Associate Behavioral Health Specialist

The Associate Behavioral Health Specialist performs duties of patient care necessary to implement individual treatment under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. The Behavioral Heath Specialist provides the psychological, emotional and physical care and support required by each patient. Assists in maintaining the therapeutic environment of the clinical program with occasional guidance.

• 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.
• Assists patients with showering, oral hygiene, laundry and other activities of daily living as directed by the assigned RN.
• 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.
• 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.
• Actively participates in gathering patients for groups and periodically assisting in co-leading groups
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned

Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital is a 106-bed facility. It has three adult units in addition to a Child and Adolescent Unit. The Adult I unit treats patients with thought disorders. These patients are typically chronically and persistently mentally ill. Our Adult II unit treats patients with addictions as well as a co-morbid psychiatric illness. Adult III is a mood-disorder unit with a small geriatric component. The Child and Adolescent Unit is one unit, but functions as two based on age; children ages 4-12 and adolescents ages 13-18. We treat patients with a variety of diagnoses, ranging from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and autism, oppositional defiance disorder, to depression and first-break psychosis. Adult IV consists of 14 beds reserved for the voluntary treatment of primary psychotic disorders and mood disorders. The goal in Adult IV is a supportive transition plan for outpatient treatment.

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