Mental Health Technician

Position responsibilities

Provides basic patient care including taking and documenting vital signs, weight, height, abdominal girth; assists with all aspects of direct patient care including providing personal care and hygiene and blood glucose testing, all under the supervision of the assigned Registered Nurse (RN).

Observes and documents patient's condition and behavior every 15 minutes per policy and reports significant changes including observed side effects of medications to the assigned RN.

Participates actively by providing input for interdisciplinary treatment team meetings; provides feedback concerning patient responses, problems, and progress; provides alternative plans for patients who are deemed inappropriate for typical groups offered.

In collaboration with the behavioral health therapists, helps organize, facilitate, and supervise group therapy, education, training, leisure, and/ or recreational activities to deal constructively with patients' emotional, psychological and behavioral problems.

Collaborates with other disciplines in facilitating programming activities.

Maintains and updates patients' records including; belongings inventories, patient food intake, observation, and vital signs documentation. Reports all abnormal findings to assigned RN.

Meets with the patients to identify treatment needs and orients patients to unit programming groups and activities. Maintains therapeutic communication with patient. Gives re-direction and/or reality re-orientation as needed. Maintains professional demeanor and adheres to professional boundaries.

Maintains a safe and therapeutic patient environment. Performs and documents patient safety rounds/ room checks following unit policy and procedure. Monitors for suicide/ homicide/elopement behaviors and reports them to RN immediately. Responds to codes calmly and professionally.

Adheres to the principles of non-violent crisis intervention when dealing with aggressive patients. Assists in placing patient in seclusion/ restraint and observes suicide/ seclusion precaution.

Provides care to patients in seclusion/ restraint including but not limited to:

Assists with transport, transfer, and discharge of patient including the care of personal property and labeling. Accompany patients to Baker Act court and off-unit tests or treatment as necessary.

Conducts patient belonging inventory upon admission and documents in the appropriate form. Checks packages brought in by visitors. Advises RN when contraband are found during inventory .

Ensures that all patient meal requests are received in a timely manner.

Ensures that patients are wearing clean, safe, and appropriate clothing on unit. Makes sure patient laundry needs are met.

Recognizes signs and symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol or other substances and reports to RN.

Attends at least 75% of scheduled departmental meetings and in-service programs.

Performs other works as assigned.