This position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. Incumbent is a Staff Speech-Language Pathologist at the full performance level.

Duties

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care." The Speech Pathology Section Chief is responsible for providing comprehensive clinical services as well as ensuring that work assignments of the other members of the clinical team are carried out by performing a range of administrative duties. The Speech Pathology Section Chief exercises a range of managerial authority that is complex and technical in nature and requires consistent exercise of independent judgment. The Section Chief functions as an independent practitioner for clinical responsibilities and is fully responsible for all clinical decisions and administrative responsibilities under general oversight of the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Service Chief. Clinical responsibilities include: The incumbent uses knowledge of current speech-language pathology practice to evaluate patients to determine the nature, type, and severity of speech, language, voice, and swallowing disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques, past medical history, record review, and consultation with family and other professionals. The incumbent plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function. The incumbent attends interdisciplinary team meetings, participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient, advises on diagnoses and treatments. The incumbent coordinates swallowing and speech services in the Community Living Center, evaluating and monitoring clinical outcomes, communicating goals and objectives to the interdisciplinary team, and serving as a trainer for nurses, family, and other professionals. The incumbent manages and assists supervising the clinical training and supervision of students, trainees, and clinical fellows, providing feedback in the progress toward established educational goals. The incumbent remains current with theory and practice regarding speech-language pathology through continuing education programs, journals, and in-service programs. Administrative responsibilities include: The incumbent monitors and evaluates the progress and quality of the team's work, as well as the workload, making adjustments in order to meet established priorities and goals. The incumbent serves as a coach and facilitator to coordinate team initiatives and consensus building among team members who may have divergent backgrounds, opinions, and interests. The incumbent coordinates with universities, administrative officers, and academic offices to ensure smooth implementation of training program for trainees and fellows. The incumbent triages consults from Community Care and Non-VA Care in Community Nursing Homes. The incumbent suggests modifications to performance appraisals based on competency and chart reviews. The incumbent conducts quarterly reviews of clinic utilization, position mapping, productivity, and other measures as mandated by facility policy. The incumbent incorporates the VA Core Values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence in all interactions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): This occupation is being considered for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive (CSI). Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI. The amount of lump sum CSI is determined based on appointment date and may be pro-rated as determined by the end date of the CSI. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI.

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: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education and Experience: (1) 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 (2) 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. (1) 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. (2) The requirement for licensure may be waived by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in VHA Central Office for individuals engaged in research or academic assignments involving no direct patient care duties, in accordance with current activities. (3) An SLP who has, or ever has had their speech-language pathology license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed on probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part. Failure to Obtain Licensure: In all cases, graduate SLP must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. The Human Resource office staff will provide the unlicensed SLP written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credential: Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required certification, both current and in good standing, which may result in separation from employment. An SLP who has, or has ever had, their SLP license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. English Language Proficiency: SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). GRADE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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: (a) 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. (b) Skill in administering and interpreting instrumental swallowing evaluations. (c) Ability to assess the effectiveness of clinical outcomes and adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions. Assignment: This is the full performance level. At this level, SLPs independently provide evidence-based assessment and treatment interventions to individuals with a wide range of speech, language, voice, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders. Staff SLPs select, administer and interpret standardized and non-standardized assessment measures. They integrate assessment findings into a patient-centered treatment plan of care and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions by collecting and documenting treatment outcomes. SLPs may be assigned to work in a specific clinical area such as traumatic brain injury, head and neck cancer, movement disorders or spinal cord injury. They may provide clinical training experiences for trainees and students and participate in research activities. Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-13. Experience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-12 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of scientific principles and contemporary, evidence-based practice in differential diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, voice, swallowing and cognitive-communication disorders as it relates to a specialized clinical program. (b) Skill in prioritizing program goals and objectives. (c) Ability to build consensus among clinical team members with divergent backgrounds, interests and points of view. (d) Ability to gather and evaluate outcome data to determine program quality and effectiveness. (e) Ability to serve as a resource to other health care providers regarding a specialized clinical program. Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. SLPs with special clinical program responsibilities plan, guide and facilitate the work of a specialized, intra- or interdisciplinary clinical team to accomplish program goals and establish well-coordinated work operations. At this level, SLPs are responsible for communicating team goals and objectives to other medical center staff; and serve as a resource to other health care providers. SLPs with special clinical program responsibilities evaluate the program's work by developing quality improvement indicators and monitoring outcome data, making adjustments as needed. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G30 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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 Washington VA Medical Center 50 Irving Street, Northwest Washington, DC 20422 US
• Name: Karen Simmons
• Phone: 202-297-8951
• Email: [email protected]