Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Pediatric Acute Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is seeking an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) to join our Pediatric Rehabilitation Services team. In this acute care role, you'll provide specialized evaluation and treatment for infants, children, and adolescents with feeding disorders, swallowing impairments, communication challenges, and complex medical conditions. Working across the NICU, PICU, inpatient units, and specialty services, you'll collaborate with a highly skilled interdisciplinary team to support exceptional outcomes for children and families. This position is ideal for an SLP who enjoys pediatric acute care, feeding and swallowing disorders, dysphagia management, Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS), and caring for medically complex patients in a nationally recognized children's hospital.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology
ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)
Tennessee Speech-Language Pathology license or eligibility for licensure
Minimum one year of pediatric acute care hospital experience (outside of graduate school opportunities)
Pediatric feeding and swallowing evaluation and treatment experience
Speech Pathology Treatment Implementation (Novice)
Speech Pathology Patient Evaluation (Novice)
Discharge Planning (Novice)
Speech Pathology Patient & Family Education (Novice)
Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice)

Nice To Haves

NICU experience
PICU experience
VFSS experience
Pediatric dysphagia management experience
Level I Trauma Center experience

Responsibilities

Evaluates and treats patients with speech, language, voice, cognition, fluency, auditory (re)habilitation, and swallowing/oral feeding disorders.
Educates and counsels patients and families.
Provides independent therapeutic services and identify area(s) of clinical specialization and competency.
Supervises graduate students as assigned in clinical specialty area.
Participates actively in identifying and conducting quality improvement activities.
Collaborates with clinical practice team to achieve patient outcomes and system objectives.
Evaluate and treat pediatric feeding, swallowing, dysphagia, speech, language, and communication disorders in an acute care setting.
Provide care for medically complex infants, children, and adolescents, including patients with tracheostomies, neurological conditions, traumatic brain injuries, and developmental disabilities.
Perform Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS) to support safe feeding and swallowing recommendations.
Develop individualized treatment plans focused on functional outcomes and family-centered care.
Collaborate closely with physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
Educate families and caregivers regarding feeding strategies, swallowing safety, communication development, and discharge recommendations.
Document evaluations, treatment plans, and patient progress in the electronic medical record.
Support continuity of care through discharge planning and interdisciplinary coordination.
Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
Supervises graduate students by providing instruction, guidance/counsel and training to ensure provision of competent patient care and completion of appropriate documentation.