Speech Language Pathologist

Job Summary:

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority patient safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Speech-Language Pathologist provides a range of clinical services that focus on promoting communication, language and speech and that contribute to a client/patient’s overall cognitive, physical, social and emotional well being. The Speech-Language Pathologist supports the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of children within their specified program or programs.

The Speech-Language Pathologist uses advanced level knowledge of child development, diagnostic and therapeutic principles, disorders of development, cognition and mental health, in combination with advanced clinical reasoning and best practice to provide evidence based therapeutic, clinical, diagnostic, and preventative services to develop functional solutions for the day-to-day issues in the lives of clients/patients and their various environments.

Working collaboratively as part of an inter-professional team, the Speech-Language Pathologist provides information, develops educational materials and resources, participates in research/evidence based practice activities and in ongoing quality improvement and risk management initiatives/projects. Services may be provided across a continuum of care either onsite or on outreach in communities throughout the province.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1. Provides assessment, diagnostic and intervention services to children using advanced level clinical skills and knowledge in the specified program area and within the full range of communication and swallowing disorders (as required). Utilizes processes such as the administration and interpretation of standardized assessment tools, detailed history taking, informal observation/evaluation procedures and consultation with other professionals to ensure consideration of additional factors (e.g. cognitive factors, mental health, medical status, environmental influences) that may affect assessment, subsequent diagnosis and recommendations for treatment.

2. Provides counselling and psycho-education to families and other relevant caregivers to understand the nature, treatment and prognosis of the specific speech and language diagnoses and the relationship of these diagnoses to the individual’s developmental, cognitive and/or mental health presentation/profile.

3 Provides clinical leadership within the specified program/inter-professional team, speech and language pathology discipline, and in partnership with community services, demonstrated by initiating and participating in activities such as evaluating and developing clinical treatment practices, guidelines and protocols and promoting excellence in practice and treatment team in partnership with the Program Manager and/or Professional Practice Lead

4. Takes leadership in program planning, identifies, promotes and leads program and discipline specific development and planning strategies in collaboration with the Program Leadership to enhance system processes and resources for patients. Attends and contributes to ongoing discipline/program and quality improvement, risk management activities as required.

5. Develops orientation and mentorship structures for new and Grade 1 employees, provides clinical supervision and case discussion, initiates and supports the development and completion of learning plans for Grade 1 and new staff in collaboration with the Program Manager/Director and PPL. Identifies and initiates learning opportunities, role development and support requirements in collaboration with other team members, Program Manager/Director and Professional Practice Leader.

6. Supervises Master level students on practicum programs within the program by performing duties such as demonstrating and explaining procedures and processes and providing input regarding progress. Provides students with the opportunity to observe and take an active role in the treatment of patients and their families.

7. Provides recommendations based on clinical assessment findings and diagnoses and communicates these findings through informal and formal inter-professional meeting structures, family conferences and verbal and written reporting.

8. Participates in the provision of clinical and professional services by recommending appropriate referrals to other service providers, consulting with families and other professionals, and advocating to meet the needs of clients and families.

9. Provides consultation, clinical advice, input and suggestions to physicians/nurses/other paramedical professions across C&W related to the management of the referred client/patient or group of clients/patients within assigned area to ensure that quality care is delivered.

10. Initiates and participates in discipline and inter-professional program related activities which may include; attending clinics and educational activities such as developing and presenting in-service training to other disciplines, parent education and acting as a resource for community colleagues, community agencies, and others, as required.

11. Maintains knowledge of current developments in speech-language pathology by methods such as reviewing literature in specialty areas, consulting with clinical and community experts, evaluation of clinical practice and referral systems, and attending professional development activities. Implements changes in practice as indicated by these current developments and evidence based literature.

12. Participates and collaborates on approved speech-language pathology research projects by providing input into the planning and formulation of the research question, collecting data, integration, and interpretation of data and recommending and identifying implications of study findings for speech-language pathology practice.

13. Establishes and maintains electronic and written records of all service delivery activities in accordance with established discipline and program policy. Provides reports, as requested.

14. Records workload statistics by entering information as required by the established system of the service.

15. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

• Masters degree in speech-language pathology from an approved academic program by the College of Speech and Hearing Professionals of British Columbia.
• Three (3) years of recent experience in areas related to child development and rehabilitation.
• Documented evidence of post graduate education in the specified program area/areas.
• Documented learning related to professional development and leadership/personal development.
• Evidence of current advanced competency in the specified program area as defined by the current competency requirements of the program client population and successful completion of advanced competency certificates if required as identified by the College of Speech and Hearing Professionals of BC.
• Registrant of the College of Speech and Hearing Professionals of British Columbia.

Skills and Abilities

• In depth specific knowledge and experience in specific areas of clinical practice related to assigned program.
• Demonstrated experience in multiple clinical areas and an ability to apply this knowledge across clinical populations.
• Demonstrated leadership ability within own professional group and in an inter-professional capacity
• Experience of working collaboratively and a proven record of successfully working within an inter-professional team environment.
• Knowledge of models of mentorship and clinical leadership with the health care professions and demonstrated ability to successfully support the clinical learning of others.
• Demonstrated ability and understanding of the processes of managing change and supporting others in a clinical capacity to develop their practice in response to changing service delivery requirements.
• Demonstrated recent experience of involvement in extending or supporting clinical practice within the assigned program area.
• Ability to articulate understanding of concepts related to inter-professional competency, family integrated care, role clarification, team functioning, collaborative leadership, trauma informed care, conflict resolution and systems change.
• Current, in depth knowledge of child development and child language development.
• Broad knowledge of speech-language pathology diagnostic and therapeutic principals, procedures and approaches, and clinical best practices relevant to the population.
• Knowledge of developmental, mental health and acquired conditions impacting on and coexisting with communication and speech and language disorders.
• An understanding of the process of differential diagnosis of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders.
• Broad knowledge of evidence based practice and research process and methodology.
• Demonstrated excellent ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and external agencies and groups.
• Demonstrated ability to manage time effectively and prioritize workload.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver presentations and educational sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with conflict and or stressful situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an inter-professional environment.
• Demonstrated ability to operate computer equipment and other related technology.
• Ability to travel as required by operational needs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage ongoing purposeful change.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.