Milieu Specialist

River Vista Behavioral Health sits along the bluffs overlooking the San Joaquin River, this brand new, 128-bed facility, will provide high-quality and advanced behavioral health services to residents and visitors in the Central Valley. The new hospital will employ more than 250 people, including clinicians, nurses, mental health technicians, support staff and administration.

We are currently seeking a forward thinking and compassionate Milieu Specialist to be part of our Nursing Team. Milieu Specialist provides therapeutic milieu management training and monitoring of the hospital units. Milieu management includes program content and philosophy, patient management training, environmental management, and staff competency.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: High school diploma required; bachelor‘s degree preferred.

Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience in a behavioral/mental health setting required.

Additional Requirements: CPR certification and successful completion of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training. CPI Training may be obtained during new hire orientation.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assists with monitoring new employees during the orientation period in conjunction with the Nurse Managers.

• Work closely with nursing in providing safety and milieu management.

• Responsible with patient harm reduction, verbal-Descalation and Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) practice and training; to assure staff and patients‘ safety.

• Works collaboratively with staff, charges nurses, house supervisors and other leaders to address patient safety issued related to the milieu.

• Responsibilities include ensuring program schedules are followed, provide role modeling on managing patients with diagnosis of psychosis/aggression with aggressive/psychotic patients, training employees and implementing changes to Milieu.
• Will be responsible to float to all units in the Hospital.

• Performs assessments and recommendations related to therapeutic milieu management.

• Assist in providing appropriate activities for patients.

• Assist in group and individual training to facility staff on milieu management, and related topics through formal training sessions and mentoring direct care staff in the patient care areas.

• Assists in coordination with nursing leadership regarding implementation of milieu management best practices.

• Provides orientation and ongoing education/training for clinical staff and leadership as needed.

• Rounds units and reports any problem areas to nursing leadership.

• Assists House Supervisor as needed.

• Maintains regular communication with nursing leadership regarding any therapeutic milieu issues.

• Assists in providing oversight and coordination for assigned special projects.

• Demonstrates knowledge, comprehension, and compliance with all state and federal laws, rules and regulations, and agency policies and procedures, as well as the ability to enforce them.

• Takes initiative and responsibility for decisions as an individual and as a company. Exhibits commitment to personal and companywide goals.

• Participates in the ongoing development of competencies, capabilities, technology and the resources needed to achieve high standards of efficiency and effectiveness. Approaches everything with passion and desire to achieve the highest standards.

• Attends and participates in staff meetings, required in-services, agency process improvement activities and other meetings as requested.

• Utilizes material, equipment, and time in a safe, beneficial, and cost-effective manner.

• Organizes workload to complete responsibilities in an appropriate and timely manner.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• SERVICE EXCELLENCE IS THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

• Represents the facility in a manner that conveys a professional, courteous, caring, and cooperative attitude.
• Is knowledgeable of Service Excellence and treats all patients/staff with dignity and respect in a consistent manner at all times.

• Understands the need for and maintains appropriate confidentiality at all times when interacting with patients, families, visitors, employees, and all other contacts.

• Exhibits excellent service excellence skills as evidenced by supportive and constructive communication with all contacts including coworkers, patients, visitors, families, and referral sources.

• Utilizes an open, non-judgmental, non-discriminatory, professional, and therapeutic approach to all patients, families, visitors, employees, and all other contacts.

• Demonstrates professional behavior and interpersonal skills reflective of the facility‘s mission statement and philosophy.

• Complies with the facility, safety, departmental and Human Resources policies.

• Promotes a safe work environment for self, patients, and coworkers by complying with the environment of care, safety, infection control and universal precautions guidelines.

• Maintains a neat and professional appearance consistent with the Hospital‘s Dress Code Policy.

Specific Standards for the Care of Child Patients Ages 5 through 11

1. Maintain knowledge of the Child Program rules, protocols and handbooks guidelines.
2. Maintain knowledge of children‘s stages of development and seek guidance from the nurse in charge when questions about the norms for the behavior related to child development arise.
3. Assess patients for behaviors consistent with the developmental stages and make note of any deviations in behavior.
4. Recognize acting out behavior of child specific age group and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
5. Demonstrate an awareness of learning disabilities and translates treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled child.
6. Relate to child patients in an age-appropriate manner.
7. Utilize seclusion and restraint procedures with a understanding of the need of modification in regard to smaller body sizes of children, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse.

Specific Standards for the Care of Adolescent Patients Ages 12 through 18

1. Maintain knowledge of the Adolescent Program rules, protocols and handbooks guidelines.
2. Assess patients for behaviors consistent with the developmental stages and makes of any deviations in behavior.
3. Recognize acting out behavior of adolescent specific age group and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgement terms based on the age of the patient.
4. Demonstrate an awareness of learning disabilities and translates treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled adolescent.

