Milieu Specialist

Works collaboratively with members of the interdisciplinary care team, especially nursing, and including therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, and others, to facilitate, organize, and implement a stable milieu structure and seamless operation of the unit. Plays a key role in the safety of patients and staff by providing ongoing training and support in accordance with individual patient treatment plans, quality improvement program objectives, as well as hospital policy. Establishes and maintains cohesiveness among the team through effective milieu management and demonstrated competency with Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® techniques that prevent and de-escalate challenging behaviors, especially in medium to high-risk situations. Serves as a preceptor and role model to others within the milieu. Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Rogers’ mission, vision, and values.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

Conduct daily safety and environmental rounds and communicate concerns to nursing and clinical leadership in real time to enable timely follow-up and resolution.

Comply with regulatory and accreditation requirements, along with organizational policy.

Check-in with nurse manager/charge nurse at start of shift to get direction on how to effectively assist on the assigned unit(s).

Assess/reassess the units throughout each shift and work collaboratively with the interdisciplinary care team to implement safety best practices and interventions, as applicable, especially during situations when a patient is in crisis or exhibiting challenging or medium to high-risk behaviors.

Serve as Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) member and assist in formal staff debriefings following codes.

Participate and lead specific emergency situations (“codes”) occurring on the unit.

Assist units with checking in patient belongings, visitation, admissions, discharges, and providing staffing coverage during coworkers’ breaks or absences (e.g., paid time off, leave of absence, etc.).

Attend unit shift to shift report (daily).

Assist nursing leadership in precepting Mental Health Technicians (MHTs).

Provide ongoing staff/unit training on:

• Milieu management
• De-escalation techniques
• Decision making matrix
• Use of verbal communication techniques that are clear and calm
• Responding to patient expressed problems/conditions in a professional manner that creates a sense of trust
• Patient rounding observations
• Searches of person, belongings (including belongings check-in), and environment
• 1:1 patient monitoring
• Group observation

Demonstrate collaborative teamwork when assisting patients in crisis.  

Collaborate with staff and leadership to meet customer service and clinical quality outcomes.

Conduct daily hand-off communication at the end of each shift that includes, at a minimum, the following:

• Relevant information regarding patient behavioral plans, changes in patient behaviors, and/or observed patients’ behaviors while on a 1:1 (“line of sight”) or unit/peer restriction.
• Relevant information regarding significant patient or staff incidents, including interventions attempted/successful, safety plans, or other clinical/operational changes impacting milieu management.  

Perform other miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Promote a team atmosphere by treating individuals with respect and honesty and by using direct communication and active listening skills.

• Be open to change and actively support change.
• Be open to others’ ideas and points of view.
• Evaluate employees objectively and provide employees with periodic feedback.

Promote department goals as well as the mission of the hospital.

• Communicate goals to fellow staff members.
• Maintain department policies and procedures.
• Include requirements and guidelines from external agencies (i.e., Joint Commission, State of Wisconsin).
• Maintain and/or communicate to appropriate party function backlog at a set time.
• Educate new staff regarding regulations or requirements of those functions that relate to their areas or departments, as directed.
• Demonstrate acceptance and training of student interns in the department, as directed.

Participate in hospital committees, performance improvement team meetings, and team projects, as directed.

• Demonstrate punctuality and preparedness.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate good organizational skills.
• Contribute in a positive, solution-focused manner.

Conduct self in a professional manner.

• Demonstrate organizational skills that promote timely response to all inquiries and to task completion.
• Communicate with all individuals in a positive and professional manner.
• Attempt to resolve individual issues with peers in a positive, calm manner, with a focus on solution.
• Communicate concerns and provide solutions for same.
• Project a professional image by wearing appropriate, professional attire.
• Ability to influence departments within Rogers and provide technical guidance.

Additional Job Description:

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of high school diploma required. Associate degree in social services, business, or healthcare related field preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years' experience in the healthcare industry within in a patient safety, patient relations, and/or risk management role accepted in lieu of college degree.
• Certification in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® (NCI) required within fourteen (14) days of hire. Maintenance of certification in good standing required indefinitely.
• American Heart Association CPR certification within thirty (30) days of hire. Bi-annual re-certification is required.
• Maintenance of certification in good standing required indefinitely.
• Working knowledge of de-escalation and milieu management techniques.
• Working knowledge of patient incident reporting systems and customer service/service recovery principles.
• General knowledge of hospital clinical and operational practices and procedures to be able to effectively educate and communicate regarding the same to both internal and external customers.
• Ability to provide ongoing training and education to all levels of staff with both competence and confidence.

With a career at Rogers, you can look forward to a Total Rewards package of benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for you and your family 
• 401(k) retirement plan 
• Employee share program 
• Life/disability insurance 
• Flex spending accounts  
• Tuition reimbursement 
• Health and wellness program
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Through UnitedHealthcare, UMR and HealthSCOPE Benefits creates and publishes the Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Rogers Behavioral Health.To link to the Machine-Readable Files, please visitTransparency in Coverage (uhc.com)