Statement of Employee Conduct:

As a team member, you will support the mission, vision, and values of Park Nicollet Health Services and will be familiar with and abide by all PNHS policies and procedures. You will also be expected to comply with job-specific standards and embody the competencies of Head + Heart, Together which include; 1) achieving positive outcomes and goals; 2) demonstrating care for others and having their well-being at heart; and 3) succeeding through partnerships and as a member of a team

HealthPartners and its related organizations are committed to fulfilling their mission, vision and values in an environment that promotes the highest organizational and personal integrity and reinforces public trust.  In order to accomplish these goals, HealthPartners must maintain an effective program of compliance and ethics that has been developed with input from, and is championed at, the highest levels of the organization.

Position Summary:

The Speech Pathologist is responsible for assuring that the PNHS values of Head + Heart, Together, are achieved through daily departmental operations. This includes, but is not limited to, direct patient care, professional growth and development, outcome/competency assessment, compliance with regulatory standards (JCAHO, OSHA, professional organizations, and other regulatory agencies); and participating in process improvements to advance patient care outcomes and satisfaction.

The Rehabilitation Services Speech Pathologist will communicate timely, clearly and in a professional manner with staff, patients, patient family members, physicians and other internal/external customers. The staff member will demonstrate skills in listening, conflict management, system problem solving, decision-making and process improvement. Therapists will practice in compliance with professional standards and professional code of ethics.

Therapists in the development track will partner with their leader(s) to discuss ways in which the therapist can improve departmental performance through activities involving community events, presentations, and program/department improvement initiatives. The therapist will be given protected time to execute these activities.

Positions may require some weekend and holiday shifts as determined.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Uses and applies current information and technical knowledge in providing high quality direct and indirect patient care, including: evaluation and treatment of patients, development and implementation of care plans, and outcome reporting.

• Works with team members to support a holistic approach to treatment techniques, goals and discharge planning

• Is personally committed to and actively works to improve professionally and personally by pursuing a professional development plan.

• Maintains proficiency with job related tasks, including but not limited to, use of equipment and tools, accurate and timely documentation of clinically appropriate and fiscally responsible treatment plan and completion of billing requirements

• Consistently works in a safe manner, in compliance with infection control policies, maintaining awareness of potential dangers and works to reduce risks on the job.

• Maintains compliance with regulatory agencies and immediately implements corrective action when deficiencies are noted.

• Participates in scheduling for optimal client service, safety, access and productivity; meets designated production expectations.

• Participates in peer reviews of patient care and documentation to meet standards of care

• Participates in basic department development expectations: a volunteer event, a local level presentation and program, project or committee participation

• Utilizes protected time and advanced certifications (if applicable) to assist department and organization in meeting strategic initiatives and operational goals

• Supports advancement of profession by providing and monitoring student internships/field work experiences.

• Demonstrates knowledge of age related growth and development principles necessary to provide appropriate service and assure safety of patients.

• Other duties as assigned

Scope of Responsibility:

The Speech Pathologist is expected to be involved in direct and indirect patient care related activities as directed by their leader. The therapist will practice in compliance with professional standards and ethics, Park Nicollet Health Services policies and state and federal regulatory agencies. Departments that offer rehab services include Methodist Hospital, Outpatient Clinics, Struthers Parkinson’s Center, and the Alexander Center.

Supervision/Work Direction:

The Speech Pathologist makes clinical decisions regarding the appropriate management of patients under his/her care. He/she delegates appropriate portions of patient treatment to therapy assistants and or aides and is responsible for supervising assistants, aides, volunteers and students.

Internal/External Contacts:

Customers include patients and their family members/ caregivers, physicians, health insurance representatives and other health care professionals.

Education/Experience:

Special Knowledge/Skills/Certification/Licenses:

1. Licensed with the Minnesota Department of Health

2. Required membership in professional organization American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and recommended membership in state organization Minnesota Speech and Hearing Association (MSHA) or nine months to require from date of hire.

3. Individuals are responsible for the travel arrangements required to meet the expectations of the position.

4. For the Development and Development Certification tracks individuals will exhibit leadership qualities and serve as a professional role model within the clinic demonstrating excellent communication skills, strong drive for results, motivation of others and a high degree of integrity and trust.

5. For development certification individuals must meet the components under option B:

Option A:

• Pass Board recognized certification exam, CHT exam, or CWS exam. Must maintain certification to remain in Certification Job Family.

Option B:

• Certification requires a professional degree. If non-professionals are allowed to achieve the certification, there must be sufficient evidence of additional training required before being able to achieve the certification.

• Minimum of 100 total CE course hours to achieve the certification. May include multiple courses if required for that certification.

• Includes a written exam which must be scored in a pass/fail manner.

• Minimum of 100 self-study hours with documentation of how those study hours were completed.

• Evidence of a minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice in the specialty area, 25% of which must have occurred within the last 3 years.

• Re-certification exam requirement to maintain certification.

If no re-certification exam available, but re-certification requirements exist, these must be submitted to the Rehab Leadership team for approval.

If no re-certification exam or re-certification requirements exist, the following requirements must be met to remain in the Certification Job Family (specific activities must be submitted to the Rehab Leadership team for pre-approval):

• Complete one continuing education activity from Group I OR two activities from Group II within a 5 year period from completing certification, or from last re-certification period.

  • Group I (Only 1 needed)

    • Be actively enrolled in, or Graduate from an AAOMPT credentialed Fellowship Program

    • Be actively enrolled in, or Graduate from an APTA or AOTA credentialed Residency Program

    • Pass a specialty board certification exam in any area

  • Group II (Minimum of 2 needed; must be from different categories)

    • Attend a continuing education course in your specialty that was NOT required for your certification (minimum of a 16 hour course). You may take two courses in your specialty area to satisfy the 16 hour minimum requirement.

    • Publish an article (or be listed as co-author) in a peer-reviewed journal, author a chapter in a published book, or edit a multiple-author published book in your specialty area.

    • Teach a pre-approved college level course related to your specialty area.

    • Teach a pre-approved educational/CE course in your specialty area.

Machines/Equipment/Software Utilized:

Proficient with communication and data processing equipment. Proficient in clinical apparatus related to area of expertise. Proficient in organization electronic medical record software.

Critical Job Demands

 Section 1: Place an “X’ next to ONE of the terms that best describes the frequency for each of the Critical Demands.

Section 2: Place an “X” next to ONE of the terms that best describes the Strength Rating for this job classification which is expressed by one of five terms: Sedentary, Light, Medium, Heavy, and Very Heavy.

Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.

X Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.

Heavy Work - Exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Medium Work.

Very Heavy Work - Exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Heavy Work.

Note: During any patient handling task, if any caregiver is required to lift more than 35 lbs. of a patient’s weight, assistive transfer devices should be used for the transfer.

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