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Behavioral Health Associate – E/R Psych Nursing

Full-Time

Join Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center—one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades—is a 384-bed, not-for-profit, fully accredited community teaching hospital serving Queens since 1891, where we started in just a four-bedroom house. Today, we deliver nationally recognized care in cardiology, stroke, oncology, imaging, and emergency medicine, and are New York State’s only Primary Heart Attack Center and the first Comprehensive Stroke Center.

With an expanded Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Department, modern maternity services, and over 120,000 ER visits annually, we offer dynamic opportunities for professional growth, impact and clinical excellence. Through our affiliation with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the upcoming opening of our newly built, state-of-the-art Cancer Center, we continue to expand access to world-class care.

As a safety-net hospital, filling a void for the people in the community, we proudly serve all patients regardless of ability to pay. Join us during this exciting period of growth and help shape the future of healthcare.

Mission: To serve our patients and the community in a way that is second to none. 

Vision: To be the premier integrated healthcare delivery system by providing the highest quality, most cost-effective service, which is accessible and sensitive to all.

Jamaica Hospital

Behavioral Health Associate –  E/R Psych Nursing 
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center | Queens, NY

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, a leader in patient-centered care and one of New York’s busiest community teaching hospitals, is seeking dedicated and compassionate Behavioral Health Associates (BHA) to join our Behavioral Health Services team.

Ranked among the 2024 Best Hospitals in America and recognized with the Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals Award, Jamaica Hospital provides top-quality care to one of the most diverse communities in the nation. Our Behavioral Health team is expanding to meet growing community needs, and we invite you to be part of this critical mission.

About the Role
As a Behavioral Health Associate, you will play a vital role in supporting patients experiencing psychological crises. Working under the direction of a Registered Nurse (RN) and/or physician, and alongside an interdisciplinary team, you will perform crisis interventions, therapeutic observations, patient supervision, and assist in implementing behavioral health protocols, including the safe use of seclusion and restraints when clinically necessary.

This is a frontline, crisis-intervention role where your ability to remain calm, think critically, and act compassionately will have a direct impact on patient safety, recovery, and overall quality of care.

Key Responsibilities

  • Utilize crisis and de-escalation techniques to support patients in acute distress.
  • Assist in the safe application and removal of restraints and seclusion when required, ensuring patient dignity and well-being.
  • Identify environmental and patient triggers of agitation and communicate findings to the treatment team.
  • Conduct one-to-one therapeutic observations, patient checks, and video surveillance as assigned.
  • Escort patients on and off facility premises, ensuring safety and compliance with hospital protocols.
  • Monitor and control patient, family, visitor, and staff traffic within Behavioral Health Services.
  • Perform patient property checks at admission and discharge, documenting and securing belongings appropriately.
  • Participate in quality assurance, team meetings, and ongoing training to maintain competency.
  • Ensure compliance with hospital, corporate, and regulatory policies (including CMS Patients’ Rights regulations).

Tagged as: BHA, psychiatric

Requirements
  • High School Diploma or GED required.
  • Minimum of 2 years full-time experience in law enforcement, nursing, or psychiatric/behavioral health within a high-volume, intensive-care environment.
  • Associate degree in criminal justice, social services, or a health-related field preferred.
  • Strong critical thinking, communication, and crisis management skills.
  • Ability to safely assist in the physical control of patients when necessary.
  • Completion of all required CMS training and demonstrated competency in seclusion/restraint procedures.

Why Join Jamaica Hospital?
Be part of an award-winning hospital ranked among the top 5% nationwide for clinical excellence.
Gain valuable experience working in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary behavioral health team.
Contribute to a mission-driven environment where your work directly impacts the safety and recovery of patients in crisis.
Opportunities for ongoing professional training, growth, and advancement.

Location: Jamaica Hospital Medical Center – Queens, NY
Department: Behavioral Health Services
Position Type: Full-Time

Join our team of professionals dedicated to providing compassionate, life-saving care to individuals experiencing psychological crises. Apply today and become part of a hospital that is transforming lives, one patient at a time.
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