St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.

The Behavioral Health Safety Specialist provides services for patients, visitors, and staff at the hospital by monitoring the therapeutic environment by performing safety checks and monitors patient status by performing patient observations.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitors the therapeutic environment by performing safety checks and monitors patient status by performing patient observations.

• Endeavors to develop and maintain therapeutic rapport with patients at all times. Continually observes patients for early signs of distress and agitation to prevent escalation and uses the proper intervention technique.

• Responds to situations requiring crisis intervention both on and off the Behavioral Health Unit including responses with the Control Team.

• Intervenes to help prevent physical harm to patients, staff and visitors. Also supports Security in these efforts when called to the Unit.

• Controls access to the Behavioral Health Unit through an admittance process. Assures visitors are not introducing weapons or other contraband onto the Unit.

• Stands by during patient hearings and whenever unexpected or unpleasant information is going to be presented to a patient or family member. May call on duty Security staff to support when necessary.

• Assumes responsibility for maintaining a clean and orderly environment.

• May help facilitate patient recreational and therapeutic activities under the direction of the professional licensed staff.

• May be asked to perform simple tasks to assist clinicians such as taking vital signs. As it is important for the proper decorum for the BHSS’s role, bathing patients, emptying bed pans and urinals or performing phlebotomy are excluded.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

Individual must be able to meet established specific physical requirements of the job; sitting for up to 12 hours per day, 4 hours at a time; standing for up to 12 hours per day, 4 hours at a time; walking up to 12 hours/day, 4 hours at a time. Frequent handling and firm gripping in moving equipment. Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and walking of objects weighing in excess of 200 pounds with assistance if needed. Occasional stooping, bending, crouching, and reaching above shoulder level. Hearing as it relates to normal conversation. Seeing as it relates to general vision, color vision, and depth perception.

EDUCATION:

High School Graduate/GED required.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Two years previous experience in situations requiring the ability to manage crisis situations including demanding or aggressive behavior. Previous behavioral health, social work or Emergency Medical Service (EMS) experience is preferred. Basic Life Support training completed within 60 days of hire. Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training certification to be completed within 90 Days of hire.

HOURS: Full-Time, 1st Shift

Please complete your application using your full legal name and current home address. Be sure to include employment history for the past seven (7) years, including your present employer. Additionally, you are encouraged to upload a current resume, including all work history, education, and/or certifications and licenses, if applicable. It is highly recommended that you create a profile at the conclusion of submitting your first application. Thank you for your interest in St. Luke's!!

St. Luke's University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (http://www.slhn.org/EOE)

Founded in 1872, St. Luke’s University Health Network (http://www.slhn.org/) (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 20,000 employees providing services at 15 campuses and 300+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue of $3.5 billion, the Network’s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke’s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital.

SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. The Network’s flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Fortune/Merative 11 times total and eight years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. In 2021, St. Luke’s was identified as one of the 15 Top Health Systems nationally.

SLUHN has been named a Top Workplaces 2023 by the Morning Call. In addition, St. Luke’s has been named a Top Workplace nationally, in the Philadelphia region, and in New Jersey. St. Luke’s is the ONLY healthcare institution in Pennsylvania and the third-highest ranked healthcare entity in the nation to be deemed a Top Workplace in 2023. In 2023, St. Luke’s was named one of America’s Best Employers for Women by Forbes. St. Luke’s was the only employer in the Lehigh Valley to be named to the list and was one of only two healthcare employers in Pennsylvania to receive the designation. St. Luke’s University Health Network is the top-ranked Lehigh Valley-based employer in Forbes Magazine’s ranking of employers in Pennsylvania.

Learn More Here. (http://www.slhn.org/About)