Behavioral Health Specialist

Summary

Under the direction of Clinical Nurse Manager (Inpatient)/Program Director (Partial) and Unit Charge RN, the Behavioral Health Specialist I (BHS I) is responsible for providing care and safety to children and adolescents as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. The BHS I is responsible for input into the formulation of the day-to-day schedule and structure of a therapeutic milieu and the implementation, observation, and documentation of this program under the direction of a Registered Nurse.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Success Factors include:
Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate.

• A. Participate in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment. Actively engage with assigned children throughout shift. Participate in the development and operationalization of the milieu care plan for assigned patients according to established department and unit-based procedure/policy. Maintain and document level of patient observation as ordered by the physician/charge RN each shift. Provide support to visiting parents as well as information according to treatment team request.
  
  Supervise assigned children in daily routines and actively assist with activities of daily living and basic hygiene needs. Identify, report, and resolve potential problems on the unit. Demonstrate appropriate critical incident follow-up skills by timely verbal reporting to charge RN and documentation in medical record. Complete other documentation (i.e., incident reports, intakes, etc. as applicable). Participate in restraint debriefings. Carry out daily assignment as delegated by Charge RN and report back prior to change of shift.
  
  Intervene in disruptive milieu or destructive to self/other patient situations providing timely therapeutic intervention(s) to children in distress. Maintain appropriate boundaries.
• B. Adhere to Hospital, Departmental, and Program policies and procedures. Attend peer review and staff meetings as assigned. Maintain current certification in crisis management. Maintain current CPR certification. Maintain current OSHA, ERS, Safety Certifications. Attend unit/hospital staff development as assigned.
• C. Actively participate in the patient care planning process under the direction of the primary/charge RN. Work to support initial therapeutic alliance with patient and family on admission. Assist with the separation process and perform other duties necessary to provide a smooth transition to the hospital environment. Within the 8-hour shift, document objective observations within a shift note and share observations with assigned RN.
  
  Review milieu care plan and problem list on a daily basis and suggest revisions based on observations. Communicate individual patient milieu care plans in an ongoing manner to other unit staff including liaison with other interdisciplinary treatment providers. Actively participate in treatment team, rounds, patient-specific discussions, and hand-off shift report, as assigned. Accurately document significant patient/family observations/milieu care on the Kardex and medical records in a timely fashion.
  
  Offer information and knowledge acquired through experience to other staff via formal/ informal staff development forums. Be able to adapt care "style" to meet needs of various children adolescents.
• D. Support and contribute to the development of care plans/behavioral management. Assist and teach patients in activities of daily living and personal hygiene based upon patient’s abilities. Co-lead community meeting/milieu meeting/social skill group. Co-lead other program specific groups such as activity or recreation. Demonstrate ability to set consistent and supportive therapeutic limits within guidelines of hospital, unit, and department standards. Follow behavioral programs specific to the needs of the patient in collaboration with the assigned RN and treatment team.
  
  Organize unit activities. Coordinate, supervise and actively participate in children's activities such as physical & social development activities. Arrange for transportation of materials if required. Participate in teaching visits/family and parent training as assigned. Consistently model to patient/families appropriate and therapeutic interpersonal staff/patient interactions. Co-lead therapy groups with a clinician. Supports and actively participate in recreation therapy programs. Handle crisis situations in a safe, effective manner, utilizing the least restrictive, safe patient care alternative.
  
  Take the initiative to seek formal/informal supervision, incorporating suggestions for…