Kelly MacDonald

-Inpatient and Outpatient Neonatal/Pediatric Care:

• Provide evidence based comprehensive evaluation and treatment in NICU, PICU and pediatric floor for patients with communication and feeding/swallowing disorders from cleft lip/palate, craniofacial anomalies, velopharyngeal insufficiency, neurological disease/dysfunction, brain stem injury, respiratory compromise, tracheostomy, developmental delay, prematurity and other medical complications
• Conduct and analyze Modified Barium Swallow Studies
• Participate on NICU Infant Driven Feeding (IDF) task team
• Implement equipment, Dr. Brown's Bottle Systems, through quality systems
• Develop multidisciplinary therapy NICU Feeding Policy
• Participate in developing NICU competencies
• Develop standardized order sets for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants
• Participate in quality improvement projects for VLBW infants and feeding on respiratory support
• Attend NICU rounds
• Provide in-services to nursing and physician staff on IDF
• Implement standardized assessments (LAT, EFS) to improve documentation on feeding
• Built Epic template flowsheets for pediatric and neonatal population
• Provide mentorship for advanced knowledge and skill on feeding/swallowing
• Evaluate/treat patients in High Risk Infant Follow Up Clinic

Inpatient and Outpatient Adult Care:

• Provide evidence based comprehensive evaluation and treatment in SICU, MICU, level 1 trauma and stroke certified center, along with step down floors for patients with swallowing disorders, speech-language and cognitive-communication impairments resulting from strokes, head injury, respiratory issues, progressive neurodegenerative disease, tracheostomy, head and neck cancer and other medical complications
• Conduct and analyze Modified Barium Swallow Studies
• Initiate and develop Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) Program including obtaining capital equipment, developing policies, procedures, documentation, giving presentations across departments to the medical executive level, training colleagues
• Participate in revising Nursing Dysphagia Screening Policy
• Participate on implementing Traumatic Brain injury (TBI) bundle
• Competent in tracheal suctioning
• Participate in surgical intensive care unit, trauma and respiratory therapy rounds
• Provide in-service opportunities across disciplines on FEES, tracheostomies, PMV, water plan, SLP's role in care
• Participate in building Epic flowsheets for adult population
• Participate in implementing International Dysphagia Diet Standardization
• Provide mentorship to students and colleagues across disciplines

• Provide evidence based comprehensive evaluation and treatment in home setting for patients with swallowing disorders, speech-language and cognitive-communication impairments resulting from strokes, head injury, respiratory issues, progressive neurodegenerative disease, head and neck cancer and other medical complications.

• Serve as temporary clinical lecturer for undergraduate students minoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders within the Linguistics Department. Teach LING 147 Intro to Communication Sciences and Disorders, focusing on fundamental concepts of becoming a speech-language pathologist. Advised and mentored students to explore career pathways in SLP.