the assistant is assigned. The speech-language pathologist shall document competency after training and direct observation of the assistant's performance of such tasks, and a record of skills and competencies shall be maintained.
C. Scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist assistant. After demonstration and documentation of competency for the duties to be assigned, an assistant shall only engage in those duties planned, designed, and supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist, to include the following:
1. Assist with speech, language, and hearing screenings without clinical interpretation of results.
2. Assist during assessment of a client exclusive of administration or interpretation.
3. Perform activities for each session that are routine and do not require professional judgment, in accordance with a plan developed and directed by the speech-language pathologist who retains the professional responsibility for the client.
4. Document a client's performance and report information to the supervising speech-language pathologist.
5. Assist with programming augmentative and alternative communication devices and assist the client in repetitive use of such devices.
6. Sign or initial informal treatment notes and, upon request, co-sign formal documents with the supervising speech-language pathologist.
7. Engage in the following activities:
a. Preparing materials;
b. Scheduling appointments and activities;
c. Preparing charts, records, or graphs and performing other clerical duties;
d. Performing checks and maintenance of equipment; and
e. Assisting a client with transitioning to and from therapy sessions.
8. Perform duties not otherwise restricted to the practice of speech-language pathology.
D. A speech-language pathologist assistant shall not engage in the practice of speech-language pathology, including the following:
1. Represent himself as a speech-language pathologist.
2. Perform standardized or nonstandardized diagnostic tests or formal or informal evaluations.
3. Perform procedures that require a professional level of clinical acumen and technical skill.
4. Tabulate or interpret results and observations of feeding and swallowing evaluations or screenings performed by a speech-language pathologist.
5. Participate in formal conferences or meetings without the presence of the supervising speech-language pathologist.
6. Provide interpretative information to the client, the family of the client, or others regarding the client's status or service.
7. Write, develop, or modify a client's treatment plan.
8. Assist in or provide services as specified in subsection C of this section unless directed by the supervising speech-language pathologist.
9. Sign any formal documents in lieu of the supervising speech-language pathologist.
10. Select a client for service or discharge a client from service.
11. Make a decision on the need for additional services or make referrals for service.
12. Disclose clinical or confidential information either orally or in writing to anyone other than the supervising speech-language pathologist, unless mandated by law or authorized by the supervising speech-language pathologist.
13. Develop or determine the swallowing or feeding strategies or precautions for a client or provide feeding or swallowing treatment.
E. Supervision of an assistant in speech-language pathology.
1. The practice of an assistant shall only be supervised by a speech-language pathologist who retains full legal and ethical responsibility for the client. A speech-language pathologist shall only supervise the equivalent of two full-time assistants.
2. The speech-language pathologist shall provide the level of supervision to the speech-language pathologist assistant necessary to ensure quality of care to include onsite supervision of at least two client sessions for each assistant being supervised every 30 days to directly observe and evaluate the performance of the assistant. The speech-language pathologist shall document such onsite observation and evaluation in the client record for each session.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 2016; amended, Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 26, eff. September 21, 2016.
18VAC30-21-141. Recordkeeping.
A licensee shall:
1. Comply with provisions of § 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia related to the confidentiality and disclosure of client records or related to provision of client records to another practitioner or to the client or the client's personal representative.
2. Properly manage and keep timely, accurate, legible, and complete client records, to include the following:
a. For licensees who are employed by a health care institution, school system, or other entity, in which the individual practitioner does not own or maintain the practitioner's own records, failure to maintain client records in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing entity; or
b. For licensees who are self-employed or employed by an entity in which the individual practitioner does own and is responsible for client records, failure to maintain a client record for a minimum of six years following the last client encounter with the following exceptions:
(1) For records of a minor child, the minimum time is six years from the last client encounter or until the child reaches the age of 18 years or becomes emancipated, whichever is longer; or
(2) Records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the client or the client's personal representative as documented in a record or database maintained for a minimum of six years.
3. Comply with requirements of § 54.1-2405 of the Code of Virginia for notification and transfer of patient records in conjunction with closure, sale, or relocation of one's practice.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1 -2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. January 5, 2023
18VAC30-21-145. Limited cerumen management.
A. In order for an audiologist to perform limited cerumen management, he shall:
1. Be a graduate of a doctoral program in audiology that is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or other accrediting body recognized by the board and that included didactic education and supervised clinical experience in cerumen management as specified in subsection B of this section; or
2. Complete a course or workshop in cerumen management that provides training as specified in subsection B of this section and that is approved by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association or the American Academy of Audiology.
B. An audiologist shall maintain documentation evidencing satisfactory completion of training in cerumen management to include the following:
1. Recognizing the presence of preexisting contraindications that necessitate referral to a physician;
2. Recognizing patient distress and appropriate action to take if complications are encountered;
3. Use of infection control precautions;
4. Procedures for removal of cerumen, including cerumen loop, gentle water irrigation, suction, and the use of material for softening;
5. Observation of each type of cerumen management procedure performed by a qualified audiologist or physician; and
6. Successful performance, under direct supervision by an audiologist qualified to perform cerumen management or a physician, of each type of cerumen management procedure.
