Mental Health Specialist - Night Shift

Loretto Hospital•Chicago, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Specialist provides age-specific basic physical care and addresses patients’ spiritual and psychosocial needs, including cultural values, religious beliefs, and barriers to learning, through appropriate therapeutic approaches under the direct supervision of a registered nurse. The specialist promotes a therapeutic environment and participates in the Behavioral Health program in keeping with the hospital’s philosophy, goals, and function. The role maintains departmental treatment activities in compliance with standards of practice, hospital and department policies and procedures, and regulatory standards, including HFAP, IDPH, and the Illinois Mental Health Code. Primary responsibilities include maintaining a safe and therapeutic milieu, facilitating groups, providing crisis intervention, and assisting with activities of daily living. Loretto Hospital is a not-for-profit, community-focused safety-net hospital serving patients in Chicago’s Austin and surrounding communities. It emphasizes patient-centered care, wellness, education, and improving quality of life for patients and community residents.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field.
Three years of experience working with a psychiatric patient population.
Previous work experience in a rehabilitation or healthcare setting.
Ability to think critically.
Ability to demonstrate compassion and empathy when needed.
Current CPI and CPR certifications.

Responsibilities

Monitor the unit milieu and maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for patients, family members, and staff.
Modify treatment approaches according to patients’ developmental and psychological needs to support patient and unit safety.
Observe patient behavior, inform the charge nurse of changes, and implement interventions as directed by the nurse.
Document patient behavior, affect, verbalizations, staff interventions, and patient responses in progress notes as assigned.
Complete patient rounds on time according to unit requirements and accurately document observations on the Patients Observation Record.
Assist with the patient admission process, including completing assigned admission forms with the RN.
Complete personal belonging searches, remove contraband, and complete body maps; document findings in the patient record and share outcomes with the RN.
Assist patients with discharge and supervise the collection of their belongings.
Provide continuous eyesight monitoring of patients in restraints while maintaining their privacy, safety, and physical needs.
Identify patient strengths and weaknesses and assess their social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual support networks.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Understand and follow the hospital’s compliance standards, including its Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest Policy.
Stay current with applicable federal, state, and hospital regulations, laws, and policies, including changes or modifications.