Behavioral Health Specialist - Inpatient Psychiatry - 24 or 32 hours

Position Summary

As a Behavioral Health Specialist in our Inpatient Psychiatry Unit, a 16-bed, secure unit, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and grow as part of a multidisciplinary team supporting our patients.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintains a physically and emotionally safe environment
• Supports routine patient activities
• Aids with structured programming
• Promptly reports safety concerns and observed behavioral changes to nursing staff
• Closely monitors and maintains the safety of patients
• Observes patient behaviors and conditions in accordance with established procedures and protocols
• Identifies and reports changes in behavior that represent unsafe situations
• Respectful redirection of unsafe behavior and limit setting as needed
• Maintains a physically safe environment
• Checks and screens items brought into unit
• Conducts patient and environmental checks and identifies risk; reports identified risk to Registered Nurse
• Aids with the implementation of safety measures, such as physical restraints, enhanced patient observation levels and elopement prevention, as warranted
• Identifies patient behaviors that could lead to behavioral escalation; utilizes verbal and nonverbal techniques to de-escalate situations in a therapeutic and supportive manner
• Aids with the implementation of safety measures, such as physical restraints, enhanced patient observation levels and elopement prevention, as warranted
• Supports and assists patients with routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating
• May collect, measure and record basic patient data, such as vital signs, intake, and output, and obtains specimens according to established procedures and schedules
• Records medical data and care provided in patient medical record in accordance with established documentation standards
• Aids in patient supervision and engagement during therapeutic group activities
• Facilitates psychoeducational groups with support from senior staff
• Aids in patient supervision and adherence to structured schedule throughout the day

Education

• High School Diploma/GED required
• Associate’s Degree preferred

Experience

• Experience working with children/adolescents, facilitating group activities, working with patients with behavioral health challenges preferred
• 1-2 Years of experience as a Behavioral Health, Mental Health Counselor or similar role in a similar setting preferred

Basic Life Support (BLS) and de-escalation certification

Required within 1 month of hire.

Pay

The posted pay range is Boston Children’s reasonable and good-faith expectation for this pay at the time of posting. Any base pay offer provided depends on skills, experience, education, certifications, and a variety of other job-related factors.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including flexible schedules, affordable health, vision and dental insurance, child care and student loan subsidies, generous levels of time off, 403(b) Retirement Savings plan, Pension, Tuition and certain License and Certification Reimbursement, cell phone plan discounts and discounted rates on T-passes.