1. Relate to adolescent patients in an age-appropriate manner.
2. Utilize seclusion and restraint procedures with an understanding of the need for modification in regard to smaller body sizes of adolescent, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual issues.

Specific Standards for the Care of Adult Patients Ages 19 through 64

1. Gather information from the patient, family and interdisciplinary team and use judgments based on knowledge of adult behaviors in treatment planning and interventions.
2. Recognize behaviors and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behaviors and non-judgement terms.
3. Utilize seclusion/restraint procedures applicable to adult body size and past history of violent or emotional behaviors and/or history of physical and/or sexual abuse issues.
4. Utilize theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of adult care within Specific Standards of Care for this age group.
5. Maintain knowledge of the Adult program rules, protocols and handbook guidelines.

Specific Standards for the Care of Geriatric Patients Ages 65 and older

1. Maintain a knowledge of the developmental tasks and sociological theories of aging.
2. Utilize theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of gerontological health care and behavioral care.
3. Gather the appropriate information from the patient, family and interdisciplinary team and use
   therapeutic judgments based on knowledge of gerontological health/behavioral care practices to develop a comprehensive plan of care.

Specific Standards for the Care of Chemically Dependent Patients:

1. Knowledgeable of special patient needs as related to chemical dependency.
2. Effectively collaborate with other chemical dependency staff professionals in facilitating the plan of care.
3. Maintain an awareness of how personal issues relating the co-dependency can impact work performance/relationships.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

1. Knowledge of personal hygiene training techniques.
2. Knowledge of all code procedures.
3. Knowledge of psychiatric care techniques.
4. Knowledge of assaultive behavior management techniques.
5. Knowledge of admitting procedures.
6. Knowledge of P.I.E. (problem, intervention, evaluation) charting.
7. Skill in organizing and prioritizing workloads to meet deadlines.
8. Skill in telephone etiquette and paging procedures.
9. Effective oral and written communication skills.
11. Ability to communicate effectively with patients and co-workers.
12. Ability to adhere to safety policies and procedures.
13. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information.
14. Ability to work as a team player.
15. Ability to demonstrate tact, resourcefulness, patience and dedication.
16. Ability to accept direction and adhere to policies and procedures.

1. Ability to recognize the importance of adapting to the various patient age groups (adolescent, adult and geriatric).

1. Ability to participate in all aspects of patient care.
2. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
3. Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.
4. Ability to operate a stethoscope competently.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPECIAL DEMANDS

THIS SECTION DESCRIBES HOW AN EMPLOYEE IN THIS POSITION CURRENTLY PERFORMS THE FUNCTIONS OF THIS POSITION. MODIFICATIONS TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS JOB MAY BE PERFORMED WILL BE REVIEWED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

1. Must be able to hear sufficiently, with or without correction, to competently perform all essential job functions.
2. Ability to stand, sit or walk up to six hours, sit for up to two hours.
3. Ability to move frequently as necessary in the delivery of patient care.
4. Ability to move frequently as necessary in the delivery of patient care.
5. Visual acuity is needed for accurate reading of patient charts and for demonstrating activities or assisting patients in activities.
6. Ability to spend 20% of the work day outdoors in temperatures varying form 30-110F and 80% of the work day indoors in temperatures varying from 60-85
7. Ability to occasionally push or pull wheeled carts from 200 lbs. (i.e., crash cart, EKG machine, patient on stretchers or in wheelchairs).
8. Ability to frequently lift and carry up to 10 lbs. (i.e. juices, charts, patient‘s belongings) and occasionally lift and carry up to 25 lbs. with assistance.
9. Ability to frequently reach above, at or below shoulder height (to obtain supplies, reach in cabinets, use refrigerator), kneel, bend, stoop, turn, twist.
10. Ability to frequently handle, through gross and fine manipulations, simple grasping, twisting and fingering of small objects (telephone buttons, thermometers with both hands).
11. Ability to see well enough to read written material and discern a variety of odors.
12. Ability to occasionally handle hazardous/infectious waste.
13. Ability to work in an environment where the noise level is frequently high; where chemicals are frequently used for cleaning; where mechanical and electrical hazards may be occasionally present; and where dust, mist and steam are frequently generated in housekeeping tasks.
14. The ability to competently and fully perform Handle with Care techniques is an essential position function.
15. Must work every other weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, as required.

Additional Requirements:

A strong knowledge of The Joint Commission, HCFA, OSHA regulations, and patient rights standards and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing mental health care facilities.

One of the nation‘s largest and most respected hospital companies, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Steadily growing from a startup to an esteemed Fortune 500 corporation, UHS today has annual revenue nearing $10 billion. UHS is recognized as one of the World‘s Most Admired Companies by Fortune; ranked #276 on the Fortune 500, and listed #275 in Forbes inaugural ranking of America‘s Top 500 Public Companies.

EEO Statement:

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.

Notice:

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