This position is in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services department of the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System.

Duties

Evaluates and treats veterans referred for speech and language pathology services within the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System. Provides assessment and treatment in acute care, community living centers, hospice care and outpatient environments. Works effectively with treatment team members, veterans, and veterans' family/significant others, and other health care providers to coordinate the Veterans' total care. Communicates in electronic medical record and other written and/or verbal sources to promote positive communication, collaboration, and teamwork. Member of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team on acute care and community living centers. Develops plan of care based on evaluations to address speech, language, voice, cognitive, and swallowing disorders. Establishes and maintains communication with the patient, family and caregivers. Adjusts treatment plan to patient response and indicators of progress. Conducts modified barium swallow within VHA regulations regarding fluoroscopy safety. Provides education to medical center staff regarding speech and language pathology. Participates in department and facility level quality improvement processes. Completes consult management to ensure compliance with VHA regulations regarding consult management and scheduling. Facilitates virtual care of rural veterans. Interprets findings from examination and evaluation, selects appropriate outcome test and measures, and integrate findings into the plan of care for the full range of veteran populations. Determines prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the veteran's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes. Develops and promotes new and existing treatment programs incorporating clinical practice guidelines with evidence-based support. Knowledgeable about research in the practitioner's area of practice. Refers veteran to appropriate resources when the needs of the veteran can best be served by the expertise of other professionals or services. Educates current and potential referral sources about the scope of speech pathology services and the process of initiating services. Utilizes screening tools appropriate to performance context and communicates screening results and recommendations to veteran and health care team. Documents evaluation results, treatment plans, veteran response to treatment and education provided in accordance with the facility guidelines including The Joint Commission requirements and Long-Term Care Institute requirements, as well as ASHA guidelines. Ensures the intervention plan is documented within time frames, formats and standards established by facility. Included in the intervention plan are veteran-centered goals that are clear, measurable, functional, relevant and appropriate to the veteran's needs, goals and expected outcomes. Reviews the plan with the veteran and additional members of interdisciplinary team. Informs veterans regarding the relative benefits and risks of the intervention. Re-evaluates during the intervention process and documents progress of goals and outcomes. Modifies intervention to reflect changes in status and response to intervention. Discontinues services when the client has achieved predetermined goals, has achieved maximum benefits from services, or does not desire to continue services, or upon failure to demonstrate continued progress toward goals. Prepares and implements a discharge plan that addresses follow-up resources and identifies outcome measures between initial evaluation and discontinuance of services. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Monday-Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education and Experience. A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience (see paragraph 2.g.). or A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university. Licensure. Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for SLP licensure may be appointed to a temporary position as a graduate SLP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ? 7405 (c)(2). Individuals appointed as graduate SLPs may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: SLPs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. If SLPs who are retained under this provision leave the occupation, they will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. SLPs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment. SLPs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Grade Determinations: Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-11 Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of principles and techniques in assessing and treating disorders of speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing. Knowledge of instrumentation and technologies for assessing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. Ability to adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions, needs and goals. Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-12 Experience. In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-11 level, completing one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level and possessing a full, current and unrestricted license to practice speech-language pathology. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in applying principles and techniques of diagnosis and treatment associated with contemporary speech-language pathology following evidence-based practice for adult patients exhibiting the full range of speech to the full range of patient populations. Skill in administering and interpreting instrumental swallowing evaluations. Ability to assess the effectiveness of clinical outcomes and adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions. Preferred Experience: 2 years inpatient care, Modified Barium Swallow experience References: See VA Handbook 5005, part II, Appendix G30 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Royal C Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital 2501 West 22nd Street Sioux Falls, SD 57105 US
• Name: Breeze Hennes
• Phone: (320) 252-1670 X5222
• Email: [email protected]