Speech-Language Pathologist, Inpatient Rehab (Head & Neck Oncology)
Zion, IL
Access Healthcare
5x8 hrs, Days

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Travel/Contract Position

Location: Zion, Illinois
Specialty: Therapy/Rehabilitation
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Description

• Hybrid inpatient/outpatient role
• Schedule: 3 shifts of 8 hours (3x8s), Days, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
• No on-call, no float, no weekends
• Oncology-based, focusing on head and neck oncology (e.g., tracheostomy care, laryngectomy care)
• Moderate pace unit with fluctuations
• Commonly perform Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) studies
• Primary responsibilities include cognitive, language, speech, and voice assessment and treatments

Experience & Requirements

• Minimum 2 years of experience required; 5 years preferred
• First-time travelers are welcome
• Orientation: ~80 hours total (~72 hours on the floor)
• Must have state SLP license in hand
• Certifications required: BLS (AHA only, no HeartCode)

Required Skills/Experience

• Dysarthria
• Dysphagia
• Tracheostomy care
• Voice therapy
• Bedside Swallow Evaluation
• Conducting and interpreting Modified Barium Swallow Studies
• Recognizing signs & symptoms of physical, sexual, psychological abuse
• Patient and family education
• Assessment, discharge planning, evaluation, reassessments
• Point of service documentation
• Experience with young, middle-aged, and older adult patients

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Acute care and adult outpatient experience
• CVA (stroke) rehabilitation
• Laryngectomy care
• Augmentative communication
• Conducting and interpreting Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluations of Swallow (FEES)
• Knowledge of International Dysphagia Diet
• Modifying diet orders
• Myofascial release/manual therapy
• Passy Muir valve management
• Trach/ventilator care
• Voice prosthesis management
• Boston Aphasia Evaluation (BAE) and Western Aphasia Battery (WAB)
• Familiarity with Medicaid, Medicare A & B
• SLP evaluation coding

Documentation & Compliance Requirements

• Government-issued photo ID (Driver’s License/State ID)
• State license primary source verification before start and upon expiration
• Background check within 1 year covering all locations lived/worked/schooled in past 7 years
• Required certifications: BLS (AHA), ACLS (for RNs if applicable), PALS (if applicable)
• Annual competency exams and skills checklists as applicable
• Health documents including:

  • Physical exam within last 12 months
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray as required
  • Immunizations: MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Hepatitis B, Varicella, Tdap
  • Drug screening (10 panel) within 30 days of start
  • Seasonal flu vaccination or approved medical/religious exemption
  • COVID-19 vaccination or approved exemption
• Illinois Health Care Worker Registry search (if applicable)

Additional Candidate Submission Questions

• Number of unsupervised/outside of grad school Modified Barium Swallow studies completed per week or total
• Number of total laryngectomy patients treated and date of last treatment
• Experience with head and neck patients immediately post-surgery, including examples of surgeries treated

This position offers a specialized oncology-focused SLP role with a structured schedule and no weekend or on-call duties, ideal for clinicians with experience in head and neck cancer rehabilitation and swallowing disorders.