Behavioral Health Tech

Tenet Healthcare Corporation • Tucson, AZ

4h

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Technician supports licensed behavioral health personnel by providing therapeutic services and individualized patient care, with attention to patients’ mental, spiritual, and emotional needs and those of their families. The role works with minimum supervision and includes direct patient care, crisis support, treatment-plan collaboration, documentation, and maintaining a safe and orderly care environment.

The position has three proficiency levels. Level 1 covers the core duties. Level 2 adds cultural awareness, task prioritization, time management, and multitasking. Level 3 adds problem-solving in confrontational situations, participation in departmental quality improvement, and precepting and training new Behavioral Technicians.

Requirements

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (G.E.D.).
• One year of experience.
• BLS, current CPR, and CPI (or equivalent); these may be obtained during orientation.

Nice To Haves

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health-related field.
• Two years of behavioral health experience providing direct patient care on an acute inpatient psychiatric unit.

Responsibilities

• Provide care under the direction of licensed behavioral health personnel, including assistance with activities of daily living such as hygiene, mobility, and feeding.
• Provide crisis intervention, didactic groups, and activity groups; demonstrate basic knowledge of psychiatric medications.
• Manage disruptions in the milieu without injury to patients or staff by applying effective therapeutic interventions.
• Collaborate in developing, implementing, monitoring, reviewing, and revising treatment plans and goals.
• Monitor patients taking medication.
• Perform patient care procedures including Accucheck, vital signs, height and weight, intake and output, and specimen collection.
• Assist with food delivery, tray pickup, patient meals, and monitoring intake.
• Process patient admissions and transfers, including belongings and clothing inventories, contraband checks, medication procedures, chart assembly, and initiation of observation checklists.
• Complete daily routines including morning vital signs, shift reports, assignments and assignment sheets, patient and family education forms, and chart checks.
• Complete nightly routines including lights out, chart filing, chart audits, and discharge summaries.
• Follow the discharge process, including retrieving items from the safe, disposition of belongings, breaking down charts, and completing discharge documentation, inventory forms, and patient satisfaction surveys.
• Maintain orderliness of the care environment, including temperature, lighting, and noise control.
• Store equipment in an orderly manner, return equipment after use, and label and report malfunctioning equipment.
• Follow licensing regulations and policy requirements related to client treatment, treatment plans, crisis management, and ethical behavior.
• Follow departmental policies and procedures, safety and environmental requirements, and infection control standards; complete work to established standards with minimal supervision.
• Follow patient safety procedures, including patient identification, observation, and crisis management, and perform duties safely for oneself and others.
• Operate a multiple-line telephone, use voice messaging appropriately, and relay patient-care information to team members in a timely manner within scope of practice.
• Promote awareness of patients’ differing cultural, social, and religious needs among patients, families, and caregivers.
• Prioritize tasks according to urgency, develop an effective routine, and multitask.
• Use problem-solving techniques and verbalize appropriate steps during confrontational situations.
• Participate in departmental quality improvement measures.
• Precept new Behavioral Technicians and assist with training new staff.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match.
• Paid time off.
• Career development and continuing education opportunities.
• Health savings accounts and healthcare and dependent flexible spending accounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employee discount program.
• Voluntary benefits including pet insurance, legal insurance, accident and critical illness insurance, long-term care, elder and childcare, and auto and home insurance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED