Learn about the essential requirements, obligations, responsibilities, and skills that are helpful in a speech-language pathologist’s job description.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), also known as speech therapists or speech pathologists, are master’s level clinicians that treat people with communication and swallowing disorders. They work with them to help restore abilities impacted by these conditions, improving their quality of life.
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Speech Language Pathologist Job Description Template
We are looking for a speech-language pathologist to join our healthcare team. This position handles the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning for children and adults with communication and swallowing disorders. We value evidence-based practice, person-centered care, and effective communication at our organization, so our ideal candidate will have experience with and a passion for each of these things. If you’re ready to start empowering people to regain their voice and ability to use it, we want to hear from you.
Speech Language Pathologist Responsibilities
- Assess a patient’s condition to identify communication disorders and swallowing difficulties
- Create treatment plans using evidence-based therapeutic techniques
- Provide education to patients and their families to improve health literacy
- Conduct collateral visits with other members of a patient’s healthcare team and support system to obtain additional information about their progress
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date record-keeping and patient charts
- Stay updated on the latest innovations and information in the industry through training and CEUs
Speech Language Pathologist Requirements
- Master’s degree in speech-language pathology from an accredited university
- Valid and active state licensure to be a speech-language pathologist (new graduates eligible for licensure are also welcome to apply)
- Experience working with diverse groups of patients
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience working in a healthcare setting
- Willingness to adapt to a dynamic environment
- A passion for helping others and providing person-centered care
Speech Language Pathologist Duties And Responsibilities
Assess a patient’s condition to identify communication disorders and swallowing difficulties
Assessing a patient’s condition is the first step a speech-language pathologist uses to diagnose them with the appropriate condition. SLPs must be familiar with standardized assessments and other diagnostic tests and tools and be able to conduct clinically structured interviews to obtain additional information about the patient’s condition. Having empathy and patients are two essential qualities to have as an SLP because they help you create a comfortable and trusting environment for patients during assessments.
Create treatment plans using evidence-based therapeutic techniques
After conducting an initial assessment, SLPs must create personalized treatment plans based on the results. These treatment plans consist of evidence-based therapeutic techniques designed to help patients adapt to their current level of functioning or regain a lost ability, which helps SLPs to provide the most efficient and effective care.
Often, treatment plan goals also involve increasing a patient’s confidence in their own abilities so they can create meaningful interactions with others. Strong knowledge of evidence-based practices and the ability to analyze a patient’s condition are important skills for this job responsibility.
Conduct collateral visits with other members of a patient’s healthcare team and support system to obtain additional information about their progress
Sometimes, SLPs will work with a patient’s family members to better understand the patient’s condition outside of a clinical setting. They may also contact other members of their healthcare team, like a primary care doctor, pediatrician, psychologist, or occupational therapist. SLPs must also document every interaction they have related to a patient’s case, so knowledge of documentation standards is important for this role. And because of that, excellent communication and collaboration skills are also vital for this responsibility.
Provide education to patients and their families to improve health literacy
SLPs are as much educators as they are therapists. A successful SLP should be able to explain high-level scientific concepts and information about a patient’s condition to them, regardless of their literacy level.
When a patient (and their family) better understand their communication or swallowing condition, they are also more likely to be motivated for treatment and engage throughout a session. Strong communication skills enable SLPs to convey this information appropriately, increasing treatment plan compliance and a patient’s comfort with their care. This also improves the overall effectiveness of speech therapy.
Stay updated on the latest innovations and information in the industry through training and CEUs
As with any healthcare profession, there is constantly new information about how to best assess, diagnose, and treat patients with communication and swallowing disorders. Continuing education and a commitment to professional growth are essential to maintain compliance with state and federal licensure regulations. Many employers look for additional training or certifications outside of a master’s in speech-language pathology when hiring. Some examples are:
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) through the American Speech-Lanaguage-Hearing Association
- Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Certification (LSVT LOUD)
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- PROMPTS For Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT)
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Speech Language Pathologist Salary And Job Outlook
Median National Salary: $90,175
Education Required: Master’s degree in speech-language pathology
Number of Jobs: 14,000 new jobs projected each year
Job Growth 2020 – 2030: 21%
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re a new graduate or a seasoned SLP, staying up to date on the latest jobs is important. It’s also a great way to see if the average salary in your area has changed or if competitors offer better benefits. To do this, check our list of the best free job posting sites to help start your search. If you want to add a speech-language pathologist to your team, post your job description on ZipRecruiter!
