Rules for Observers at the FAU-CDC

Only one student may observe a client at a time. Sign-up sheets, for the semester, are with the Program Assistant. Remember that parents/spouses have PRIORITY for observing their family member. Students are expected to give up their earphones, if necessary.
The Clinic is not responsible for notifying observers of cancellations in client appointments. Unfortunately, clients do cancel unexpectedly.
Patient confidentiality is to be strictly maintained. Clients are not to be discussed in the waiting area or any of the observation rooms. Remember that relatives of a client may be present. Additionally, there is to be no discussion of clients in public areas. Parents/spouses are not to be questioned by student observers and student observers should not offer their opinions about treatment to the parent/spouse.
Videotaping (by an observer) of client sessions is strictly forbidden.
No papers or documents containing any identifying information on the client may leave the Clinic.
Do not chat with parents/spouses about the quality of treatment which you are observing. Any questions which parents/spouses have should be referred to the clinical supervisor or the student clinician.
Be on time for your observation. Latecomers distract other observers and often can be heard and seen by the client when entering the observation room. Students who are late for an observation may not be allowed to observe if the clinical supervisor feels the client will be distracted by the observation room noise.
The observation rooms are not soundproof. Conversation in the observation rooms should be kept to an absolute minimum and should never be above a whisper.
There is absolutely no eating or drinking in the observation rooms. Students eating or drinking will be asked to leave.
Do not bring friends, children or family members into the observation room. Treatment is not a form of entertainment. Observations are limited to students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. Observations are a privilege, not a right. A student found to be in violation of this rule will not be allowed to observe in the Clinic for the remainder of the semester.
Do not touch or tap on the two-way mirror.
If you are experiencing difficulty with the audio system in an observation room, do not attempt to fix it on your own. Please have one of the clinical supervisors assist you.
Any parent/spouse complaint about a student observer will be taken very seriously and will be dealt with by the Clinic Director. Students will not be allowed to observe for the remainder of the semester if there are complaints.
Any questions that an observer has regarding a client and his/her treatment should be addressed to the student clinician or the clinical supervisor. Please be aware that clinicians are often treating clients back-to-back. If a clinician cannot speak with you immediately and a supervisor is not available, leave your question(s) in the student’s mailbox in Room 453 and a way in which that student may contact you.
Please remember that the Clinic is a professional setting. The Clinic provides a link between the University and the community. It is expected that all students will conduct themselves in an adult and professional manner.
Do not laugh at a client during an observation. Oftentimes what you may view as humorous is actually the client struggling with a particular item or task. This type of behavior is offensive to the family members and will not be tolerated.
Students should dress in a neat, clean, and presentable fashion. Beachwear, gym shorts, mid-drift tops, etc. are not considered appropriate attire.
Finally, the Clinic exists, first and foremost, to provide quality speech, language, and hearing services to its clients. Any student behavior that interferes with or conflicts with this goal will be dealt with immediately and severely by the Clinic Director.

If there are repeated problems with or complaints about student observers, the CDC will be closed to student observation.