C. An audiologist shall not perform cerumen management on a patient who has any of the following preexisting contraindications:
1. A perforated tympanic membrane;
2. Inflammation, tenderness, drainage, or open wounds or traces of blood in the external ear canal;
3. History of ear surgery that results in distortion of the external ear canal;
4. HIV infection or bleeding disorders;
5. Actual or suspected foreign body in the ear, excluding hearing aid components that are located in the lateral one-third portion of the ear canal;
6. Stenosis or bony exostosis of the ear canal; or
7. Cerumen impaction that totally occludes the visualization of the tympanic membrane.
D. An audiologist performing cerumen management shall:
1. Obtain informed consent of the patient or legally responsible adult and document such consent and the procedure performed in the patient record.
2. Refer patients to a physician if they exhibit contraindications or experience any complication, such as dizziness, during the procedure.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 26, eff. September 21, 2016.
18VAC30-21-150. Prohibited conduct.
A. No person, unless otherwise licensed to do so, shall prepare, order, dispense, alter, or repair hearing aids or parts of or attachments to hearing aids for consideration. However, audiologists licensed under this chapter may make earmold impressions and prepare and alter earmolds for clinical use and research.
B. No person licensed as a school speech-language pathologist shall conduct the practice of speech-language pathology outside of the public school setting.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 2016.
18VAC30-21-160. Unprofessional conduct.
The board may refuse to issue a license to any applicant, suspend a license for a stated period of time or indefinitely, reprimand a licensee or place his license on probation with such terms and conditions and for such time as it may designate, impose a monetary penalty, or revoke a license for any of the following:
1. Guarantee of the results of any speech, voice, language, or hearing consultative or therapeutic procedure or exploitation of clients by accepting them for treatment when benefit cannot reasonably be expected to occur or by continuing treatment unnecessarily;
2. Diagnosis or treatment of speech, voice, language, and hearing disorders solely by written correspondence, provided this shall not preclude:
a. Follow-up by written correspondence or electronic communication concerning individuals previously seen; or
b. Providing clients with general information of an educational nature;
3. Failure to comply with provisions of § 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia related to the confidentiality and disclosure of client records or related to provision of client records to another practitioner or to the client or his personal representative;
4. Engaging or attempting to engage in a relationship with a client that constitutes a professional boundary violation in which the practitioner uses his professional position to take advantage of the vulnerability of a client or a client's family, including sexual misconduct with a client or a member of the client's family or other conduct that results or could result in personal gain at the expense of the client;
5. Incompetence or negligence in the practice of the profession;
6. Failure to comply with applicable state and federal statutes or regulations specifying the consultations and examinations required prior to the fitting of a new or replacement prosthetic aid for any communicatively impaired person;
7. Failure to refer a client to an appropriate health care practitioner when there is evidence of an impairment for which assessment, evaluation, care, or treatment might be necessary;
8. Failure to supervise persons who assist in the practice of audiology or speech-language pathology as well as failure to disclose the use and identity of unlicensed assistants;
9. Conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
10. Violating or cooperating with others in violating any of the provisions of Chapter 1 (§ 54.1-100 et seq.), 24 (§ 54.1-2400 et seq.), or 26 (§ 54.1-2600 et seq.) of Title 54 of the Code of Virginia or the regulations of the board;
11. Publishing or causing to be published in any manner an advertisement relating to his professional practice that is false, deceptive, or misleading;
12. Inability to practice with skill and safety;
13. Fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in provision of documentation or information to the board or in the practice of audiology or speech-language pathology;
14. Aiding and abetting unlicensed activity; or
15. Revocation, suspension, restriction, or any other discipline of a license or certificate to practice or surrender of license or certificate while an investigation or administrative proceedings are pending in another regulatory agency in Virginia or another jurisdiction.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 2016; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. January 5, 2023.
18VAC30-21-170. Criteria for delegation to an agency subordinate.
A. Decision to delegate. In accordance with subdivision 10 of § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia, the board may delegate an informal fact-finding proceeding to an agency subordinate.
B. Criteria for delegation. Cases that may not be delegated to an agency subordinate are those that involve:
1. Intentional or negligent conduct that causes or is likely to cause injury to a patient;
2. Mandatory suspension resulting from action by another jurisdiction or a felony conviction;
3. Impairment with an inability to practice with skill and safety;
4. Sexual misconduct; and
5. Unauthorized practice.
C. Criteria for an agency subordinate.
1. An agency subordinate authorized by the board to conduct an informal fact-finding proceeding may include board members and professional staff or other persons deemed knowledgeable by virtue of training and experience in administrative proceedings involving the regulation and discipline of health professionals.
2. The executive director shall maintain a list of appropriately qualified persons to whom an informal fact-finding proceeding may be delegated.
3. The board may delegate to the executive director the selection of the agency subordinate who is deemed appropriately qualified to conduct a proceeding based on the qualifications of the subordinate and the type of case being heard.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 2016; amended, Virginia Register Volume 41, Issue 1, eff. October 10, 2024.