Behavioral Health Specialist 1

Brown Medicine•Madison, WI

3d•$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 safety to children and adolescents as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. The role contributes to the day-to-day schedule and structure of a therapeutic milieu and implements, observes, and documents the program under the direction of a Registered Nurse. Employees are expected to role-model Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and demonstrate the core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences; Patient and Community Focus; and Collaborate. The position works in a psychiatric setting with stressful conditions and requires the use of de-escalation techniques and safe patient-care practices. Employees may be asked to perform comparable duties in other clinical settings throughout the hospital system as program needs arise. The position is based at Bradley Hospital in East Providence, Rhode Island. It is a 36-hour-per-week day-shift role, with every other weekend and holidays as assigned; daily hours are eight. Driving is not required. The stated pay range is $18.13–$29.90.

Requirements

Six months to one year of direct childcare work with emotionally impaired youth.
Demonstrated aptitude and willingness to learn role-related skills.
Knowledge and skills to provide care across the lifespan, considering aging processes, human development stages, and cultural patterns.
Ability to remain calm, make quick rational decisions, and prioritize immediate patient-care needs during crises.
Ability to use de-escalation techniques to minimize the need for physical intervention.
Ability to participate in physical patient management using approved methods, including safe positioning, blocking and deflecting aggression, and holding struggling patients for extended periods when needed.
Ability 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.
Ability to run short distances occasionally and stand, walk, and sit frequently.
Maintain current crisis-management, CPR, OSHA, ERS, and safety certifications.

Nice To Haves

Baccalaureate degree in a human-service field is preferred; other education and experience may be considered as substitutes at the Hiring Manager’s discretion.

Responsibilities

Help maintain a safe, therapeutic environment and actively engage with assigned children throughout the shift.
Contribute to and implement milieu care plans and daily schedules in accordance with unit procedures and policies.
Maintain and document physician- or charge-RN-ordered patient observation levels each shift.
Support visiting parents and provide information as requested by the treatment team.
Supervise children during 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 to the Charge RN and document them in the medical record.
Complete applicable documentation, including shift notes, incident reports, intakes, Kardex entries, and medical-record documentation.
Participate in restraint debriefings and carry out delegated assignments, reporting back before the shift ends.
Provide timely therapeutic interventions when children are distressed or the milieu is disruptive or destructive, while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Follow hospital, departmental, and program policies and procedures; attend assigned peer reviews, staff meetings, and staff development.
Maintain current crisis-management, CPR, OSHA, ERS, and safety certifications.
Participate in patient-care planning under the direction of the primary or charge RN, support the therapeutic alliance with patients and families, and assist with admission transitions.
Review milieu care plans and problem lists daily, share observations with the assigned RN, and suggest revisions based on observations.
Communicate individual patient milieu care plans to unit staff and liaise with interdisciplinary treatment providers.
Participate as assigned in treatment teams, rounds, patient-specific discussions, and shift hand-off reports.
Share relevant experience and knowledge with staff through formal and informal staff development.
Adapt care approaches to the needs of different children and adolescents.
Support development of care plans and behavioral management; teach patients daily living and hygiene skills based on their abilities.
Co-lead community, milieu, social-skills, activity, recreation, and therapy groups as assigned, including groups with a clinician.
Set consistent therapeutic limits, follow individualized behavioral programs in collaboration with the assigned RN and treatment team, and organize unit activities.
Coordinate, supervise, and participate in activities supporting children’s physical and social development; arrange transportation of materials if required.
Participate in teaching visits and family or parent training as assigned, and model appropriate therapeutic interactions with patients and families.
Support and participate in recreation therapy programs and manage crises safely using the least restrictive safe-care alternative.
Seek formal supervision and incorporate feedback to improve job performance.
Perform other related duties as required, assigned, or directed by the Charge RN.