Lead DCS Direct Care Specialist Nights

Job Description

Job Description

J.D. McCarty Center is looking for  Lead Direct Care Specialists to join our team in Norman, OK. The Direct Care Specialist will provide and assistance in nursing and therapeutic care as well as recreational and personal activities for disabled and developmentally challenged pediatric patients from birth to 21 on Nightshift from 9:00pm to 5:00am.

Salary: $22.00 per hour.

• Functions as part of a direct care team and coordinates efforts to provide direct care assistance for patients. Oversees and assists with the direct care services provided to in-patients with a developmental disability 0-21 years of age.
• Coordinates the Direct Care Specialists care during the night shift, overseeing house and patient assignments as a Lead Direct Care Specialist team, ensuring there is appropriate coverage based on patient acuity, the number of patients in each hospital unit and patient assignments. Assigns DCS to scheduled patient appointments for the night shift. Ensures all DCS are treated consistently and fairly when making assignments. Checks the DCS hotline at designated times and as needed, completes call-in messages form for any call-ins during shift and makes staffing adjustments as needed as a team. Takes a leadership role in modeling professional behavior and interactions ing with patients and staff.
• Meets weekly and as needed with the hospital unit DCS to discuss patient, hospital unit issues and ways to improve services. Works in conjunction with the Hospital Unit Nurse and/or the Nurse Managers to solve problems. Meets biweekly and as needed with the Nurse Managers to discuss patient and hospital unit issues and areas for improvement.
• Under the direction of a Hospital Unit Nurse, oversees and performs patient activities to include but not limited to: preparing patient for daily routine, i.e. hygiene, bathing, lay out next day's clothing, removes and restock items in backpack ensuring its readiness for school/or outings, clean all patient's equipment including adaptive equipment and wheelchairs, review patient's daily schedule for the next day to ensure all personal belongings/equipment is available and ready. Identifies possible repair issues, notifies the appropriate therapy unit via e-mail, and removes unsafe equipment from service. Notifies Day Lead DCS of any repair issues. Ensures appropriate outerwear is available for patients when necessary.
• Orients the new night shift hospital unit DCS. Performs all in-hospital shadowing and training for new DCS staff. Ensures all competency training and education is completed within 6 months of employment with 90% completion. Identifies areas for additional training. Works with other Lead DCS and Nurse Managers to develop and implement training.
• Makes the hospital unit chore assignments for the week. Ensures chores are distributed fairly and consistently throughout hospital unit DCS staff. Ensures all chores are completed by the end of the shift. Complete their assignments.
• Ensures daily assignments are complete to include but not limited to: patients' rooms are straightened and tidy, strip and launder bed linens, placing dirty linens in the laundry room, ensures any remaining laundry is laundered and put away appropriately to include patient clothing. Ensures dinnerware, drinking glasses/cups, and silverware are available and ready for use for the breakfast meal, kitchen is cleaned to include the oven and microwave, hospital unit is straightened and cleaned, the dining room and main room are swept and mopped after meals if warranted, and the freezer/refrigerator temperatures are checked and recorded, and adjustments are made as needed, and clean other areas of home i.e. exam room, laundry room, refrigerators, etc. if warranted.
• Acts as support staff in any patient matter to minimize any patient injury, safety concerns, and destruction of property. Makes rounds through the hospital units to and assists all DCS to help ensure patient safety to include their current environment. Ensures patient is ready and available for all scheduled medications times, medical appointments, and the patient's required equipment and/or supplies are prepared and ready for the following day. Effectively communicates all patient changes or concerns to the Hospital Unit Nurse and other staff as appropriate.
• Ensures DCS are performing and performs 15-minute bed checks when patients are laying down. Reports to the Hospital Unit Nurse any patient concerns as soon as possible. Observed bed checks should include a variety of targeted behavior data to include medical and behavioral concerns, intake and output, injuries, sleep pattern, dietary, etc.
• Responsible for reviewing and knowing the nursing and behavioral care plans for all patients in the hospital units. Assists hospital unit DCS in the knowledge and implementation of the plans for each patient as required. Under guidance of the Hospital Unit Nurse, and information provided by the therapist and teachers, follows through and works towards the patient’s therapeutic/educational goals consistently throughout the night shift when appropriate. Ensures all adaptive equipment is in place, in good repair, and properly used when needed. Oversees all hospital unit DCS to ensure they comply with patient plans and proper use of equipment during waking hours. Ensures the front of the hospital unit is free from extra items and the emergency cart is readily accessible at all times.
