POSITION SUMMARY:

The Voice and Swallowing Center at Boston Medical Center is looking for a full-time speech pathologist (no clinical fellows). This position consists of comprehensive assessments of adult inpatients and outpatients with disorders of swallowing and related disorders, including clinical swallowing evaluations and treatment, modified barium swallow (MBS) studies, flexible endoscopic evaluations of swallowing (FEES), high-resolution pharyngeal manometry (HRM), alaryngeal management, videostroboscopy, and speech, language, and cognitive evaluations. The Speech-Language Pathologist also participates in patient education, interdisciplinary collaboration, continuing education, and departmental research. Experienced therapists with training in MBS and FEES are preferred.

Position: Speech Language Pathologist

Department: Center for Voice/Swallowing

Schedule: 40 hours, Rotating M-F, E/O Weekend

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Conducts speech-language pathology evaluation procedures according to professional and departmental guidelines.

• Responds to all consults in assigned area within 24 hours; completes evaluation and documentation within 72 hours of consult.
• Reviews patient records, gathers necessary information, and obtains a physician's order prior to assessing the patient.
• Selects evaluation procedures that reflect understanding of the patient's diagnosis, abilities, and limitations.
• Administers evaluation procedures according to the guidelines of speech-language pathology; adapts evaluation procedures as indicated to accommodate the specific needs of patients.
• Interprets evaluation results, develops an integrated diagnostic impression, and makes recommendations.
• Performs re-evaluations according to departmental policies, change in patient's status, or response to treatment.
• Educates patient and caregiver regarding evaluation findings and management of care recommendations.

Establishes treatment goals and plans that reflect the needs of the patients while meeting departmental, institutional, and third-party reimbursement requirements.

• Establishes measurable and attainable short and long-term goals in collaboration with patient and/or caregiver.
• Modifies goals as warranted by changes in patient's status.
• Communicates patient care and discharge needs to team members and arranges for appropriate follow-up.

Implements comprehensive individual and group treatment. Consistently demonstrates clinical competence.

• Establishes treatment priorities based on evaluation results and the specific needs of the patients.
• Uses creative treatment approaches and explores alternative solutions to individual patient needs.
• Demonstrates clinical problem-solving skills with a variety of patient populations
• Progresses patient treatment programs appropriately and terminates them as warranted by patient's progress and condition.
• Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with patients.
• Demonstrates ability to engage patients in treatment, provides reinforcement and support; sets limits appropriately.
• Adheres to diagnosis-related precautions. Demonstrates good judgment in handling potentially hazardous situations, seeking assistance as necessary.

Complies with departmental, institutional, and accrediting agency policies and standards.

• Completes area specific documentation in an accurate thorough and timely manner according to department standards Completes patient care charges accurately.
• Completes mandatory requirements (including competencies, safety/infection control tests, CPR, and license renewal) within given time frame.

Shows evidence of on-going professional growth and knowledge of regulations and standards.

• Initiates independent learning opportunities, seeks out and integrates new information in daily practice.
• Stays current with advances in speech-language pathology treatments and techniques through attendance of professional meetings, continuing education, and reading of current literature.
• Shows knowledge of professional federal and state rules and regulations governing the practice of speech-language pathology.

Collaborates with colleagues and other professionals to provide high quality patient care.

• Serves as clinical resource for other health care professionals.
• Attends and participates in all mandatory department meetings.
• Accepts and completes additional assignments as requested by supervisor, including membership in department and hospital task forces and committees.
• Participates responsibly in the supervisory process, follows through on suggestions and recommendations, and utilizes supervision time for own professional growth.
• Develops and meets annual goals with a high quality of performance.

Orients medical professional staff and the community to speech-language pathology and supervises speech-language pathology students.

• Orients medical professional staff and students and the community (e.g. volunteers, high school initiatives).
• Provides a well-rounded learning experience for affiliating speech-language pathology students.
• Assesses the learning needs of assigned speech-language pathology students and provides training in patient evaluation and treatment procedures as practiced on assigned units.
• Facilitates development of clinical problem-solving skills of the affiliating students by asking probing questions.
• Schedules weekly meetings with assigned students providing growth-promoting feedback and learning experiences.
• Keeps student program coordinator informed of student's performance.
• Cooperates with student program coordinator and academic coordinator to develop and implement corrective actions when indicated.
• Conducts student performance evaluations, discusses evaluation with students, and submits the completed form to the student program coordinator in a timely fashion.

Utilizes hospital's values as the basis for decision-making and to facilitate the division's hospital mission. Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Requires a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited institution.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Requires a current license and certification as required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ASHA. ASHA membership required. Work requires a current CPR certification.

EXPERIENCE:

Experienced therapists with FEES and MBS competencies preferred.

Bilingual or multi-lingual skills (beyond that of English) appropriate to the patient population served is a plus.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Effective interpersonal skills to be socially perceptive in accepting and relaying confidential information, communicating policies and procedures, and interacting with patients, families and various members of the health care team.
• Requires analytical abilities sufficient to evaluate patients' condition, capabilities and progress to develop appropriate treatment programs.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans