PARTICIPANT-OBSERVER RULES FOR THE CLINIC

 

• Contact the clinical educator in charge of the case at least 48 hours BEFORE coming to a session.  The exception to this rule is audiology cases.  Observers need to sign up to observe any audiologic evaluation.  If you are signed up to observe an audiological evaluation, you are expected to attend.

 

• If you will be a regular participant-observer, be sure the clinical educator has your phone number.  The instructor for the course requiring observation should give a list of phone numbers to the office.

• Arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes before the session begins.  Students will not be permitted to come in once the session has started.

• Dress professionally.  Appropriate dress should be modest and professional and care should be taken so that clothing is not potentially embarrassing for the client or clinician.  Shoes or sandals must be worn.  Casual shorts, blue jeans, tight-fitting clothes, running shoes, flip-flops, halter tops, and T-shirts are not permitted.  Neither are cut-off, patched, frayed, raveled, or otherwise excessively worn items of clothing.  Tattoos should be covered and distracting jewelry removed.  Make-up should be subtle and fingernails kept at a reasonable, well-groomed length.  Students should not wear perfumes or after-shave lotions, since many clients may be allergic to the scent.  The clinical educators in charge of the cases reserve the right to make final decisions concerning appropriate dress.

• As required by state of North Carolina law, all students participating in clinical observation or practicum are required to wear name tags.  Name tags issued to students are to be worn at all times in all clinical settings, unless the site requires a name tag issued at the facility.

• Come to the session prepared.  Have any pens or papers that you need with you.  Bring any forms with you.  The Clinic cannot provide you with additional forms.

• Review any protocols or client information before the session.

• Do not sit in an observation room and talk.  It will disturb the session in progress.

• If you will have any contact with the client, be sure to wash your hands before, as well as after, the session.  If you need to clean your hands during the session, a waterless antiseptic cleaner is available in various locations throughout the Clinic for this purpose.

• Check with the office or clinical educator to see if the client has cancelled.  In the case of audiologic observations, the observer should check to be sure a client is scheduled in the time slot.

• Any student with a draining lesion, an acute lower respiratory tract infection, febrile diarrhea or any contagious condition should not attend the session.

• Do not bring food or drinks into the Clinic area.  This is against OSHA Infection Control Guidelines.

• To leave a session early, you must make arrangements with the clinical educator prior to the session.  If you must leave a session early, be sure to see the clinical educator as soon as possible for "wrap-up."

• Check with the clinical educator concerning timelines with regard to clinical clock hours forms.  Different clinical educators have different ways of managing clock hour forms.

• ALL CLIENT INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL.

• Use client initials on any forms, audiograms, clock hour forms, etc.

• If you need to check a client chart out, write the client’s name/your name/phone number/clinical educator on an index card.  Give the index card along with a red “OUT” card to the office staff.  The office staff will hand you the client chart.  When the client chart is returned to the office, the OUT card will be removed.

• The client chart must remain in the designated clinic area.  This includes the treatment rooms, the student preparation room, clinical educator’s office, or the student lounge on the first floor of University Hall   No client chart is to leave the building or go to a class with you.  We must be able to locate a client chart quickly, in case a referral source or the client calls for information.

• No forms are to be removed from a client chart.

• REMEMBER THAT ALL CLIENT CHARTS CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

• Penalties are severe for students who divulge protected health information concerning a client.