Speech Pathologist - Verde Valley Medical Center

Northern Arizona Healthcare; Cottonwood (AZ); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Arizona Healthcare is seeking a Speech Therapist for their Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood, Arizona. The role involves managing patient care, documenting EMR, and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. Ideal candidates will have a Master’s degree, appropriate state licenses, and a minimum of one year of experience. Additionally, the position emphasizes safety compliance and educational resource sharing across departments, fostering a supportive environment for both staff and patients.

Qualifications

• Current license in the state of Arizona is required.
• BLS (American Heart Association) certification required upon hire.
• Minimum one year experience in area of specialty preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide appropriate supervision to supportive personnel.
• Document EMR accurately reflecting patient data and responses.
• Evaluate and treat patients without physician orders as per regulations.
• Act as a resource for peers and other departments for education.

Skills

Patient care

Communication skills

Documentation

Team collaboration

Education

Master’s degree

Job description

Located in the heart of the Verde Valley, an area surrounded by beauty and made for those who love the outdoors year-round, sits Verde Valley Medical Center. A rural hospital of 87 beds that allows for the feel of a small community with the opportunity to challenge and grow your skills like that of a larger hospital. Our therapists are part of a multi-disciplinary team who collaborate to provide the best care to our patients, every time. Our therapists are a piece of a greater organization that covers the health care needs of Northern Arizona from Cottonwood through Sedona to Flagstaff. This opportunity allows for therapist to treat a vast range of diagnosis across different cultures and backgrounds.

Our ideal candidate possesses a passion for patient care, is internally motivated and ready to invest in their career as an acute care therapist in a rural community. Therapist's that have a desire to continue to challenge themselves, be part of a multidisciplinary team and poses an innovative-driven mindset will thrive in our environment.

The practice of Speech Therapy shall include assessment, treatment, planning, implementing, education, communication and demonstration of leadership to address the needs of patients and their families as well as to foster a positive working relationship among professionals and ancillary staff. This person may be caring for infants, children, adolescents and/or senior patients and will have the knowledge and skills to care for the physical and developmental needs of these populations. The Speech Therapist will practice within defined standards of care and direct the practice of support staff in order to achieve the patient’s functional goals.

Responsibilities

• Care Management: Provides appropriate supervision to supportive personnel (Techs, students) while assuming responsibility for care of patient; attends and actively participates in patient team conferences and family conferences; determines needs for follow up outpatient therapy and makes post-discharge recommendations.
• Documentation: Documents within EMR and charting accurately reflects a logical flow between data collected, action taken, and patients response to the action; plans specific measures to meet assessed learning needs and documents in patient record; recognizes and addresses patient, family, and appropriate others in the learning needs of the individual; presents information clearly and in a manner appropriate to the level of patient and family understanding; implements the treatment plan and evaluates and records the patient responses to the treatment sessions; participates in the development of individual discharge plans that are responsive to patient/family concerns; able to revise/update plan based on assessment.
• Education: Acts as a resource person to peers within the rehabilitation department, fielding questions, mentoring, or providing educational opportunities; acts as a resource person to other departments and community, fielding questions, mentoring, or providing educational opportunities.
• Patient Care: Reviews patient’s history and appropriate data prior to initiating evaluation; evaluates and treats patients without a physician order or referral as established by Board of Medical Directors Rule; assists patients and families in planning for discharge.
• Compliance/Safety: Responsible for reporting any safety‑related incident in a timely fashion through the Midas/RDE tool; attends all safety‑related training programs; performs work in a safe manner; monitors work environment for possible safety issues and ensures others are also performing work in a safe manner; stays current and complies with state and federal regulations/statutes and company policies that impact the employee’s area of responsibility; if required for the position, ensures all certifications and/or licenses are up‑to‑date and valid prior to expiration dates; completes all company mandatory modules and required job‑specific training in the specified time frame; meets productivity goals according to departmental standards; attends 75% of department monthly meetings in a 12‑month period; responsible for 100% of the meeting content from minutes; responds to new orders promptly in compliance with department policy; maintains timely and accurate documentation of assessments, interventions, EMR entries, and patient responses; completes charges in a timely manner and according to proper procedures.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree - Required
• Certification & Licensures: Current license in the state of Arizona - Required; BLS (American Heart Association) - Required upon date of hire; Fingerprint Clearance Card application number - Required upon hire; Fingerprint Clearance Card - Required within 90 days of hire; Employee will obtain and maintain appropriate clinical competencies for the roles assigned by their departmental leader.
• Experience: Minimum one (1) year experience in area of specialty - Preferred; Healthcare is a rapidly changing environment and technology is integrated into almost all aspects of patient care. Computers and other electronic devices are utilized across the organization and throughout each department. Colleagues must have an understanding of computers, and competence in using computers and basic software programs.