Pros and Cons Of 8 Speech Therapy Jobs That Nobody Tells You (if you are about to graduate and become a CFY read this!)
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
This post is about speech therapy jobs
Pro's and Con's of different speech therapy jobs. I have been working as an SLP for 14+ years. Mostly all of my experience, with the exception of hippotherapy, my CFY in a private clinic and occasionally a getting children put onto my caseload as a last minute thing at the schools, I have worked with adults and adolescents (middle and high school age).
Speech Therapy Jobs:
Hippotherapy at the barn | Speech Therapy Jobs
Pro:
Working with animals!! Especially majestic creatures such as horses
Working with amazing volunteers as a team to help those with different needs
Having the best sensory regulation tool (the horses movement) to help kids with a range of conditions from autism to down syndrome
Learning how to care for animals
Working outdoors
Never a dull moment. In your free time you can help to care for the animals, chat with volunteers
Lower risk of burn-out. Each day is new, exciting and fun!
Cons:
Where I worked if a client canceled there was no pay for that session. It left an awkward gap in the schedule and there is not a regular office to do paperwork (in this particular barn)
You needed to manage a horse, two-four volunteers and the client and always keep an eye out in case you needed to do an emergency exit (rapidly whisk the child off of the horse)
Most of the work was with children and I prefer to work with adults
The arena was small so going around in circles can make you dizzy
Some treatments are not available on the horse (for instance writing on paper)
The commute to the barn can be far depending on where you live
Private Practice | Speech Therapy Jobs
Pro:
Controlled space
Quiet environment
Flexibility in making your own schedule/hours
Consistency in your treatments
Never having to rush to find a space or work in a crowded or loud environment
Lower risk of burn out. No high productivity demands.
Cons:
Harder to co-treat when you are seeing clients privately in the office all the time
If a client gets upset or does something dangerous you are somewhat cornered in that office with them
1:1 setting sometimes creates a space for the client to share emotions instead of work on speech goals (Depends on setting) We don't have enough training in counseling I am not equipped to deal with that (unless its stuttering in which we get a tiny bit of training). When that happens I refer them to a counselor.
If a client does not show up you may not get paid. Depends on if you are a salaried position or contractor.
Nursing Homes | Speech Therapy Jobs
Pro:
The best population to work with (in my opinion)
There is always work/clients
You can make your schedule (i.e. work PRN certain days certain hours)- Just know they will always give you more work than you signed up for
You can absorb the wisdom of the elderly
There are a lot of PT's and OT's to learn new things from - co-treat : )
Cons:
Smells bad sometimes
There is a wing for long term stays that can be a little sad
Sometimes management pushes you into seeing clients too much because of insurance not based on what they actually need
The materials are lacking for nursing homes. Also the patients have limitations such as poor eyesight, lack of mobility, inability to use technology, limited attention, pain etc.
High risk of burn-out due to productivity demands
Very easy to get into an ethical dilemma. There are so many gray areas in this setting.
You are going to be making important choices about peoples diet levels (this can cause them to a) be upset or b) choke ) Choose wisely
Private Patients
Pro:
You can control the variables (where to see them, activities etc)
You can build a strong rapport with the client and their families
You have the options at times to treat in their house and work on functional tasks (sequencing for cooking, safety, going shopping)
You can set the price! As far as insurance you can help them fill out forms to submit them for reimbursement
Low risk of burn-out. More relaxed setting.
Cons:
Your access to supplies are more limited. There is not an office where you can grab a bunch of assessments or vital stim machines or other things. Everything you use must be from your own collection
At times the patients may be distracted because they are in their home environment
It is hard to find clients- You need to be marketing yourself a lot! (i.e. harder to make money unless you spend a lot of time on marketing/advertising)
Travel SLP Schools
Pro:
These are usually a short term contract at a higher rate
Companies will provide you with a per diem which is a daily allowance that is not taxed
You can opt to work with older students (in my case this is a pro because I prefer middle and or high school)
It is a great way to explore and see new cities- Plan on being somewhere rural though because the big cities do not need help. Try to land a city next to a big one so on the weekends you have something to do!
Lower risk of burn-out since it is a short term contract but still possible!
Work/life balance is easier in the schools due to the daily schedule (end relatively early) and all the holidays offs
Cons:
Schools come with a lot of politics within their own eco system- make sure to stay out of that
There are a lot of meetings and sometimes they don't run smoothly or start on time. Parents will no show.
There can be a lot of paperwork between progress notes and IEP's.
All the things that come with traveling (having to find. anew gym, get acquainted to a new grocery store, new people etc)
Sometimes people like to cram as much as possible before a holiday comes up so there can be a rush of stuff to do right before the break- tiring
6. Acute Rehab Traumatic Brain Injury (PRN)
Pros:
Complex medical interventions that keep you on your toes
A lot of magical team work happens here
The patients turn-over more quickly so there is always someone or something new to do (this could be a pro or a con depending on the personal preference)
Cons:
The patients are in a sensitive and fresh situation so proceed with caution
Some patients may be in a coma, which can be a difficult sight
Some patients might be experiencing Rancho level 4 (if you know you know)
There are a lot of fresh wounds (not good if you have a sensitive stomach/get queasy easily)
Post Acute Rehab Traumatic Brain Injury
Pro:
The patients are more or less medically stable at this part of their recovery
You can co-treat with PT, OT, Psych, Nursing, Doctors, Medical Specialists, Case Management and more! Working together as a team helps to get amazing results
You can help these patients integrate back into daily life, this means school, work, the community, their home setting
You can work on a variety of functional and cognitive tasks (i.e. cooking, safety awareness in the community, navigating the building)
Cons:
Patient have a hard time understanding why they can't return to work immediately
They are still recovering so you will witness them going through possibly the hardest thing in their entire life and trying to make sense of a new normal
Prolonged exposure to traumatic events (each story is unique and often heart wrenching). Risk of becoming desensitized
Remote SLP in School
Pros:
Work from the living room
Disconnected from a lot of the "drama" at the schools
Only need to log into zoom for your sessions/meetings - Then you can work on notes/documentation in the comfort of your own space/timeline
Easier to have a work/life balance due to school hours
Cons
You are a bit disconnected from co-workers and others
It can be isolating working on the computer in your apartment day after day
This type of work can not be completed a cafe due to needing privacy and a quiet environment for the students
Thank you for reading this post about speech therapy jobs
Serving you speech tips with a side of sarcasm
