Associate Speech Therapist

Associate Speech Therapist**Job Code**:
30001303

**Basic Function**:
The Associate Speech-Therapist (A-ST) is a professional who is supervised and mentored by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) or equivalent in providing a range of speech-language pathology services as needed, for patients with various speech, language and communication disorders. The supervision and mentorship period will be based on the completion of clinical competencies and guided by the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) guidelines or equivalent for Speech-Therapy Assistants.

Interventions are designed to achieve functional outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability and which restore the highest possible level of independence. Guidance and support provided through mentorship to achieve competency in work roles. The A-ST practices according to professional codes, JHAH, CBAHI and JCI policies and procedures.

**Scope**:
Working within JHAH Specialized Therapy and Clinical Services Department in Dhahran and districts,.
- Responsible for conducting assessments for patients with various disorders.
- Implements speech and language therapy programs for both pediatric and adult patients with various diagnosis.
- May provide assessment and treatment services to patients with acute speech, language and swallowing disorders as guided by the SLP supervisor/mentor.
- Provides interventions that may include one-on-one weekly therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, parent coaching, and conducting parent workshops.
- Responsible for recording, and evaluating the patients’ responses and progress throughout therapy, with planned re-evaluations to update the patient’s goals.
- Collaborates with schedulers and other clerical staff in the clinic in managing all administrative patient care related duties.
- Seeks continued developmental improvement and reports to the SLP- Team Lead or Rehabilitation Services Division (RSD) Director.
- Conducts oneself ethically within the scope of practice and responsibilities for the role. Work hours are assigned to meet operational needs. Hours may include on call, extended hours and scheduled overtime.
- Direction is through the SLP- Team Leader and RSD Director.

**Principal Contacts**:

- Ongoing with patients and their families, home caregivers for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the speech-language pathology plan of care; with new hire and newly assigned staff for orientation and integration into the unit; routinely with Physicians/Surgeons, nurses and other medical staff members to report changes in the patient's condition and/or needs, and coordinate the speech language pathology/rehabilitation program.
- Occasional public and community contact through communicating policy changes, revisions, and/or introduction of new work rules.
- Occasional with other JHAH personnel and outside services.

**Principal Duties**:
Performs all of the following:
**1) ASSESSMENT**:

- Performs patient assessment, establishes functional goals, and designs a treatment plan in collaboration with the patient and family.
- Assesses educational needs of the patient, family, or caregiver and provides education and educational material to meet those needs, documenting intervention in the patient’s electronic medical record as applicable.

**2) PLANNING**
- Plans for rehabilitation needs at discharge with family and multi inter/disciplinary team
- Plans and organizes own patient workload training sessions and straightforward activities with guidance and support of mentor or senior staff

**2) IMPLEMENTATION/INTERVENTIONS**:

- Provides Intervention services that will depend on the patient’s diagnosis and special needs ensuring optimal care delivery.
- Provides individual and group based therapy sessions to facilitate the patient’s functional communication skills.
- For each patient treated, documents in the electronic medical record using SOAP format. Documentation includes an initial assessment, progress notes, discharge summary with family teaching and a home-program.
- Provides reports for medical charts and/ or in response to medical liaison requests and /or Medical Referral Committee, reviewed and approved by the SLP- Team lead/Supervisor.

**Principal Duties (cont'd)**:
**3) EVALUATION**:

- Assesses the effectiveness of treatment. Schedules re-evaluations with the patient and modifies treatment approaches to achieve goals.
- Seeks supervision, guidance and observed practice opportunities to develop clinical skills in the area of assessment and differential diagnosis.
- Assesses educational needs of the patient, family, or caregiver and provides education and educational material to meet those needs, documenting intervention in the electronic medical record
- Refers patients to appropriate services based on the evaluation of patient’s needs.
- Plans for patient discharge.

**4) PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS**:
Performs other duties to support the overall effectiveness o