SLP's Perspective: What Does Professionalism and Success with Our Clients Look Like?

After asking around to fellow friends who are SLPs and some who are SLP graduate students...

Here are some of their responses:

I asked two main questions:

• What is your best advice for working successfully and appropriately with clients for future SLPs?
• Can you list any other general information that would be beneficial to future helping professionals in the speech-language pathology field?

SLP Response #1

• While you're still in school, leave all preconceived notions behind about what part of the field you want to work in. My teachers would always poll us on if we were going to go medical or school and I was always one of the few who went for school. Now I work in a private practice, on the medical side, and 75% of those who voted for medical are now in a school system. So be open to everything in class, clinic experiences, and internships. I talk to my kids’ parents after every session and being positive about everything is super important. Even if it was kind of a rough day, put a positive spin on it. It makes all the difference to parents. As an SLP in a private practice I work with occupational therapists as well and we share clients, so having an understanding of other professionals who work with your kids is important too. With your clients I've found that setting boundaries can be difficult because it's so easy to just have fun with them, but very necessary. Good luck future SLPs!

SLP Response #2

Hi! Whew! Once I got going I realized there were a lot of things I wish people had told me : ) 

So this is from the perspective of a CF in a private practice. Our clinic specializes in voice disorders but my focus is pediatric and adult dysphagia and pediatric feeding disorders. I also see a good bit of apraxia and cognition because of the comorbidity with dysphagia.

What is your advice for working successfully and appropriately with clients for future SLPs?

• You could never prepare for every patient and situation that may arise so when you don’t know what you’re doing, you just have to convincingly pretend that you do. As a CF this will happen on a daily basis depending on your setting. You can always research and consult with colleagues to prepare better for the next session, but its important to seem confident.
• Counseling/Education- one of my CEU courses said that if the patient doesn’t follow through with the recommendations then it’s your fault for not educating them enough about why they need to do it. This is so true! When I don’t have time to do the counseling I need to do during the session (which is all the time) I make a phone appointment with them. 

Can you list any other general information that would be beneficial to future helping professionals in the speech language pathology field?

• Think long and hard about which setting you choose and if your personality fits that setting.  My fellow CF craves structure and it stresses her out to work long hours and have a constantly changing schedule-she wants to switch to a hospital or a school. I love the flexibility of a private practice and the fact that we get such variety of patients. Another colleague wants to switch to a SNF because she wants to do more of the same thing and not have to do paperwork outside of work hours.  It just depends on your personality/ lifestyle.
• Never sign a contract without meeting your supervisor and having a long chat about everything SLP. The supervisor can make or break your CF. There are lots of supervisors in this field that still do old fashioned treatment (like language treatment for fluency).  I just interviewed for a bunch of new jobs in Georgia and met some of these people. A “my way or the highway" attitude is a red flag because every patient is different/ the research as changed over time and you don’t want to be butting heads about clinical stuff.
• Don’t be afraid to bring things up with the patient’s physician- if you think the patient is ready for a PMV  or a repeat MBS then ask. I was really, really nervous at first about sharing my opinion but it was crucial because they typically don’t make those kind of changes without the SLP bringing it up first since they all see like a million patients.
• Take courses! LSVT  and LMRVT for voice, PROMPT for apraxia, SOS and TalkTools for feeding, the Passy Muir Valve website has awesome webinars for trach/vent/dysphagia patients.  There is so much to learn that we did not learn in grad school!! The classes we had in school just touched on these areas, but did not really tell you how to do the actual treatment at all.

SLP Response #3

• Make an effort to have a relationship with your clients. Remind them daily of the things they are doing well and encourage them when they are having an off-day (don’t we all have those!). Remember that success is not always measured by numbers.  Don’t forget that your clients are giving their time to you, just as much as you are giving your time to them. Take time to learn from them. These lessons are the most important ones.
• You’re not always going to have the answer and that’s okay. If you have a lot of questions, ask them. Take the time to remember why you got into the profession and what it means to you. Surround yourself with people who encourage you and remind you that you that what you are doing IS making a difference.

SLP Response #4

• The best advice I could give for working successfully with clients is to be as open-minded as possible. It is so easy to make a snap judgment based on appearance, socioeconomic status, etc and often times, it's not true. Its important to approach every client as though they are your first. Every situation is different and every client will be different.
• Know that your first job will not be your only job. There are so many facets to being  an SLP and so many possible work environments. Don't be discouraged if you don't like what you're doing right away, and never rule anything out. Each new situation requires lots of learning and new things, but after you do it a few times, its becomes so much easier. Try to stay updated with new  research and new treatment techniques. Being an SLP means trying new things and being creative every day. Sometimes strategies or therapies don't pan out like you thought, but its so great that every session is a fresh start. You can try new things and experiment to see what is best for you and for the client. 

SLP Response #5

What is your best advice for working successfully and appropriately with clients for future SLPs?

• It's about the client.  Don't take ineffective sessions personally as long as you are doing the best evidence based practice (EBP) you know you how to do, and don't take any negative feelings from a session with you once you step out of the elevator.   If you go a couple of sessions without progress, take a good critical look to see if something needs to be changed, with either goals for the client or the therapy you are implementing.

Can you list any other general information that would be beneficial to future helping professionals in the speech-language pathology field

• Really really do your research about the schools you are interested in to make sure your mutual interests mesh well (undergrads). Embrace technology, but don't rely on it.

SLP Response #6

What is your best advice for working successfully and appropriately with clients for future SLPs?

• The best advice I would give to an SLP just starting out would be to truly understand your client's disorder so you can give them the best care. Ask them what their expectations are from you and from therapy overall. And let clients or caregivers set realistic therapy goals with you. 

Any other helpful advice?

• Get to know what your client's likes and dislikes are by simply asking them or their caregivers. Incorporate these into therapy.

Any additional advice from SLPs reading this blog is happily welcomed! :) Just drop a comment!
Or send me an email at cfortson2@gmail.com