Inpatient Speech Pathologist - PRN - Float Pool
About The Position
The Speech Pathologist identifies, evaluates, and treats speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, and swallowing disorders for patients across ages of care. The role uses specialized skills to prevent dysfunction, restore function, or reverse the progression of pathology, enhancing communication, voice, swallowing, and cognitive-linguistic abilities. In collaboration with patients and family members, the Speech Pathologist develops and updates plans of care to help patients return to their highest level of function. The position follows physician referral guidelines, state and national organizational standards, regulatory requirements, and departmental policies and procedures, while communicating effectively with patients, families, caregivers, physicians, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals. This PRN float-pool position works in inpatient acute care settings and requires willingness to work at a minimum of three medical centers. The Network Float Pool supports inter-campus floating across HonorHealth hospitals. The stated schedule is day shift, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with rotating holidays and weekends. The Speech Pathologist provides individualized, evidence-based therapy; evaluates patients under physician direction; develops treatment plans with functional, measurable goals and discharge planning; and maintains accurate clinical and billing documentation. The role also coordinates with interdisciplinary teams, contributes to discharge planning and department improvement, and participates in meetings, in-services, committees, and staff or student mentoring activities.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited university approved by ASHA, required before starting employment.
- Current Arizona license to practice Speech-Language Pathology and ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, or a current temporary Arizona Speech-Language Pathology license issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services for a Clinical Fellow.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certification before starting employment.
- Must be ASHA certified, as stated in the posting.
- Must be willing to work at a minimum of three medical centers.
- Network float position requires six months of recent experience.
Nice To Haves
- Six months of experience preferred.
Responsibilities
- Implement individualized treatment plans using skilled, evidence-based techniques for speech, language, cognitive-linguistic, voice, swallowing, fluency, and other areas within the scope of practice.
- Provide instruction on therapeutic procedures and routine care to patients, families, and appropriate staff.
- Evaluate patients under physician direction, synthesize evaluation data, and identify diagnoses using sound clinical reasoning.
- Develop comprehensive treatment plans with measurable, obtainable, functional goals and discharge plans.
- Demonstrate competency in objective measurement appropriate to the setting, including modified barium swallow studies and fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing.
- Maintain accurate and current medical-record documentation, including evaluations, treatment notes, treatment plans, progress reports, discharge summaries, and patient charges.
- Complete billing documentation according to departmental procedures and timeframes, and use resources effectively and efficiently.
- Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams and medical personnel regarding treatment plans, patient status, and discharge plans.
- Provide timely feedback to case managers and other personnel about discharge needs, recommended level of care, and equipment needs.
- Participate in interdisciplinary rounds as indicated and communicate to support optimal treatment outcomes and collaborative staff relationships.
- Comply with ASHA requirements when supervising a clinical fellow.
- Identify department needs and process improvements, and perform other duties as assigned.
- Support recruitment and retention through positive role modeling and peer relationships.
- Participate in staff meetings, in-services, utilization review programs, committees, and staff or student preceptor and mentor programs.
- Serve as a therapy-related resource to therapy assistive personnel and staff from other departments.
