Speech-Language Pathologist

POSITION DESCRIPTION: To provide direct patient care and support activities which build and maintain the outstanding outcomes of the therapy department.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Provides treatment programs to maximize speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing abilities within each patient’s structural or functional limitations; including, but not limited to: evaluates and treats patients, communicates with families, physicians and other interdisciplinary team members, documents services in the medical records. Contributes to professional development of self and others. Enhances interdisciplinary team through professional skills and knowledge. Demonstrates safe working practices.

Provides patient treatments, which meet patient needs, and uses current treatment knowledge in accordance with facility clinical procedures. This includes but is not limited to:

Performing accurate, comprehensive evaluations.

Developing effective plan of treatment and obtaining appropriate approvals from referring physician.

Utilizing appropriate evaluation tools and completing accurate evaluations.

Communicating with supervisor and other health team members regarding patient progress, problems, and plans.

Instructing patients’ families or nursing staff in specified follow through programs.

Interviewing patients and families regarding previous level of functioning and life style and current and future expectations.

Demonstrating knowledge of appropriate resources for problem-solving and clinical best practice.

Evaluating patients within facility-specific time frame.

Supervising Clinical Fellow and other SLPs in direct patient care and patient related activities.

Writes accurate, complete, and clear documentation in accordance with regulatory, licensing, payer, and accrediting requirements. This includes but is not limited to:

• Recording Resident Needs Reviews, evaluations, daily treatment notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries in accordance with facility procedures.
• Recording treatment charges and insuring that documentation is consistent with billing data.
• Writing specific, objective documentation, which is outcome oriented and details the patient’s needs, potential to benefit from treatment, and progress achieved to date. Includes specific, objective measurable goals.
• Managing Medicare Medical Review and Denials process in conjunction with Director of Rehabilitation, the facility team, and therapy staff.
• Acquiring and documenting consents/approvals for treatment when necessary.

Consistently demonstrates facility’s interdisciplinary approach to patient care. This includes but is not limited to:

• Integrating findings of other members of the interdisciplinary team in treatment assessment and recommendations.
• Integrating input from patient and family in treatment assessment and recommendations.
• Preparing for and providing meaningful contributions to the rehab team conferences, patient care conferences, utilization review meetings, family conferences, and caregiver training sessions.
• Collaborating with and informing facility staff in areas of patient progress.
• Educating members of the team in areas of expertise.
• Working with facility to teach documentation practices, which assist the therapy team.
• Communicating effectively with discharge planners.

Contributes to professional development of self and others. This includes but is not limited to:

• Utilizing continuing education assistance to achieve targeted quality improvements.
• Interacting with peer therapist at local acute hospitals and other environments, if appropriate.
• Presenting effectively at weekly rehab team conferences, facility in-services, and professional conferences.
• Maintaining current body of knowledge in areas of clinical expertise through seminars, professional journals, and peers.
• Meeting continuing education requirements of regulatory agencies.

Aids in building and maintaining a positive facility culture as a professional member of the staff. This includes but is not limited to:

• Consistently demonstrating positive core values in interacting with co-workers, patients and families, with all other persons involved with the patient’s care, and the general public.
• Consistently demonstrating professional standards.
• Contributing to a positive work team by sharing information, using problem-solving methods and accepting new ideas, criticism, or advice from others.
• Demonstrating superior customer service through courtesy, consistent follow-up and positive communication.

Demonstrates safe working practices. This includes but is not limited to:

• Identifying and correcting safety hazards or notifying the facility or the Director of Rehabilitation so that safety hazards will be immediately remedied.
• Maintaining work areas in safe and orderly fashion.
• Maintaining equipment in safe working order.
• Using proper body mechanics during treatments of patients and during support activities.
• Using universal safety precautions.
• Wearing appropriate safety equipment (i.e., gloves when in contact with the patient’s mouth).

QUALIFICATIONS:

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Knowledge in Speech-Language Pathology evaluation and treatment as they relate to medically based speech, language, and swallowing disorders.
• Ability to supervise and direct assistants and aides. Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to work with all types and levels of staff and patients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Education:

Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited SLP program

Experience:

2-3 years experience in a skilled nursing facility rehab environment or equivalent preferred. Rehab experience required.

Physical Requirements:

For Direct Patient Care:

• Speech-Language Pathologist will spend approximately 60-80% of time stooping, and reaching while working with therapy patients.
• Must be able to perform CPR, if required.

For Support Activities:

Speech-Language Pathologist will spend approximately 5-10% of time sitting at desk or terminal entering data.

License/Certification:

• Speech-Language Pathologist Certificate of Clinical Competence.
• Current CPR certification, if required.
• California Speech-Language Pathology license or license candidate under state’s regulations.