Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)

Speech Language Pathologist

The Speech Language Pathologist partners with residents and other care providers to provide Speech Language Pathology services to maximize their function and independence in their daily activities. Essential duties and responsibilities include supporting and promoting the mission and values of Covenant Health Ministry, performing evaluative and therapeutic procedures under the order of a physician or other accepted healthcare provider while observing precautions, indications, and contraindications, providing evaluation and treatment in the areas of communication disorders and dysphagia, including modified barium swallow, evaluating residents per department protocols and establishing a therapeutic plan of care that includes functional long- and short-term goals, seeking input from the residents and primary caregivers regarding the therapeutic plan of care, providing consultation to the referring physician and other members of the healthcare team regarding the therapeutic and discharge needs of the resident, attending all pertinent team meetings, monitoring and evaluating the treatment effect and progressing the treatment program toward the functional goals established in the treatment plan of care, modifying the treatment plan of care as necessary, documenting all evaluative and therapeutic interactions with the resident per department procedures, recommending and obtaining appropriate communication/swallowing assistive devices to the resident ensuring that instruction has been given in their use, providing appropriate education to the resident or caregiver, documenting response to teaching, understanding Medicare, Medicaid, and other reimbursement regulations, maintaining clinical knowledge, skills, and competence and sharing expertise with others, providing in-services regarding clinical knowledge and skills to nursing and other departments, actively assisting with the development of new programs and services in Speech Therapy, maintaining clinical skills and competence by awareness of professional updates through membership in professional organizations and reading professional publications, bringing pertinent issues to the attention of others on staff, maintaining required licenses, certifications, and competencies, and completing annual compliance courses on time, coordinating and ensuring Speech and Language coverage, ensuring department cleanliness and maintenance by routinely keeping office and clinical areas clean and neat, assisting with routine equipment and space cleaning, following all system and department infection control procedures, and other duties as consistent with this role.

Job requirements include strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills, being a responsible, supportive team player, strong interpersonal and customer service skills, analytical ability to make sound decisions, proficiency in Microsoft Office, strong interpersonal and communication skills, ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team, excellent time management and documentation skills, compassionate and resident-centered care approach, and the ability to speak, read, write, and understand written instructions in English.

Education and experience required include a master's degree, Speech & Language Pathologist license, Certificate of Clinical Competence, Basic Life Support (BLS) certification preferred, and prior experience in a long-term care or skilled nursing facility preferred.

Working conditions/physical demands include the ability to perform tasks associated with this position that involve a combination of sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, twisting, and reaching, the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, above 50 pounds requires a 2 person lift, lifting/carrying frequently up to 20 pounds, and some stress related to a high level of responsibility for quality care.