Speech Pathologist, Speech Pathology, Per Diem, Day

MarinHealth Medical Center•Bon Air, CA

About The Position

MarinHealth is an integrated, independent healthcare system serving the North Bay. The Speech Pathologist provides comprehensive speech-language pathology services to patients with communication, cognitive-linguistic, voice, motor-speech, and/or swallowing disorders. The role includes evaluating patients, interpreting results, developing and implementing individualized plans of care, delivering evidence-informed treatment and patient/family education, documenting clinical findings and progress, and collaborating with physicians and the interdisciplinary care team to support safe, effective, coordinated care. The Speech Pathologist also counsels clients and families about swallowing impairments and language-communication profiles and serves as a clinical resource within the organization. Services are provided to patients of all ages, from infants to people of extreme age, using assessment tools and therapy techniques appropriate to chronological or functional age. The position requires patient-centered practice, protection of patient privacy, compliance with professional standards and applicable laws, and consistent demonstration of MarinHealth’s C.A.R.E.S. standards: Communication, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Safety. The role is listed as per diem, with a day shift of eight hours and zero scheduled weekly hours. A minimum of five hours of patient contact per day is required when working.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology or Communication Sciences and Disorders from an accredited program.
Current, valid California Speech-Language Pathologist license issued by the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board.
Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) issued by ASHA is required.
Knowledge of speech-language pathology principles and practices, including communication, cognitive-linguistic, voice, motor-speech, and swallowing disorders relevant to the populations served.
Ability to conduct comprehensive evaluations; analyze and interpret findings; form a clinical diagnosis; establish functional, measurable goals; develop individualized plans of care; and modify treatment based on patient response and progress.
Clinical judgment to identify swallowing-disorder components that affect airway invasion, changes in swallowing or communication status, and findings requiring care modification or timely escalation.
Knowledge of speech-language pathology, swallowing disorders, learning disabilities, non-verbal communication systems, normal human development, and laws governing the profession.
Ability to select and apply age-, diagnosis-, and function-appropriate evaluation tools, therapeutic techniques, compensatory strategies, and patient/family education.
Ability to communicate findings, recommendations, treatment plans, progress, and discharge needs clearly and objectively to patients, families, physicians, and interdisciplinary team members.
Ability to establish therapeutic rapport and provide respectful, understandable, culturally responsive, patient-centered counseling and education.
Strong documentation skills, including accurate, complete, timely, and clinically defensible documentation.
Working knowledge of professional standards, scope of practice, patient privacy, safety, infection prevention, and applicable laws and regulations governing speech-language pathology practice.
Ability to manage a clinically appropriate caseload, prioritize competing patient needs, coordinate care, and communicate barriers or unusual patient-care concerns to department leadership.
Ability to collaborate across disciplines, accept and provide constructive feedback, participate in quality improvement, and contribute to program development within assigned scope.
Ability to develop and present education to staff, patients, families, community groups, or professional audiences within demonstrated expertise.
Demonstrated behaviors consistent with MarinHealth C.A.R.E.S.: clear communication, accountability, respect, excellence, and active commitment to patient and workforce safety.
Access protected health information only as necessary for assigned duties and maintain patient information privacy, security, and confidentiality in accordance with policy and law.
Measles, mumps, varicella, and annual influenza immunizations are required as a condition of employment and annually thereafter; medical or religious exemptions are considered consistent with applicable law.

Nice To Haves

Two to three years of progressively increasing responsibility as a Speech-Language Pathologist in an acute-care hospital or healthcare setting.
Demonstrated clinical experience evaluating and treating communication and swallowing disorders appropriate to the patient populations served.
Acute-care, NICU swallowing and feeding, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, outpatient pediatric, or other directly relevant healthcare experience, according to department needs.
Experience with dysphagia evaluation and treatment, interdisciplinary care planning, and medically complex patients when applicable to the assignment.
Integrative Agitation Management (IAM) within 30 days of hire, if applicable to the patient population and department requirement.
CCS Paneled Speech Pathologist; desired but not required at hire.
COVID-19 vaccination/booster is strongly recommended.

Responsibilities

Evaluate patients and interpret results to diagnose communication, cognitive-linguistic, voice, motor-speech, and/or swallowing disorders using appropriate clinical methods and standardized tools.
Develop individualized plans of care with functional, measurable goals based on evaluation findings, patient needs, clinical judgment, applicable physician orders, and interdisciplinary priorities.
Provide evidence-informed treatment and modify interventions based on patient response, progress, safety, goals, and changes in clinical condition.
Evaluate swallowing function and provide appropriate treatment, compensatory strategies, diet or feeding recommendations within scope, education, and escalation when indicated.
Communicate evaluation findings, recommendations, and treatment plans to physicians, agencies, patients, and care-team members through written and/or verbal communication.
Document evaluations, treatment, progress, education, communications, and discharge recommendations accurately, completely, and within required timeframes.
Educate patients and families in ways appropriate to health literacy, communication ability, developmental level, culture, and readiness to learn; verify and document understanding.
Coordinate continuity of care, including follow-up recommendations, referrals, home programs, equipment or communication needs, and communication with the next level of care as appropriate.
Make follow-up calls to people discharged from therapy as needed for continuity of care.
Participate in interdisciplinary rounds, care conferences, staff meetings, and other clinical forums relevant to assigned patients and department operations.
Identify and promptly escalate changes in patient condition, swallowing or safety concerns, treatment barriers, unusual patient interactions, scope-of-practice concerns, or other risks requiring clinical or leadership attention.
Maintain a minimum of five hours of patient contact per day.
Manage assigned workload and scheduling responsibilities according to patient-care priorities, department expectations, and quality standards; communicate barriers to timely care or workload completion.
Provide the department manager with information about schedule management and unusual patient contacts.
Maintain required licensure, certifications, competencies, continuing education, and knowledge of current professional practice.
Contribute to clinical program development, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, education, and initiatives to improve patient outcomes and department effectiveness.
Demonstrate MarinHealth C.A.R.E.S. standards and Patient Safety Expectations in all aspects of work.
Provide in-service education to hospital staff and other groups within the Speech Pathologist’s area of expertise, as assigned.
Participate in interdisciplinary rehabilitation and care-coordination activities.
Support community education and outreach related to communication and swallowing disorders when assigned.
Assist with orientation, mentoring, or education of staff and students within demonstrated competency and department expectations.
Perform other duties consistent with the purpose and level of the position.