• Charts thoroughly, accurately, timely, and completely in the electronic health medical record and paper behavior sheets. Responsible for reporting on a variety of identified medical information and behaviors throughout the shift. Communicates any concerns to the Nurse to include: medical and behavioral concerns, intake and output, injuries, incidents, etc. Oversees the DCS in the hospital unit to ensure charting and communication is thorough, accurate, appropriate and timely. Behavioral concerns will be reported to the hospital unit Nurse and Psychological Clinician and immediate medical and/or safety concerns will be reported to the Nurse immediately.
• Participates in Lead DCS shift report. Communicates to lead DCS on the on-coming shift all relevant information concerning all patients on the hospital unit to include but not limited to: changes in medical condition, therapeutic goals, behavior, changes in nursing or behavior care plans, patient preferred/non-preferred activities and any other patient observations.
• Oversees and leads the hospital unit DCS shift report to ensure all relevant patient information is communicated to include but not limited to: changes in medical condition, therapeutic goals, behavior, changes in nursing care plans, changes in behavior care plans, patient preferred/non-preferred activities and any other patient, visitor, or therapy observations.
• Completes daily walk through of the hospital unit. Addresses any areas of concern for maintenance or repair and submits any work orders for repair and upkeep of hospital unit. Reports any patient critical areas in need of repair or maintenance as soon as possible. Assures any unsafe equipment is taken out of service.
• Demonstrates safety awareness and models proper technique throughout the entire shift to include taking a leadership role in modeling and monitoring of hand-washing techniques, use of gloves for required tasks, complies with appropriate isolation protocols and universal precautions are followed, appropriate lifting techniques, awareness of patient and staff surroundings, using appropriate training techniques i.e. Safety Care, CPR, lifeguarding, bus driving, golf cart operation, and general safety of hospital unit and playground. Follows agency and department policy guidelines when lifting by using proper body mechanics while performing duties. Provides assistance with Safety Care if needed. Complies with department guidelines for lifting up to 30 pounds and obtains assistance for lifting anything over 30 pounds. Follows infection control policy, procedures, and guidelines in reporting infectious illness and in practicing proper universal precautions. Ensures all hospital unit DCS comply with lifting techniques, safety guidelines, infection control and universal precautions, and 1:1 guidelines and requirements.
• Monitors new patients, assisting patients in their new surroundings to make them feel at ease during the transition. Evaluates any additional needs the patient may require such as 1:1, night monitoring, equipment, supplies and communicates observations to the Hospital Unit Nurse or Day Lead DCS. When a patient is scheduled for discharge, ensures all personal articles/belongings are accounted for and ready for departure. If there is a missing item(s) informs hospital unit nurse and on-coming Lead DCS so further inquiry may be made. Oversees this process with all admissions and discharges. Ensures any overlooked items are collected and given to the on-coming Lead DCS to be taken to the Social Work Services Department for return to the patient. Identifies any patient's electronic equipment and ensures a safety maintenance check has been completed for use.
• Completes all required and scheduled training, in services and meetings appropriately. Assures quarterly training is distributed, completed, and returned by established deadlines. Assures all DCS staff are aware of locations of AEDs, emergency carts, pulse ox, thermometer, and BP equipment.
• Participates in the development and implementation of the Nursing Quality Assessment and Improvement Plan, projects and QAPI meetings. Identifies areas warranting improvement and may participate in the design and implementation of quality improvement projects to include data collection as requested.

Performs other related tasks as assigned.

About J.D. McCarty Center:

J.D. McCarty Center is a pediatric rehabilitation hospital for children with disabilities birth to 21 years of age. We are a unique 36 bed hospital. Patient are admitted for a 30-day evaluation during which they are assigned a treatment team consisting of nursing unit, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutritional services, social services, psychological services, behavioral analysis, and recreational therapy. Our 80-acres campus includes an on-site elementary, intermediate, and high school which is staffed by Norman Public School teachers. Patients may continue treatment needs beyond the 30-days as an in-patient in habilitation status based upon progress or placement needs.
If you want to learn more about the center - CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO!

J.D. McCarty Center benefits include:

• Health Insurance Benefit allowance including Dental, Life, and Disability insurance
• Optional insurance of Vision, Supplemental Life, Dependent Health, and Dependent Life
• Insurance options available to customize your health and dental needs
• Flexible Spending plans available
• Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
• 3 weeks of Annual Leave and 3 weeks of Sick Leave per year
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Longevity Bonus beginning on your 2nd year of employment
• Employee Assistance Program a confidential resource regarding personal and family concerns 
• Tobacco and Vape free facility. 

Employees can also take advantage of other opportunities such as state employee discounts, continuing education, supplemental insurance plans, credit unions.

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