Emergency Department Liaison

Nights 7p-7a

Job Summary

Patient Liaisons act as intermediaries addressing concerns on behalf of patients and families working in tandem with the hospital staff. Liaisons will gauge the patients well-being to manage situations with a potential to escalate by offering information and reassurance in a calm professional manner.

Why UT Southwestern

With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care and resources for our valued patients and employees. Here you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and consistent opportunities for learning and advancement into leadership roles.

Experience and Education

Required:

High School diploma or equivalent.

Must be able to read, write, and communicate in English.

Basic Life Support (BLS) course accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) required by hire date. 

Completion of an approved organizational de-escalation program (CPI) within 6 months of hire date.

Minimum two (2) years' ER experience.

Preferred:

Two (2) years' experience with behavioral health patients in a healthcare team setting.

One (1) to four (4) years' security, military, and/or law enforcement background. 

Bachelor's degree.

Job Duties

1. Meets, greets patients, families, and visitors upon arrival to the Emergency Room (ER).

2. Provides direction assistance to patients, families, and guests.

3. Rounds regularly through the ER monitoring for behavioral escalation concerns.

4. Works in collaboration with staff to prevent patient/visitor escalation of behavioral concerns.

5. Maintains body language that is non-threatening when responding to patient/visitor behavioral escalations.

6. Responds as a member of the multidisciplinary team to behavioral escalation situations in the ER.

7. Applies learned de-escalation skills when responding to disruptive events.

8. Participates in workplace violence event debriefings in the ER.

9. Maintains a close professional working relationship with the University Police.

10. Ensures ER Lobby remains free of clutter and assist in maintaining a safe working environment (i.e., wheelchairs are placed in appropriate areas when not in use.)

11. Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Work requires physical and mental capabilities to properly carry out his or her responsibilities and duties.

• Work requires excellent customer service

• Work requires ability to carry out duties in a high-stress environment, adapt to unpredictable situations while remaining calm.

• Work requires possessing physical ability to stand for long periods of time.

• Work requires the ability to lift a minimum of 75 lbs.

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily in a hospital. Work requires extended walking, running, stooping, crouching, pushing, pulling, carrying, reaching above head, lifting, lowering, hand-wrist and elbow motion, grasping, and holding. Work involves a degree of hazard. Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents in lieu of stated minimum require prior approval of Vice President for Human Resources Administration or his/her designee.

Security; This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.