Behavioral Health Specialist II

Summary:

Under
the direction of Clinical Nurse Manager Unit Charge RN and daily monitoring
by the Behavioral Health Specialist III is responsible for the care and safety of assigned
children. As a member of the interdisciplinary
treatment team assumes primary Behavioral Health Specialist II role. Is responsible for input into the formulation
of a therapeutic milieu care plan and the implementation observation and
documentation of this program under the direction of a registered nurse.
Provides care to children/adolescents under the direction of the RN.

Responsibilities:

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lifespan employees are
expected to embrace Lifespan's mission of "Delivering health with
care" and successfully role model Lifespan's values of Compassion
Accountability Respect and Excellence as these guide our everyday actions
with patients customers and one another.

A. Participates in maintaining
a safe and therapeutic environment.

Actively engages with assigned children throughout
shift.

Participates
in the development and operationalization of the milieu care plan for assigned
patients according to established department and unit-based procedure/policy.

Maintains and documents level of patient observation as ordered
by the physician/charge RN each shift.

Supervises assigned children in daily routines and actively
assists with activities of daily living and basic hygiene needs.

Identifies
reports and resolves potential/actual problems on the unit.

Demonstrates appropriate critical incident follow-up skills by
timely verbal reporting to charge RN and documentation in medical record. Completes other documentation [ie: incident
reports seclusion and restraint forms (MR38)] as applicable. Participates in
debriefings.

Carries out daily assignment as delegated by charge nurse and
reports back prior to change of shift.

Intervenes in disruptive milieu or destructive to self/other
patient situations providing timely therapeutic intervention(s) and safety to
children in distress.

Maintains
appropriate boundaries.

B.
Adheres to Hospital Departmental and Program policies
and procedures.

Attends peer review and staff meetings as
assigned.

Maintains
current certification in crisis management.

Maintains
current CPR certification.

Maintains
current OSHA ERS Safety Certifications/training/education

Attends
unit/hospital staff development as assigned.

C.
Actively participates in the patient care planning
process under the direction of the primary/charge RN.

Participates in the initial admission
interview process as assigned.

Works to support initial therapeutic alliance with patient and
family on admission. Assists with the
separation process and performs other duties necessary to provide a smooth
transition to the hospital environment.

Completes initial milieu assessment within an 8 hour
period. Collaborates with RN to develop
initial problem list and milieu care plan within 8 hours of admission.

Reviews milieu care plan and problem list on a daily
basis and suggests revisions based on observations.

Communicates individual patient milieu care plans in an ongoing
manner to other unit staff including liaison with other interdisciplinary
treatment providers.

Actively participates in diagnostic conferences treatment
team rounds and hand-off shift report as assigned.

Is aware
of department QI indicators and responsibilities related to these.

Accurately documents significant patient/family
observations/milieu care on the Kardex and medical records in a timely fashion.

Offers information and knowledge acquired through
experience to other staff via formal/ informal staff development forums.

Is able to adapt care
?style? to meet needs of various children/adolescents.

D.
Supports and contributes to the development of
residential care plans/behavioral management.

Assists and teaches
patients in activities of daily living and personal hygiene based upon
patient?s abilities.

Co-leads community
meeting/milieu meeting/social skill group.

Co-leads other program
specific groups such as activity or recreation.

Demonstrates ability to set consistent and
supportive therapeutic limits within guidelines of hospital unit and
department standards.

Follows behavioral programs specific to the needs of the
patient in collaboration with the primary nurse.

Organizes
unit activities.

Coordinates supervises and actively participates in
children?s activities such as physical & social development activities. Arranges for transportation of materials if required.

Participates in teaching visits/family
and parent training as assigned.

Consistently models to patient/families appropriate
and therapeutic interpersonal staff/patient interactions.

Co-leads therapy groups with
a clinician.

Supports and actively
participates in recreation therapy programs.

Handles crisis situations in a safe effective
manner utilizing the least restrictive safe patient care alternative.

Takes the initiative to seek formal/informal
supervision incorporating suggestions for improvement/changes in job
performance.

Performs other related
duties as required assigned or directed by charge nurse.

E. Demonstrates autonomous
functioning ability in the delivery of sophisticated childcare on the milieu.

Consistently utilizes safe
effective crisis management techniques.

Assumes a leadership role in psychiatric emergency
situations; processes with co-
workers following the use of the Code System.

Demonstrates ability to
anticipate address and de-escalate patient distress situations

prior to patients? loss of control.

Consistently takes initiative to suggest innovative
changes and additions that improve the quality of milieu care on the unit.

F. Exhibits leadership and
teaching ability in role as ?Behavioral Health Specialist?.

Demonstrates outstanding
initiative in organizing therapeutic unit activities.

Provides guidance monitoring and role modeling to
less senior staff during activities.

Orients new patients/families to the program
(physical unit meals schedule of activities etc.) in an organized and thorough fashion.

Orients through participation in preceptor
programs new Behavioral Health Specialists interns and volunteers in an organized and thorough fashion.

Teaches less senior employees basic principles of
milieu therapy as assigned by Charge RN.

Reports development/progress
of assigned Behavioral Health Specialists to Behavioral Health Specialist III.

Demonstrates consistent ability to assertively and
respectfully communicate directly with appropriate person on issues of
concern/conflict.

Utilizes objective problems solving approaches to
resolve conflicts in staff and/or patient milieu.

Assumes role of ?Milieu
Facilitator? as assigned by the Charge Nurse.

Other information:

BASIC KNOWLEDGE:

Baccalaureate
Degree in a Human Service field. Other
education and experience considered and may be substituted for educational
requirements at the discretion of the Hiring Manager.

Demonstrated
knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life
span with consideration of aging processes human development stages and
cultural patterns in each step of the care process.

Bradley Hospital Safety Care Certification:

Employees in this position work in a psychiatric setting under
stressful conditions associated with care of psychiatrically impaired
aggressive and sometimes self-injurious individuals. Employees are expected
to utilize de-escalation techniques taught by Bradley Hospital
to minimize need for physical intervention.
They must have the ability to remain calm during a crisis situation as
evidenced by the ability to make quick rational decisions and prioritize
immediate patient care needs to maintain a therapeutic environment and ensure
safety.

Employees in this position must also be able to participate in the
physical management of patients which can include but is not limited to
awareness and demonstration of safe body positioning at all times awareness
and coordination to block and deflect possible aggression and the ability to
physically hold struggling patients using approved methods only to maintain
safety for extended periods of time. Specifically such employees must be able
to: lift up to fifty pounds; reach with their hands and arms; grasp and hold
with their hands; bend/squat/kneel without limitation and physically escort
patients who may become combative for short

distances. Position requires occasional running for short distances
and frequent standing walking and sitting.

EXPERIENCE:

Six months to one year of direct
child care work with emotionally impaired youth.

Current
Bradley Hospital
Safety Care Certification.

Current CPR certification.

Current ERS OSHA and Safety
Certification.

INDEPENDENT ACTION:

Performs independently
within Program policies and practices.
Refers specific complex problems to supervisor where clarification of
Program policies and procedures may be required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

None

Lifespan is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin age ethnicity sexual orientation ancestry genetics gender identity or expression disability protected veteran or marital status. Lifespan is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Location: Bradley Hospital USA:RI:East Providence
Work Type: Full Time
Shift: Shift 4
Union: Non-Union