Responsibilities:
Communication
Demonstrates the highest level of communication and professionalism with patients caregivers rehabilitation staff providers and other health care professionals both within the academic medical center and in the community.
� Exhibits effective and professional verbal and non-verbal communication
� Communicates clearly respectfully and honestly with patients and/or caregivers and colleagues
� Communicates proactively with other caregivers involved in patients� care
� Adjusts communication and response to the level of understanding of the listener
Principal Duties
� Evaluates speech voice language feeding/swallowing and/or cognitive impairments
� Establishes diagnosis prognosis and individualized plans of care
� Implements treatment intervention based on plan of care considering precautions indications and contradictions
� Directs and coordinates patients� rehabilitation plan of care
� Evaluates patients� progress and revises goals and plan of care accordingly
� Educates and trains patients/caregivers
� Anticipates and communicates discharge/home needs and resources
� Completes documentation and charges timely and accurately in compliance with department policy
� Completes clinical documentation reflecting eligibility/ medical necessity of services in compliance with professional and regulatory standards
� Consistently applies evidence-based practice to all aspects of clinical care
� Seeks additional guidance when necessary to assure safe and effective patient care
� Recommends and refers for additional diagnostic testing and/or services
� Develops selects and prescribes multimodal augmentative and alternative communication systems including unaided strategies (e.g. manual signs/gestures) and aided strategies (e.g. speech-generating devices manual communication boards picture schedules).
� Selects fits and establishes effective use of appropriate prosthetic/adaptive devices for communication and swallowing (e.g. electrolarynges speaking valves.).
� Uses instrumental technology to diagnose and treat disorders of communication and swallowing (e.g. Videofluoroscopy for speech and swallowing Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Videostroboscopy Videnonasophagyngoscopy neuromuscular electrical stimulation computer technology).
� Services patients and their families/caregivers with hearing loss (e.g. auditory training for patients with cochlear implants and hearing aids; speech and language intervention secondary to hearing loss).
� Provides assessment and intervention for patients diagnosed with auditory processing disorders.
� Screens patients for hearing loss or middle ear pathology using conventional pure-tone air conduction methods.
� Modifies and/or enhances communication performance (e.g. accent modification care and improvement of the professional voice).
Additional Duties
� Complies with hospital and departmental policies and guidelines
� Participates in strategic departmental quality improvement initiatives
� Provides education to other hospital departments/personnel students and outside agencies/schools.
� Demonstrates ability to flex schedule based on department patient and/or caregiver need
� Determines priorities according to departmental and patient care need
� Participates in community based professional events.
� Participates in ongoing educational activities.
� Supports and promotes departmental teamwork
� Completes mandatory departmental and hospital training on time
