Activities coordinator

About the role

Under the direction of the Clinical Nurse Manager and Unit Charge RN, the Activities Coordinator is responsible for providing structured activities and facilitating unit programming to support the care and safety of children and adolescents as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. The Activities Coordinator 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, and demonstrate the core Success Factors: Instill Trust, Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate.

Responsibilities

• As a member of a multidisciplinary team, assess developmental, psychosocial, and intellectual needs of pediatric patients to plan, organize, and direct a therapeutic program that alleviates stress associated with illness and hospitalization and promotes social, emotional, and intellectual growth.
• Function independently in demonstrated areas of competence in the delivery of sophisticated childcare.
• Consistently utilize safe, effective crisis management techniques.
• Take initiative to suggest innovative changes and additions that improve the quality of milieu care on the unit.
• Develop a clear understanding of trauma and display an empathetic, compassionate, nonjudgmental attitude toward children and families.
• Demonstrate outstanding initiative in organizing therapeutic unit activities and support/train BHS staff in learning how this is accomplished.
• Provide guidance, monitoring, and role modeling to less-senior staff during activities.
• Demonstrate consistent ability to assertively and respectfully communicate directly with appropriate persons on issues of concern or conflict.
• May be assigned to specialized responsibilities as determined by Charge RN, CNM, or Nursing Director.
• Provide daily feedback to Charge RN regarding changes in patient behaviors and milieu issues.
• Demonstrate enhanced clinical expertise.
• May be asked to perform comparable duties in other clinical settings throughout the hospital system as program needs arise.

Minimum qualifications

• Basic knowledge: Baccalaureate degree in a human service field required; must demonstrate aptitude and willingness to learn role-related skills. Internal candidates must hold a position of Behavioral Health Specialist II or higher for role consideration.
• Demonstrates 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.
• Safety Care Certification: Employees in this position work in a psychiatric setting under stressful conditions associated with care of psychiatrically impaired, suicidal, aggressive, and sometimes self-injurious individuals. Employees are expected to build therapeutic rapport to prevent crisis and utilize de-escalation techniques taught by Bradley Hospital to minimize the need for physical intervention. Employees must have the ability to remain calm during a crisis as evidenced by the ability to make quick rational decisions and prioritize immediate patient care needs to maintain a safe therapeutic environment.
• Employees must be able to participate in the physical management of patients, which can include, but is not limited to, safe body positioning, 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, employees must be able to:
  • Lift up to fifty pounds;
  • Reach with hands and arms;
  • Grasp and hold with hands;
  • Bend, squat, kneel without limitation;
  • Physically escort patients when needed;
  • Occasionally run for short distances;
  • Stand frequently.

Experience and requirements

• Six months to one year of direct childcare work with similar populations.
• Current Bradley Hospital Safety Care Certification.
• Current BLS certification.

Independent action

Performs independently within program policies and practices; refers specific complex problems to ANM/CNM where clarification of program policies and procedures may be required.