**** Day & Night Shifts ******

Summary of Major Function

Community Health Workers (CHW) and Peer Support Workers (PSW) will work directly with individuals in our Emergency Department with Behavioral and/or Mental Health Issues including Substance Abuse Disorders. The CHW or PSW will also assist staff in support staff duties as able. Their purpose is to provide patient care that is focused on compassion and empathy, and that offers a supportive environment.

A CHW/PSW is a certified medical professional that will screen, score and provide a Brief Intervention/ Motivational Interview, if needed, to assist the patient to maintain or improve his mental/behavioral health by providing social support as well as individual health coaching, patient education and referrals.

The CHW/PSW will work with a diverse range of people to ensure that they have access to the resources needed to meet their needs.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Proficient in Medical Terminology
• Must prioritize a sense of connection with the community
• Current CHW or PS Certification or completion of the certificate within 6 months.

Preferred

• Experience in the substance abuse and/or behavioral health field
• Associate degree or higher in health or human services
• Experience working in a multicultural setting
• Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant experience preferred.

Psychological Considerations

• Able to work under stressful situations and respond to emergencies competently.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Must be flexible, have problem-solving skills, prioritize, and demonstrate healthy coping mechanism.

Environmental Considerations

• Potential contamination/exposure to blood borne pathogens, body substances, biohazardous materials and infectious diseases.
• Able to work in a temperature-controlled hospital environment.
• Occasional exposure to a variety of auditory and olfactory stimuli.

Physical Considerations

• Standing: to check vital signs
• Walking: to walk patients, make rounds, respond to emergencies, answer phones and alarms, gather equipment and move about unit.
• Squatting and kneeling: to plug in equipment, provide CPR, assess and empty drainage bags, assist patients from floor and transfer patients from chairs to beds.
• Pushing/pulling: to move patients in wheelchairs, crash carts, room furniture, gurneys, repositions patients, bedscales, apply pressure to vascular sites and open drawers.
• Lifting: to transfer adult patients, move equipment into rooms.
• Manual/finger dexterity:
• Vision: to read fine print, labels, documentation: to review telemetry, digital monitor; to read chemical reactions and test results.
• Reaching: overhead reach to open cabinets, insert/obtain wall suction, obtain supplies from top shelf.
• Hearing: to auscultate (BP, HT sounds, lung sounds, bowel sounds); to answer alarms, phones, distress signals and overhead pages.
• Sitting: to chart, counsel, give patient teaching.
• Speaking: to communicate with others in English.