Speech Pathologist -Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Therapy

Shepherd Center•Atlanta, GA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

Shepherd Center is a world-class rehabilitation facility with five decades of experience, specializing in complex conditions like spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, amputations, stroke, MS, and pain. Ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation's top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is recognized as both a Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model System. It is the only rehabilitation facility in the nation with an on-site intensive care unit, enabling earlier intervention for the most complex patients. Shepherd Center fosters a culture of hope, humor, and hard work, offering career growth, strong coworker relationships, leadership support, and activities that retain staff long-term. The speech-language pathologist in this role treats patients with cognitive-communication and/or dysphagia impairments, ranging from adolescents to geriatrics. This position involves collaboration within an intra-disciplinary team to provide cognitive, language, dysphagia, and Augmentative Alternative Communication services, aiming to facilitate patient rehabilitation and recovery, and educate care partners.

Requirements

Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited program in speech-language pathology.
Licensed to practice in the state of Georgia.
Current certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association or eligible for completion of Clinical Fellowship leading to ASHA certification.
BLS Certification.
Basic computer skills.
Effective time management skills.
Knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for speech, language, cognitive, swallowing impairments.
Able to design a plan of care that is patient centered with ability to address functional needs based upon the patient and care giver environment of care.
Successful completion of identified core competencies pertinent to specific treatment setting as it relates to age specific patient needs (i.e. adolescent, adult and geriatric).
Demonstrates competency in time management, organization, planning to manage and maintain the demands of patient care caseload and all corresponding job responsibilities.
Takes initiative for personal and clinical growth via opportunities for continuing education and maintaining licensure and certification.
Communicates effectively using timely verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
Collaborates with the organizational support structure (ST Therapy Manager, Program manager and/or director) in adapting to the changing work demands and environment.

Nice To Haves

Exposure or experience with diagnosis and treatment of patients with neurological impairments.

Responsibilities

Evaluates patient’s speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing abilities and develops a Plan Of Care that is individualized towards the patient’s cognitive-linguistic and/or swallowing capabilities to maximize their functional independence and safety.
Completes appropriate diagnostic assessments via standardized and non-standardized means to create an individualized and patient centered plan of care.
Plans and delivers education and training so that the patient and/or caregiver understand the patients current cognitive-linguistic and /or swallowing capabilities and how these clinical recommendations can impact the patient’s environmental and safety needs.
Integrates comprehensive diagnostic information to differentiate between motor speech, cognitive-communication, language, voice and dysphagia disorders.
Makes recommendations for specialty services or consultations as needed.
Uses evaluation and treatment findings to determine appropriate discharge planning needs.
Effectively participates in intra-departmental staff meetings, and intra-departmental discipline/program committee assignments.
Will participate in education programs by teaching and /or supervising students.
Participates in research projects as warranted by departmental and/or organizational needs.
Completes all required Speech Therapy documentation in accordance with the policies and expectations of Shepherd Center.
Performance is consistent with Shepherd Center standards, clinical policies, and adheres to State of Georgia licensure and ASHA Certification guidelines.
Adheres to Professional behaviors and expectations.
Practices proper safety techniques in accordance with Center and departmental policies and procedures.
Responsible for the reporting of employee/patient/visitor injuries or accidents, or other safety issues to the supervisor and in the occurrence notification system.
Actively participates in center-wide initiatives that affect speech therapy practice and delivery.
Effectively Collaborates with team members, other colleagues and community stakeholders.
May float to inpatient or post-acute programs to provide patient evaluation or treatment sessions as needed.
Performs other duties as required/requested.