Mental Health Counselor, Emergency Department, 24 Hour, Days

Everyone Is a Caregiver

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

Participates as a member of the mental health team on an inpatient and/or outpatient mental health unit. Provides direct patient care including treatment planning, implementing plans, documentation, and milieu safety assessments and activities such as group activities.

I. Major Responsibilities:

• Serves as a member of the Mental Health Team and serves both internal and external customers including patients, families, nurses, physicians and other colleagues who support the delivery of care and services.
• Provides clear, timely communication to the Registered Nurse (R.N.) regarding observations and changes seen in the patient. Records behavioral data on appropriate data sheets.
• Maintains patient safety by performing patient safety checks, environmental safety rounds, utilizing fall prevention alternative devices/strategies as directed utilizing de-escalation and calming tools and strategies with anxious patients and following the Restraint Policy standards when caring for a restrained patient.
• Participates and shares responsibility for the development and maintenance of a safe and therapeutic environment.
• Serves as a leader or co-leader for group activities such as goal setting group, dual diagnosis groups, various activity groups, and structuring and supervising recreational activities. Handles routine situations and must request assistance from identified resources when more direction is needed.
• Assists in medical emergencies as directed by R.N. Utilizes proper safety techniques and body mechanic in all work-related activities.
• Obtains and records vital signs (temperature, pulse, and respiration, blood pressure and pulse oximetry). Measures and records patients' height and weight as assigned by R.N.
• Performs a variety of test and procedures which may include but not limited to EKGs, phlebotomy, and intake and output as assigned by R.N.
• Documents daily progress notes, and group notes (per policy) and as assigned by R.N.
• Assists the R.N. in other medical and psychiatric interventions as directed.
• Provides personal care as appropriate, working to optimize patient's independent functioning in performance of daily routines.
• Works to utilize interventions to de-escalate patients and if unsuccessful participates in restraints in accordance with training and education as directed.
• Performs safety checks on patients and unit as directed. Documents findings.
• Reviews and follows treatment plan with patient. Provides feedback to clinical team regarding implementation of the plan. Implements special treatment strategies as indicated in the plan.
• Maintains logs, organizes patient care charts for admission/discharge/transfer and maintains medical records as instructed.
• Attends staff meetings and in-service programs as required or directed. Keeps current with hospital and unit changes by reading communication boards and/or books, emails, bulletin boards, posted notices and reads and responds to UMMHC e mails on a regular basis.
• Participates in unit-based quality improvement initiatives.
• Compiles with required health, safety and HIPAA requirements.

Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:

• Complies with established departmental policies, procedures and objectives.
• Attends variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
• Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
• Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
• Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.
• Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
• Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.

All responsibilities are essential job functions.

II. Position Qualifications:

• License/Certification/Education: Required:
• Associate degree or at least 2 years' experience in behavioral health required
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support or Heart Savor certification required within one month as a condition of employment
• AVADE required within 30 days of hire.
• Preferred:
• Bachelor's Degree preferred
• Medical terminology and computer skills preferred
• Experience/Skills: Required:
• Ability to read, write and communicate in English in a clear and concise manner.
• Must have effective interpersonal skills to provide respectful, culturally and age-appropriate communication with patients, staff, visitors and others.
• Must demonstrate effective problem-solving abilities for routine situations.
• Must have ability to read, write and communicate in English in a clear and concise manner.
• Preferred:
• Two years' experience in a health-related field.
• Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
• Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.

III. Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions:

Work is considered sedentary. Position requires work indoors in a normal patient care environment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

We're striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.