Speech Language Pathologist

Our skilled nursing facility is seeking a qualified and experienced Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) to join our in-house therapy team. Services of speech pathologists are recognized as essential in total resident care management. In this position you will play a key role in a resident focused evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a broad range of communication and swallowing disorders in residents. You will be expected to be through and communicative with residents and team members. The ideal candidate will be resident focused and able to work well with team members.

Job Summary
The Speech Language Pathologist enhances resident intentional communication by interpreting evaluations and test results; identifying speech, language, voice and swallowing disorders; determining speech therapy treatment plans in consultation with physicians or by prescription; providing counseling and guidance; observing resident progress.

Essential Functions:

• Work in a long term care rehab setting to provide services that are frequently initiated in the acute medical care setting. Speech pathologists working in these settings are members of interdisciplinary teams charged with direct resident management.
• The SLP works with a variety of residents, including:
  • Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • Cerebal Palsy
  • Cancer of throat, mouth, larynx
  • Congenital Palsy (e.g., cerebal palsy)
  • Degenerative neuromuscular disease (e.g., Parkinsons disease, Multiple Sclerosis)
  • Dementia

• Assesses speech therapy resident condition by interpreting evaluations and test results; identifying speech, language, voice and swallowing disorders; determining speech therapy treatment plans in consultation with physicians or by prescription.
• Helps speech therapy residents accomplish treatment plan by training with audio visual equipment, sound activated computer systems, and electronic voice machines; providing counseling and guidance; providing development therapy; interpreting specialized hearing and speech tests; instructing individuals in monitoring their own speech; teaching manual sign language; providing ways to practice skills; directing aides, technicians, and assistants.
• Evaluates effects of speech therapy by observing resident progress; recommending adjustments and modifications.
• Maintain productivity standards.
• Coordinate speech therapy services and information from the interdisciplinary team with physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing teams.
• Completes discharge planning by consulting with physicians, nurses, social workers and other health care workers; contributing to resident care conferences.
• Assures continuation of therapeutic plan following discharge by designing home exercise programs; instructing residents, families, and caregivers in home exercise programs; recommending and/or providing assistive equipment; recommending outpatient or home health follow-up programs.
• Documents resident care services by completing charting in resident and department records.
• Develop program goals and assess the need for clinical equipment and supplies, and participate in budget planning and preparation as described in the community.
• Protects healthcare organization value by keeping information confidential; cautioning others regarding potential breaches.
• Serves and protects the healthcare community by adhering to professional standards, healthcare organization policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and ASHA Standards of Care.
• Develops speech therapy and ancillary staff by providing information; developing and conducting in-service training programs.
• Keeps speech therapy equipment operating by following operating instructions and established procedures; troubleshooting breakdowns; maintaining supplies; performing preventive maintenance; calling for repairs.
• Improves speech therapy job knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; participating in professional societies.
• Contributes to speech therapy and healthcare organization success by welcoming related, different, and new requests; helping others accomplish job results.