As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

This position provides non-medical and non-clinical emotional and informational support to parents and families who are anticipating the birth of a premature or critically ill newborn, or have a newborn being cared for in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Acts as a liaison between the Hospital staff, parents and/or families and the Parent to Parent volunteer group. This position has no responsibility for providing direct patient care.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in our comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

• Acts as a key contact for non-professional counseling and emotional support by actively engaging with parents in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This requires regular rounding with patients, parents and families.
• Acts as a resource for parents in helping to identify state, community and hospital resources that may provide help during their infants' hospitalization or after discharge.
• Communicates with nursing staff to obtain pertinent information about each infant or antepartum patient. Maintains confidentiality per HIPAA policy.
• Acts as a liaison between the Hospital staff, Parent to Parent volunteer group and the National Perinatal Association. Keeps Hospital staff informed of Parent to Parent functions. Encourages staff and parent involvement with the Parent to Parent volunteer group.
• Maintains records for families with special needs. This information is made available both to Hospital staff and to the Parent to Parent volunteer group.
• Coordinates the Parent to Parent meetings and events. Provides oversight of all volunteer activities to ensure appropriate content and quality. Responsible for annual Parent to Parent budget and clerical duties to maintain appropriate record maintenance.
• Posts Parent to Parent information in the NICU unit to include; dates, times and locations of class offerings, meetings and events.
• Regularly attends NICU meetings such as the weekly Discharge Planning meetings and others as assigned.
• Meets regularly with the NICU Nurse Manager. Provides quarterly reports for the Parent to Parent program, to include; class rosters, parent feedback, expense tracking, etc. Seeks advanced approval from NICU Nurse Manager for class offerings, events and expenditures.
• Stays current on trends and developments in perinatal care, as well as resources available for parents with critically ill newborns.
• Other duties as necessary to ensure optimal non-clinical, emotional support to parents and families.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.

• Must have good interpersonal communication and customer service skills.

• Must have good organizational skills.

• Basic computer skills.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in social work, education, public health.
• 2 years of health care experience.

Preferred

• Experience in helping families in crisis.
• Knowledge of medical issues inherent in the NICU patient population.
• Knowledge of the emotional needs of parents of critically ill newborns.
• Energetic, highly motivated, compassionate, independent, self-starter.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This is a sedentary position in an office setting that may exert up to 10 pounds and may lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. This position involves sitting most of the time and is not exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Carrying, Climbing, Color Determination, Crawling, Far Vision, Lifting, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Pulling and/or Pushing, Reaching, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Stooping and Crouching, Tasting or Smelling, Walking