Speech-Language Pathologist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary:
The Speech-Language Pathologist will coordinate all evaluations and plans of treatment to assure the patients/residents maintain their highest practicable level of function.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Provides patient/resident care and assessment in accordance with established practice standards and facility/departmental policies:
1.1 Performs patient assessment.
1.2 Summarizes objective clinical findings.
1.3 Develops an accurate individualized plan of care. Goals are feasible, based upon findings and patient/resident/caregiver expectations. Educate the patient/resident and/or caregivers about the findings of the evaluation, co-established goals, method of treatment and instructs the patients/residents or family members in home exercise programs.
1.4 Plans and makes appropriate discharge plans.
1.5 Provides care in accordance with physician's orders and established plan of care.
1.6 Evaluates effectiveness of treatment plan and revises plan of care as indicated.
1.7 Assess educational needs of the patient/resident, family, caregivers, significant other and other members of the healthcare team to promote maximum benefit of care.
1.8 Demonstrates appropriate knowledge and correct application of clinical techniques, procedures and programs for clinical setting and patient/resident population served.
1.9 Displays appropriate technical knowledge and application of all available and appropriate equipment and techniques within the scope of speech-language pathology.
2. Safety/Security:
2.1 Provides an environment conducive to safety for patients/clients, visitors and staff.
2.2 Assesses the risks for safety and implements appropriate precautions.
2.3 Complies with appropriate and approved security and safety standards.
3. Leadership:
3.1 Utilizes appropriate leadership skills in delegating, organizing and educating coworkers and staff.
3.2 Participates in and contributes to quality improvement process.
4. Demonstrates effectiveness in allocation of time resources and work efficiency.
4.1 Distinguishes between low and high priority activities.
4.2 Makes effective use of discretionary time.
4.3 Meets established productivity standards.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Supervision of rehabilitation technicians/aides, students and volunteers assigned to Speech-Language Pathology, in accordance with practice act, regulatory and payor guidelines.
Competency:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
1. Compliant Clinical Practices: Delivers care in an ethical and legal manner.
2. Competent Clinical Skills: Consistently performs tasks and procedures safely, correctly and effectively to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
3. Communication: Documentation is current, concise, meaningful, and legible. Able to read and interpret written information. Delivers clear verbal messages using appropriate grammar and tone.
4. Interpersonal Skills: Maintains confidentiality. Maintains calm demeanor and pleasant attitude.
5. Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations. Responds promptly to customer needs. Solicits customer feedback to improve service. Responds to requests for service and assistance. Meets commitments.
6. Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment. Able to deal with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events.
7. Teamwork: Bypasses personal wants, when needed, for the good of the whole. Shares in the work to achieve team goals. Supports projects and extra duties as needed. Supports team decisions. Participates in giving feedback for performance review as requested.
8. Delegation: Delegates work assignments. Matches the responsibility of the person. Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities. Provides recognition for results.
9. Professionalism: Exhibits professional demeanor. Assesses own strengths and weaknesses. Pursues training and development opportunities. Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills. Shares expertise with others.
10. Teaching and Learning Initiative: Teaches and supports other team members. Encourages team members to enhance competencies. Asks for and offers help when needed. Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities. Is active in learning and applying new skills. Keeps up to date on industry and professional trends.
11. Time Management: Plans with the end in mind. Ensures clear priorities. Uses appropriate resources to clarify and resolve problems. Ensures deadlines are met. Is dependable.
12. Attendance/Punctuality: Is consistently at work and on time. Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
13. Prepares for Planned Absences: Takes responsibility for communicating and coordinating with peers to ensure continuous workflow during own absences. Completes paperwork and provides clear description of work requirements. Provides sufficient level of detail to ensure seamless coverage while absent.
14. Quantity: Meets productivity standards. Completes work in a timely manner.
15. Process Improvement: Recognizes and communicates the opportunity to improve. Analyzes problems and offers solutions using data. Voluntarily assumes or seeks additional responsibilities.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
1. Education and/or Experience: One year experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist with adult and geriatric populations. Must be a graduate of a professional training program approved by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association with extent of the educational program and training meeting at least the minimum standards per current licensure and/or certification expectations.
2. Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively formulate and present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the general public.
3. Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute percentages.
4. Reasoning Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
5. Computer Skills: Knowledgeable in navigation of basic internet browsers. Basic computer skills to utilize email, and open/modify documents such as word or PDF files. Capable to utilize computer billing and documentation programs for therapy services. Must be able to complete computer based tasks in an efficient manner.
6. Certificates, Licenses & Registrations: Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Current Licensure from the State of Michigan.
Other Qualifications/Job Responsibilities:
1. Complete screens quarterly as well as by referral per facility policy.
2. Communicate with other health care professionals, verbally and in writing, in regards to nursing concerns, changes in functional status, adaptive equipment needs, or any aspect of the patient/resident's care that would involve other departments.
3. Check e-mail throughout the day to ensure timely review of and response to messages.
4. Be knowledgeable of the "Stop and Watch" tool to identify any changes in resident/patient condition.
5. Complete "New Alerts" in PCC if resident/patient exhibits any changes in the categories of the "Stop and Watch" tool.
6. Complete documentation in POC for any resident/patient behaviors noted
7. Update Careplan and Kardex daily as needed.
8. Complete billing and productivity sheets accurately and manage caseload tracking log as needed and/or per departmental policy.
9. Participate in home evaluations, if indicated under special circumstances. Must be able to travel within a 30-minute area of this facility using personal vehicle. Facility will reimburse all therapists for mileage related to home evaluations.
10. Make recommendations as to discharge planning in regards to projected setting and discharge date.
11. Develop functional maintenance programs and restorative aide training.
12. Participate in inservices/education, staff meetings, team meetings, continuing education courses, patient conferences, and other meetings as needed.
13. Maintain a clean and safe environment and demonstrates safe work-place practices.
14. Assist with departmental maintenance and supplies.
15. Any other duties as assigned by the Director of Rehabilitation Services.
16. Must maintain a positive attitude.
17. Available to work weekends at the discretion of the Director of Rehabilitation Services.
Physical Demands:

18. Certificate of Clinical Competence required

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accomodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly expected to be able to use hands to perform fine motor tasks. Must be able to communicate with functional speech and hearing abilities. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; kneel; bend; and/or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.