Safety Specialist, Mental Health Unit, Per Diem, Varied hours and shifts - Heywood Hospital
Gardner, MA 01440
About the Job
Under the supervision of the Nurse Manager or designee, the Safety Specialist performs various functions in accordance with established standards of care, standards of practice and policies and procedures required for providing care to the mental health population.
Works together with departmental and healthcare teams to complete assignments.
Maintains a clean and comfortable environment for patients and visitors.
Prevents potential safety hazards from occurring by removing or arranging for the removal of safety hazards from the environment immediately
Prioritizes and reprioritize work based on the changing needs of the customers.
Assist with patient fresh air breaks.
Performs patient checks, and documents the whereabouts of all patients every fifteen minutes or more frequently if requested
Accounts for all patient restricted items, ensuring there is an order before signing out, items are verified still in use at the end of each shift and items without a 24/7 order are collected at the end of the evening shift.
Responds to patient and visitor needs, as well as, provides general unit information and refers matters of concern to appropriate staff member.
Provides input and patient information to the team that contributes to the safety needs, development, and implementation of the patient care plan.
Delivers trays to patients, monitors patient meal intake, and collect trays for return to dietary staff. Assist patients in completing menus, if requested.
Attend to patient needs as requested including, but not limited to nutritional replenishment, telephone charging, retrieving showering toiletries, retrieving linen.
Assist with belongings search/documentation.
Provides specialized suicide watch to patients needing it to ensure their safety.
Maintains and promotes therapeutic milieu to enhance patients' care of plan and treatment.
Encourages patient conversations, participation in therapy and inter-patient relationships while observing behaviors.
Acts as a liaison between patients and staff by providing information on patient behaviors to ensure patient safety, as well as, enhance care planning and treatment.
This document describes the major duties and responsibilities for this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. It should be understood, therefore, that employees may be asked to perform job-related duties beyond those explicitly described.
High school graduate or equivalent preferred
- Patient care experience preferred
- Mental/Behavioral Health experience preferred
- Limited hands-on care required
Required Licenses
- AHA BLS CPR required or obtained within 60 days of hire
- Obtain MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior) Training within 30 days of hire.
Required Skills
- Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
- Exemplary customer service skills
Physical Requirements:
Exerts 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Frequently reaches (extending hands and arms in any direction), handles (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands), and feels (perceiving attributes of items such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of fingertips). Occasionally stoops (bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist), and kneels (bending the legs at knee to come to rest on knee or knees).
