Speech Language Pathologist - Home Health Gettysburg - Day/Evening/Night

Job Description:

Under general supervision, provides professional speech and language pathology services to assist patients in achieving optimal level of rehabilitation regarding speech, hearing, language, and swallowing disorders in accordance with the patient’s diagnosis, physician’s orders and agency policies and procedures. Responsible for accepting patient referrals, evaluating for services, and managing a caseload. Provide consultant speech and language pathology services when appropriate.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Accountabilities:

1. Related to Patient Care
2. Provides patient/family centered care through a process of speech and language therapy evaluation, assessment, planning, and implementing rehabilitative programs based on identified patient and family needs according to established short and long-term goals.
3. Assists patient’s physician and/or VNA staff in evaluating the patient’s level of impairment and/or function from speech, hearing, language, and swallowing disorders.
4. Develops a written speech therapy plan of care, incorporating input from other disciplines involved in the care of the patient.
5. Assesses patient’s response to treatment, changes in psycho-social and/or physical condition, reporting changes to primary nurse, home health team manager, or physician as indicated with modifications to plan of care as needed.
6. Educates, instructs, demonstrates to patient and family and evaluates patient’s performance of oral facilitation exercises, swallowing exercises., and speech language exercises.
7. Assists patients in developing or restoring function and achieving maximum performance in verbal and non-verbal communication.
8. Instruct family members in methods to assist the patient to improve and correct speech, hearing, and language disabilities.
9. Participates in interdisciplinary patient care conferences for coordinated planning, goal setting and problem solving.
10. Prepares clinical notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries for each patient in accordance with VNA policies.
11. Utilizes appropriate disciplines and resources for optimum patient care.
12. Discontinues speech and language service when appropriate and notifies primary clinician and/or Team manager and patient’s physician of decision and reason, educating the patient/family regarding how to access necessary follow-up.
13. Related to Staff
14. Function as a member of a multidisciplinary team, encouraging and maintaining open communications at all times.
15. Assists in the orientation of new staff or continuing education of existing staff as appropriate and as requested by clinical management.
16. Related to Corporate Management
17. Provides input into the development of policies and procedures through appropriate administrative and/or clinical channels.
18. Submits clinical documentation and records in an accurate, legible and timely manner consistent with Agency policy.
19. Participates in scheduled in-service programs and inter-disciplinary conferences as requested by clinical management.
20. Submits patient visit schedule to the scheduler on a weekly basis and notifies if schedule changes.
21. Informs appropriate clinical management of perceived problem areas related to patient, organization or community.
22. Seeks input and/or consultation from management personnel as appropriate.
23. Provides input regarding the performance of a Home Health Aide he/she is responsible for supervising with a particular patient by communication with the Clinical Manager or Team Leader.
24. Meets or exceeds established productivity standards.
25. Related to Community
26. Demonstrates a professional attitude, sound judgment, and a continuity of interactions with physicians, health care providers, and other agencies.
27. Acquires and utilizes knowledge of community resources.
28. Promotes a positive image of the organization.

NonEssential Accountabilities:

1. Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings and workshops.
2. Attends meetings as required.
3. Performs other related duties as identified.

Common Expectations:

1. Maintains established policies and procedure, objectives, quality assessment, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
2. Maintains confidentiality of patient and organizational information.
3. Provides outstanding service to all customers; fosters teamwork; and practices fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovations.
4. Demonstrates a commitment to patient, visitor and staff by: complying with all applicable safety regulations; learning the impact of medical errors and methodology that will lead to reduction of errors; reporting actual and potential errors, as well as hazardous conditions; identifying opportunities to standardize processes and “error proof” systems that will lead to increased safety; and participating in safety education programs and root cause analysis as required.

Qualifications

• Notes:
  • Other combinations of formal education, training and experience may be considered.
• Minimum Experience:
  • 6 months experience
• Minimum Education:
  • Bachelor’s Degree
• Preferred Experience:
  • Preferred Experience 12 months clinical experience, including rehabilitation experience
• Preferred Education:
  • Master's Degree
• Required Certification:
  • istrationCurrent certificate of clinical competency by the American Speech and Hearing Association or
  • meets the educational requirements for certification and is in the process of accumulating
  • the supervised experience required for certification.
• Required Courses:
  • Graduate of an accredited program in speech-language pathology; Successful completion of Certificate of Clinical Competency or Strong Clinical Fellow
• Physical Demands:
  • Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend and squat for prolonged periods.
  • Ability to push and pull objects and lift and carry up to 20 pounds, unassisted, on a frequent
  • basis (occasionally up to 50 pounds, unassisted).
  • Full use of gross and fine motor skills of the upper and lower extremities
  • Ability to read thermometers, charts, and testing equipment.
• Skills:
  • Willingness to request and accept consultation and direction.
  • Willingness to work cooperatively and effectively in a multidisciplinary approach to delivery of
  • patient services.
  • Ability to demonstrate respect and appreciation for professionals and paraprofessionals of
  • disciplines as well as the individual needs and characteristics of patients and Agency
  • personnel.
  • Ability to assess, analyze and plan according to need, utilizing the problem-solving approach.
  • Demonstrated effective written and verbal communication skills.
  • Maintains current clinical skills.
  • Must possess a valid driver’s license in the current state of residence. Driving record must meet requirements established by WellSpan Risk Management. Willing/able to drive in varying weather conditions and in urban/rural settings.