This position is located in the Audiology & speech Pathology Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the Salem VA Medical Center. The duties are responsibilities are carried throughout the medical center including clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The speech pathologist at this level conducts diagnostic assessments and evaluation planning, organizing, and conducting the rehabilitation program, training, research, and consultation.
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 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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS11: 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: (a) Knowledge of principles and techniques in assessing and treating disorders of speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing. (b) Knowledge of instrumentation and technologies for assessing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. (c) Ability to adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions, needs and goals. Assignment. SLPs at this entry developmental grade level assess and treat patients with routine speech, language, voice, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders following the principles of evidence-based practice and perform clinical procedures with respect to age-specific, unique patient conditions and needs. When assessing and treating patients with complex or rare speech, language, voice, cognitive communication and swallowing disorders, SLPs may require consultation with an SLP at the full performance or higher level. GS12: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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 12 . Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
DUTIES: GS11: Speech pathologists provide diagnostic, evaluative and therapeutic services for a variety of patients including those who have speech and/or language handicaps that constitute serious barriers to communication with others. The severity of a speech or language impairment does not rest primarily on the category of disorder, but on the extent of difficulty it presents in the process of verbal communication, and on the adverse effect it may have on individual personalities. Serious speech or language disorders are those which greatly hamper academic achievement, productive capacity, social relations, and thus the level of contact an individual maintains with his environment. Following are some examples of different kinds of speech and language disorders which are significantly debilitating in terms of verbal communication processes: - articulation impairments that are the result of extensive facial or vocal cord paralysis, causing inability to form basic speech sounds; - loss of voice following surgical removal of vocal cords (laryngectomy) necessitating esophageal speech or the use of an electronic voice substitute; - cleft palate disorders, which are congenital and require training for improved articulation and voice production; - stuttering (defects in speech fluency) which seems to be aggravated by psychological trauma; - aphasia, or the impairment of ability to translate thought into language, brought about by brain damage. GS-11 speech pathologists independently evaluate patients to determine the nature and thus the level of contact an individual maintains with his environment. GS12: Performs Diagnostic Tests - The incumbent is responsible for independent diagnostic assessment and evaluation of inpatients and outpatients that are referred for Speech Pathology Services without limitation as to difficulty or complexity. The incumbent will be responsible to conduct interviews with the patients and appropriate family members and/or friends; selects, administers, and interprets the diagnostic test necessary to detect, evaluate and treat any type of speech, language, voice and/or swallowing disorders. Is responsible for the adequacy of assessment and for the reporting of the findings to other professional workers with whom he/she/or other member of the speech pathology section may cooperate in formulating diagnostic and remedial judgments. Incumbent will utilize all diagnostic and evaluative procedures common to speech pathology. In addition, he/she/shall stay abreast of all new developments in speech pathology by reading professional journals and by communicating with other professionals in his/her field. Assesses patient condition from close observation and consultation with other members of the patient treatment team. Develops Treatment Plans and Provides Therapy - Develops plans for a course of therapy to resolve or minimize speech-related and/or swallowing conditions/ Is responsible for the administration of tests of voice and speech including modal level and variation of vocal pitch and loudness; variability of the rate of vocal utterance; frequency and complexity of speech disfluency; consistency and adaptation of disfluency in sustained or repeated speaking and aural reading; phonetic analysis of speech designed to identify and evaluate patterns of misarticulation, such as distortions and omissions of sounds, as well as phonemic substitutions, including patterns of variation and speech sound articulation; and identification of phonetic and semantic factors related to this variation. Establishes and maintains an effective therapy relationship with the patient, family, and caregivers. Adjusts treatment plan to patient response and indicators of progress. Work Schedule: Monday -Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized