Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Pediatric Acute Care

Montgomery College; United States; On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, TN is seeking a Speech-Language Pathologist to evaluate and treat pediatric feeding, swallowing, dysphagia, speech, language and communication disorders in an acute care setting.

Responsibilities include developing individualized treatment plans, conducting VFSS, collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team, educating families, and documenting progress in the EMR. Experience in NICU/PICU and pediatric dysphagia is preferred.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
• ASHA CCC-SLP certification.
• Tennessee SLP license or licensure eligible.
• Minimum one year of pediatric acute care hospital experience.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates and treats pediatric feeding, swallowing, dysphagia, speech and language disorders in an acute care setting.
• Develops individualized treatment plans focused on functional outcomes and family-centered care.
• Performs VFSS to support safe feeding and swallowing recommendations.
• Collaborates with physicians, nurses, therapists, dietitians, and other staff.
• Educates families/caregivers on feeding strategies and discharge planning.
• Documents evaluations and progress in the electronic medical record.

Skills

CCC-SLP

Pediatrics

Acute care

Education

Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization

Hearing And Speech

Job Summary

JOB SUMMARY Evaluates and treats patients with speech, language, voice, cognition, fluency, auditory (re)habilitation, and swallowing/oral feeding disorders. Educates and counsels patients and families. Provides independent therapeutic services and identify area(s) of clinical specialization and competency. Supervises graduate students as assigned in clinical specialty area. Participates actively in identifying and conducting quality improvement activities. Collaborates with clinical practice team to achieve patient outcomes and system objectives.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Pediatric Acute Care

Location: Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN

Department: Pediatric Rehabilitation Services

Schedule: Full-Time | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Weekend Rotation: 3-4 Half Days per Quarter

What You’ll Do

Evaluate and treat pediatric feeding, swallowing, dysphagia, speech, language, and communication disorders in an acute care setting. Provide care for medically complex infants, children, and adolescents, including patients with tracheostomies, neurological conditions, traumatic brain injuries, and developmental disabilities. Perform Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS) to support safe feeding and swallowing recommendations. Develop individualized treatment plans focused on functional outcomes and family-centered care. Collaborate closely with physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare professionals. Educate families and caregivers regarding feeding strategies, swallowing safety, communication development, and discharge recommendations. Document evaluations, treatment plans, and patient progress in the electronic medical record. Support continuity of care through discharge planning and interdisciplinary coordination.

Why Vanderbilt Health?

Practice at one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals. Treat a diverse and medically complex pediatric population across the continuum of acute care. Gain advanced experience in pediatric feeding and swallowing, dysphagia management, VFSS, NICU, and PICU services. Work alongside nationally recognized experts in pediatric rehabilitation and acute care. Access continuing education, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. Join an academic medical center committed to innovation, research, and exceptional patient care.

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology
• ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)
• Tennessee Speech-Language Pathology license or eligibility for licensure
• Minimum one year of pediatric acute care hospital experience (outside of graduate school opportunities) pediatric feeding and swallowing evaluation and treatment experience

Preferred Qualifications

• NICU experience
• PICU experience
• VFSS experience
• Pediatric dysphagia management experience
• Level I Trauma Center experience

Key Responsibilities

• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• Supervises graduate students by providing instruction, guidance/counsel and training to ensure provision of competent patient care and completion of appropriate documentation.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Technical Capabilities

• Speech Pathology Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Identifies treatment objectives based upon assessment results and family input. Writes functional objectives in measurable terms that are consistent with the family's goals and resources. Applies evidence based clinical management practices. Identifies and recommends additional/alternative services when appropriate.
• Speech Pathology Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with speech-language, auditory, and/or swallowing/oral feeding deficits using the appropriate testing methods and equipment for the patient type, diagnosis, and reason for the referral. Demonstrates the ability to obtain the case history and selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy.
• Discharge Planning (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in the discharge planning process. Informs patients, family and members of team of the patient's needs based upon the assessment and/or treatment. Makes recommendations for continued services, follow-up, or referrals to other services. Seeks guidance consistently on the transition and discharge process including transition services and referral resources. May anticipate transition and discharge needs of the patient based upon understanding of pathology/diagnosis and relationship to their present functional status. Will have completed at least one year of experience with transition and discharge planning.
• Speech Pathology Patient & Family Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of speech-language pathology.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.

Position Qualifications

LIC-Speech Pathologist - Tennessee

Work Experience: Relevant Work Experience, Experience Level: 1 year. Education: Master's

Benefits and Compensation

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled. PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. Great health care takes great people.

Company Overview

We’re looking for like‑minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt Health, where we value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and foster an environment where everyone can thrive. We’re the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and an expanding footprint across towns and communities throughout the region. We employ more than 43,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research and graduate medical education. Our employees also serve in critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fundraising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many other departments. Our growing academic health system has more than 2,100 licensed hospital beds at eight hospitals: Vanderbilt University Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital, Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital, Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital, Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital. Vanderbilt Health is the Mid-South's largest provider of specialty care, with hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region, and Tennessee’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for adults and children. We are one of the nation’s busiest critical care centers, home to Middle Tennessee’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center for adults and children, and Middle Tennessee’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We are the nation’s largest transplant center, and last year we performed the most heart transplants than any center worldwide. Vanderbilt Health is an epicenter for biomedical research, winning over $1 billion in annual research awards from government, industry, foundations and donors. We are also a national leader in medical training and education, with the largest clinical training center in the Mid-South and the only training center in Tennessee for many adult and pediatric specialties. We’re honored to be consistently considered among the nation’s best hospitals for quality, safety and patient satisfaction. Three of our hospitals — Vanderbilt University Hospital, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital — have been awarded a Five-Star Quality Rating from Medicare. We support each other and encourage excellence among every member of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth opportunities, competitive compensation and benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in advancing health care.

Vision

The world leader in advancing personalized health

Mission

Personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities