Recruitment and Retention in Speech -- Language

Addressing the Significant Shortage in the Profession Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are in high demand throughout the United States. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the United States will need â€Å"about 141, 400 SLPs through the year 2018 to meet the increasing need in the profession and to replace retiring SLPs† (2011, p. 2). The demand for qualified professional in the field continues to rise from year to year. According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2011-2012 Edition, â€Å"employment is expected to grow 19% in the profession in the next decade† (p. 2). A report released in 2008 by the American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE) reported â€Å"SLPs are ranked 14th in the nation for fields with a considerable vacancy as related to other areas in education† (p. 8). In the state of Nebraska, the U.S. Department of Education listed speech language pathology as a â€Å"significant teacher shortage area† (2011, p. 58). Recruiting and retaining qualified professionals has impacted school districts across the nation. The frustrations of many SLPs are similar: job dissatisfaction, lack of sufficient compensation, and oversized workloads contribute to the professional shortage. Research suggests that â€Å"lack of recognition, few opportunities for promotion, excessive paperwork, loss of autonomy, lack of supplies, low pay, and stressful interpersonal interactions all contributed to teachers’ decisions to leave the schools† (Blood, Ridenour, Thomas, Qualls, & Hammer, 2002, p. 283). Job satisfaction â€Å"is the terminology used to describe whether employees are happy and contented and fulfilling their desires and needs at work† (Heathfield, n.d., para. 1). Many SLPs struggle to... ...d, S. (n.d.) Employee satisfaction. Retrieved on November 26, 2011 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/employeesurvey1/g/employee_satisfy.htm. Palacio, M. (2001). Successful strategies for addressing caseload issues. Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists, February 2001. Retrieved from http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/Article/Successful-Strategies-for-Addressing-Caseload-Issues.aspx. â€Å"Psychosocial support†. (n.d.). Retrieved on November 27, 2011 from http://www.ovcsupport.net/s/index.php?i=59. U.S. Department of Education. (2011). Teacher shortage area nationwide list. Retrieved on November 26, 2011 from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.pdf. U.S. Department of Labor (2011). Occupational outlook handbook. Retrieved on November 22, 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos099.pdf .