Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values, Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Clinical Specialist, Speech-Language Pathologist for the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial program is a designated Clinical Specialist regularly asked to consult, give clinical advice and training to others including speech-language pathologists and health care professionals throughout British Columbia, Canada, and internationally, and, participates and follows guidelines as set by the American Cleft Palate Association.  Working collaboratively within an inter-professional environment applies knowledge, skills and clinical expertise to assess, plan, implement and evaluate goals and care plans for patients with cleft palate-craniofacial impairments and concomitant pathologies.

Participates in research and in ongoing quality assurance and risk management programs.

Provides a range of clinical services that focus on promoting communication, language and speech and that contribute to a client/patient’s overall cognitive, physical, social and emotional well being.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1. Assesses and diagnoses communication disorders in children with, or suspected of having, cleft palate and/or other craniofacial conditions, including assessment of oral motor/ pre-speech skills as appropriate. Uses standardized and non-standardized assessment procedures including perceptual and instrumental measures (e.g., nasometry, pressure-flow analysis, nasoendoscopy and videofluoroscopy).   

2. Determines whether speech disorders are structural, phonological, compensatory or neuromuscular in nature; makes recommendations regarding appropriate management; (i.e., surgical intervention, speech prostheses, and/or speech therapy.).  Consults with surgical team on appropriate surgical procedures.   

3. Recommends an appropriate remediation program in the form of direct therapy, consultation and training to parents, care-givers, and/or professionals, periodic follow-up where necessary, and/or referrals to other professionals as indicated.

4. Shares assessment and treatment recommendations with parents and team members, and with community service providers and professionals in the community as appropriate.  Provides consultative support to community therapists regarding appropriate intervention strategies for individual clients.  Liaises with other agencies to ensure adequate follow-up of communication problems

5. Contributes to the coordination of the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Program clinics: facilitates priorization of clinic consultations and referrals, and, recommended follow-up for children based on guidelines for best practice for assessment and treatment of cleft lip/palate and related condition in the correct sequence from birth to age 19.

6. Acts as a clinical resource person to the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Program interdisciplinary team, and other health care professionals throughout the hospital, as well as community hospitals and community health care professionals and agencies throughout British Columbia, Canada, and internationally on the management of children with cleft lip and palate. Acts as a consultant to community agencies in developing programs and services to meet the needs of children with cleft lip and palate.

7. Records patient information, assessment results and treatment recommendations in the Cleft Palate Database and provides written reports.

8. Maintains current competency in Speech Language Pathology through regular review of the professional literature and ongoing professional development..

9. Upholds the clinical standards of practice of the profession and the organization as reflected in Regulatory/Program/Service standards. Ensures the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Program procedures relating to speech and language meet the standards of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA).  Develops, coordinates, implements and evaluates patient care standards and provides ongoing planning and assessment of cleft lip and palate treatment protocols at the provincial, national, and international level.  Consults with the Professional Practice Leader for Speech-Language Pathology and Program Manager as appropriate/needed.

10. Contributes to the development of curriculum for inter-professional academic courses on the assessment, therapy and management of cleft lip and palate in collaboration with other faculty members, coordinates student placements, and evaluates students per the course guidelines.  As faculty supervises, teaches, mentors and evaluates students from speech-language pathology, medicine, and, nursing and other related disciplines.

11. Communicates cleft lip and palate care principles to health care professionals, colleagues, peers and students through in-service education and orientation/training sessions, rounds and continuing education programs.  Serves on discipline/program committees or represents the discipline/program in external committees as required.

12. Participates in hospital, program, discipline and university programs related to teaching.  Provides suggestions for speech-language pathology intern experiences and provides students with the opportunity to observe and take an active role in the education and treatment of cleft lip and plate patients.

13. Participates in clinical research and collaborates with members from the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Program and medical directors in the planning, development and evaluation of clinical research proposals, projects and surveys; works with team members to determine the implications of current research; and promotes and disseminates information stemming from research findings and conducts research and collaborates in writing for publication.

14. Participates in discipline or program based quality assurance/improvement initiatives by methods such as collecting data, monitoring variances to expected outcomes, and patient/family satisfaction surveys.  Makes recommendations to the team, Program Manager and or Professional Practice Leader for change based on results.  Provides discipline specific input into program/clinic protocol development utilizing evidence based practice.

15. Provides input and feedback to discipline and/or program regarding strategic planning initiatives and effective use of resources.  Collects and submits workload measurement and other data according to established guidelines.

16. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

• Graduation from an academic program in speech-language pathology approved by the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC.
• Five (5) years recent, related clinical experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Masters level education and/or training specific to cleft lip and palate.
• Certification / demonstrated successful completion of advanced training or education specific to cleft lip and palate beyond entry level to practice.
• Current full registration as a Speech-Language Pathologist with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC.

Skills and Abilities

• Broad knowledge of speech-language pathology diagnostic and therapeutic principals, procedures and approaches, and clinical best practices relevant to the population.
• Current knowledge of child development and child language development.
• Knowledge of developmental and acquired conditions impacting on and coexisting with communication and speech and language disorders.
• An understanding of the process of differential diagnosis of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders.
• Broad knowledge of evidence based practice and rese