Speech-Language Pathologist – Pediatrics

Speech-Language Pathologist – Pediatrics

Location : Medical Center East (MCE), South Tower

1215 21st Ave South, Nashville, TN 37232

Schedule : Full-Time | Monday–Friday

• No weekends

• No holidays

Help Young Children Find Their Voice at Vanderbilt Health

Vanderbilt Health is seeking a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) to join our outpatient pediatric rehabilitation team, offering a unique blend of preschool classroom-based therapy and individual outpatient pediatric treatment. This role is ideal for an SLP who enjoys variety, collaboration, and supporting children during critical early communication milestones.

This position includes dedicated time within The Preschool for Children with Autism at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, combined with traditional outpatient pediatric speech therapy.

Learn more about the Preschool for Children with Autism:

https://www.vanderbilthealth.com/information/preschool-children-autism

How You’ll Spend Your Time

50 % – Preschool Classroom-Based Therapy

You will co-treat alongside another experienced Speech-Language Pathologist in The Preschool for Children with Autism, an intensive communication-focused program for young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Responsibilities include:

• Working within a structured classroom setting focused on early communication development

• Supporting three children’s communication, social interaction, and functional language skills

• Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team that includes:

• Speech-Language Pathologists

• Occupational Therapists

• Feeding Therapists

• Behavior Analyst Consultants

• Specially trained teaching assistants

Preschool Schedule:

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

• 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

50% – Outpatient Pediatric Speech Therapy

Responsibilities include :

• Evaluating and treating children with speech, language, and cognitive communication disorders (no more than 8 patients a day)

• Addressing developmental delays and pediatric communication challenges

• Developing individualized treatment plans aligned with each child’s needs and family goals

• Providing caregiver education to support therapy carryover at home

• Collaborating daily with pediatric providers and audiology professionals

• Documenting care in EPIC, following Vanderbilt Health standards

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology

• ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)

• Current Tennessee SLP license or eligibility for licensure

• At least one year of pediatric experience in a school, outpatient or rehabilitation setting

Preferred Experience

• Experience using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and strategies

• Comfort working with children on the autism spectrum

• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate in a team-based environment

Please note: This role does not focus on feeding, swallowing, or voice therapy.

Why Vanderbilt Health?

Join a nationally recognized pediatric rehabilitation program

Work in a highly collaborative, supportive interdisciplinary team environment

Day One benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement plans, and generous PTO.

Ongoing professional development and continuing education opportunities

Be part of a mission-driven organization focused on patient-centered, family-centered care.

• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• Supervises graduate students by providing instruction, guidance/counsel and training to ensure provision of competent patient care and completion of appropriate documentation.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

• Speech Pathology Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Identifies treatment objectives based upon assessment results and family input. Writes functional objectives in measurable terms that are consistent with the family's goals and resources. Applies evidence based clinical management practices. Identifies and recommends additional/alternative services when appropriate.
• Speech Pathology Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with speech-language, auditory, and/or swallowing/oral feeding deficits using the appropriate testing methods and equipment for the patient type, diagnosis, and reason for the referral. Demonstrates the ability to obtain the case history and selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance for the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Discharge Planning (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in the discharge planning process. Informs patients, family and members of team of the patient's needs based upon the assessment and/or treatment. Makes recommendations for continued services, follow-up, or referrals to other services. Seeks guidance consistently on the transition and discharge process including transition services and referral resources. May anticipate transition and discharge needs of the patient based upon understanding of pathology/diagnosis and relationship to their present functional status. Will have completed at least one year of experience with transition and discharge planning.
• Speech Pathology Patient & Family Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of speech-language pathology.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.