Speech Therapist, PRN

Job Description

Speech Therapist
PRN

As a Speech Therapist at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, you’ll join a team that has been committed to caring for the local community for 150 years and be a part of a culture that's dedicated to improving lives.

Job Summary 

The Speech Therapist evaluates, diagnoses, and treats speech, language, cognitive-communication, social communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. This role develops and implements individualized treatment plans to restore communicative efficiency and improve patient outcomes. The Speech Therapist collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals, to ensure comprehensive patient care. 

Essential Functions

• Evaluates and assesses speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders, considering educational, medical, social, and psychological factors.
• Develops and implements individualized treatment plans, incorporating appropriate therapeutic interventions to optimize patient outcomes.
• Provides treatment for patients with communication impairments of both organic and nonorganic etiology.
• Performs Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) evaluations in collaboration with the Radiology department and effectively communicates results.
• Documents treatment interventions, patient progress, outcomes, and response to therapy in the medical record daily.
• Ensures proper coding and accurate maintenance of charge logs for billing and compliance purposes.
• Uses evidence-based techniques and positive reinforcement to encourage patient participation in therapy sessions.
• Consults with physicians and interdisciplinary team members to coordinate referrals for additional services when needed.
• Provides education and training to patients, families, and caregivers through verbal, written, and demonstrative instruction to support continuity of care.
• Collaborates with other speech therapy professionals and interdisciplinary teams to enhance patient care and maximize therapeutic outcomes.
• Engages in discharge planning, providing necessary follow-up recommendations and physician feedback.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited program required
• 1-3 years as a Speech Therapist in a clinical, hospital, or rehabilitation setting required
• Experience with Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) studies and dysphagia management preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of speech-language pathology principles, evaluation techniques, and treatment methodologies.
• Proficiency in performing Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) studies and interpreting results.
• Excellent documentation and record-keeping skills to ensure accuracy in patient records and billing.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively educate patients, families, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• Knowledge of healthcare regulations, HIPAA compliance, and ethical standards in speech therapy practice.

Licenses and Certifications

• SLP - Speech Language Practitioner license in state of employment required or
• ST - Speech Therapist license in state of employment required
• BCLS - Basic Life Support required

Wilkes-Barre General Hospital is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest community hospital with 369 beds and a medical staff of more than 400 physicians representing nearly 60 medical and surgical specialties. Wilkes-Barre General Hospital has long been recognized for excellence in heart and vascular care, and offers advanced treatment for wide-ranging specialties, including orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery and minimally invasive robotic-assisted procedures.