JOB SUMMARY:
The Behavioral Health Specialist performs duties of patient care necessary to implement individual treatment under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. Our Behavioral Health Specialists provide psychological, emotional and physical care and support required by each patient. Assists in maintaining the therapeutic environment of the clinical program with minimal guidance.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Vanderbilt Behavioral Health provides specialized inpatient, outpatient and emergency psychiatric care for children, adolescents and adults. We offer settings where patients and families feel safe, supported and treated with compassion and dignity.

Our programs help patients with behavioral and psychological health challenges, including anxiety, depression, emotional distress, mood or personality disorders and many other mental health issues.

Our experienced team works closely with other medical specialists to ensure you receive comprehensive care tailored to your needs and goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Performs clinical care consistent with the patient's treatment plan, including but not limited to vital signs, phlebotomy, specimen collection and point of care testing as directed by unit standards.
• Collects data to contribute to the assessment of individual strengths and limitations.
• Independently assists patients with showering, oral hygiene, laundry and other activities of daily living.
• Provides input to the patient's assigned nurse and other healthcare professionals assigned to the patient regarding patient's progress towards treatment goals.
• Promotes and maintains a safe environment conducive to healing and health promotion. Able to provide effective and therapeutic limit setting with patients with direction from other staff
• Assures orientation of newly admitted patient to the program and establishes a therapeutic relationship with the patients.
• Provides immediate feedback to the charge nurse about any safety concerns on the unit and offers potential solutions.
• Independently leads coping skills groups with patients
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

POSITION SHIFT:

• 7pm - 7am (3x weekly)
• Bi-weekly weekend rotation required
• Holiday rotation required

View how Vanderbilt Health employees celebrate the difference they make every day:

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity -- of culture, thinking, learning and leading -- is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

VUMC Recent Accomplishments:

Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:

US News & World Report: #1 Adult Hospital in Tennessee and metropolitan Nashville, named to the Best Hospitals Honor Roll of the top 20 adult hospitals, 10 nationally ranked adult specialty programs, with 3 specialties rated in the top 10 nationally, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt named as one of the Best Children's Hospital in the nation, with 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties nationally ranked.

* Healthcare's Most Wired: Among the nation's 100 "most-wired" hospitals and health systems for its efforts in innovative medical technology.

* Becker's Hospital Review: named as one of the "100 Great Hospitals in America", in the roster of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs and to its list of the 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs.

* The Leapfrog Group: One of only 10 children's hospitals in the to be named at Leapfrog Top Hospital.

* American Association for the Advancement of Science: The School of Medicine has 112 elected fellows

* Magnet Recognition Program: Received our third consecutive Magnet designations.

* National Academy of Medicine: 22 members, elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement

* Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index: 6th year in a row that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.

2 years relevant industry

Licensure, Certification, and/or Registration (LCR):

• Additional Qualification Information:
  
  • Associate's Degree of Completion of a Foundation in Nursing Course or Army Medic Training (Required)
  
  
  Physical Requirements/Strengths needed & Physical Demands:
  
  • Heavy Work category requiring exertion of 50 to 100 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 20 to 50 lbs. of force frequently and/or up to 10 to 20 lbs. of force continually to move objects.
  
  
  Movement
  
  • Occasional: Lifting over 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects from one level to another, includes upward pulling over 35 lbs, with help of coworkers or assistive device
  • Occasional: Carrying under 35 lbs: Transporting an object holding in hands, arms or shoulders, with help of coworkers or assistive device.
  • Occasional: Bending/Stooping: Trunk bending downward and forward by bending spine at waist requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles
  • Occasional: Climbing: Ascending or descending stairs/ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
  • Occasional: Kneeling:Bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees.
  • Occasional: Crouching/Squatting: Bending body downward and forward by bending legs and spine.Reaching above shoulders: Extending arms in any direction above shoulders.
  • Occasional: Reaching above shoulders: Extending arms in any direction above shoulders.
  • Frequent: Sitting: Remaining in seated position
  • Frequent: Standing: Remaining on one's feet without moving.
  • Frequent: Lifting under 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects under 35 lbs from one level to another
  • Frequent: Push/Pull: Exerting force to move objects away from or toward.
  • Frequent: Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching or maneuvering self, patient and equipment simultaneously while working in large and small spaces
  • Frequent: Reaching below shoulders: Extending arms in any direction below shoulders.
  • Frequent: Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand or hands.
  • Frequent: Bimanual Dexterity: Requiring the use of both hands.
  • Continuous: Walking: Moving about on foot.
  
  
  Sensory
  
  • Frequent: Communication: Expressing or exchanging written/verbal/electronic information.
  • Continuous: Auditory: Perceiving the variances of sounds, tones and pitches and able to focus on single source of auditory information
  • Continuous: Vision: Clarity of near vision at 20 inches or less and far vision at 20 feet or more with depth perception, peripheral vision, color vision.
  • Continuous: Smell: Ability to detect and identify odors.
  • Continuous: Feeling: Ability to perceive size, shape, temperature, texture by touch with fingertips.
  
  
  Environmental Conditions
  
  • Occasional: Chemicals and Gasses: Medications, cleaning chemicals, oxygen, other medical gases used in work area.
  • Frequent: Pathogens: Risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other contagious illnesses.