Behavioral Health Specialist 1

Brown Medicine•Madison, WI

11d•$18 - $30•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Clinical Nurse Manager (Inpatient) or Program Director (Partial), and the Unit Charge RN, the Behavioral Health Specialist I (BHS I) provides care and promotes safety for children and adolescents as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team. The role contributes to the day-to-day schedule and structure of the therapeutic milieu and implements, observes, and documents the program under the direction of a Registered Nurse. Employees are expected to model Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and demonstrate its core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate. The BHS I helps maintain a safe, therapeutic environment; supervises children in daily routines; supports activities of daily living and hygiene; and provides timely observations and documentation to the assigned RN and treatment team. The role supports patient and family transitions, participates in care planning, rounds, treatment discussions, handoffs, and behavioral management, and co-leads meetings, social-skills, activity, recreation, and therapy groups as assigned. The specialist follows patient-specific behavioral programs, establishes therapeutic limits, and responds to crises using de-escalation and the least restrictive safe alternative. The position works in a psychiatric setting with stressful conditions, including care of individuals who may be aggressive or self-injurious. Employees are expected to remain calm, make rational decisions, use taught de-escalation techniques, and participate in approved physical management when needed to maintain safety. Work may be assigned to comparable duties in other clinical settings throughout the hospital system as program needs arise. The position performs independently within program policies and refers complex issues requiring clarification to a supervisor. There are no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Demonstrate aptitude and willingness to learn role-related skills.
Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to care for patients across the life span, considering aging processes, human developmental stages, and cultural patterns.
Maintain current crisis management certification.
Maintain current CPR certification.
Maintain current OSHA, ERS, and Safety certifications.
Remain calm during crises, make quick rational decisions, and prioritize immediate patient-care needs.
Use safe body positioning, block and deflect possible aggression, and physically hold struggling patients using approved methods when needed.
Be able to lift up to 50 pounds; reach with hands and arms; grasp and hold; bend, squat, and kneel without limitation; and physically escort potentially combative patients short distances.
Be able to run short distances occasionally and stand, walk, and sit frequently.
Six months to one year of direct childcare work with emotionally impaired youth.

Nice To Haves

A baccalaureate degree in a human service field is preferred.

Responsibilities

Help maintain a safe and therapeutic environment and actively engage with assigned children throughout the shift.
Participate in developing and implementing milieu care plans and maintain and document patient observation levels as ordered.
Supervise children in daily routines and assist with activities of daily living and basic hygiene.
Identify, report, and resolve actual or potential unit problems; report critical incidents promptly and complete required medical-record and other documentation.
Support visiting parents and provide information as requested by the treatment team.
Carry out assignments delegated by the Charge RN and report back before the change of shift.
Intervene therapeutically when patients are distressed or when milieu disruptions or risks of harm occur, while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Attend assigned peer reviews, staff meetings, and unit or hospital staff development activities; maintain required certifications.
Support the patient-care planning process under the primary or charge RN, including admission transitions and initial therapeutic alliance with patients and families.
Document objective observations within the shift and share them with the assigned RN; review milieu care plans and problem lists and suggest revisions based on observations.
Communicate patient-specific milieu plans to unit staff and interdisciplinary treatment providers, and participate in treatment teams, rounds, discussions, and handoffs as assigned.
Assist patients with activities of daily living and personal hygiene according to their abilities.
Co-lead community, milieu, social-skills, activity, recreation, and therapy groups as assigned; organize unit activities and participate in recreation therapy programs.
Follow behavioral programs in collaboration with the assigned RN and treatment team, set consistent therapeutic limits, and model appropriate staff-patient interactions.
Coordinate, supervise, and participate in children's activities, and arrange transportation of materials if required.
Participate in teaching visits and family or parent training as assigned.
Handle crises safely using de-escalation and the least restrictive safe patient-care alternative; seek supervision and incorporate feedback.
Perform other related duties as required, assigned, or directed by the Charge RN, including comparable duties in other clinical settings when program needs arise.