Behavioral Health Tech (NIGHTS)

Chesapeake Regional Healthcare•Chesapeake, VA

About The Position

The Behavioral Health Technician collaborates with behavioral health nurses and other clinicians to support individuals experiencing developmental or psychiatric disorders, mental illness, and/or substance abuse issues. The role assists with daily patient care, organizes activities, and monitors patients during acute behavioral health crises. Work is performed within the scope of the technician’s education, training, and experience, based on organizational or unit needs. The technician develops therapeutic relationships with patients and supports a structured, safe therapeutic milieu through observation, communication, patient education, social support, and social skills training. The role includes monitoring and documenting patient interactions and observations, providing sitter or camera/audio monitoring for safety and suicide precautions, using verbal de-escalation and crisis intervention skills, and supporting safety procedures involving seclusion/restraint, elopement, and assaultive behavior in accordance with role scope, policy, and training. The technician also demonstrates a basic understanding of psychotropic medications and assists with patient education as appropriate. General patient care duties include assisting with activities of daily living, responding to call lights, monitoring vital signs and intake/output, performing blood glucose monitoring and EKGs, collecting and transporting specimens, escorting patients, and notifying nurses of relevant changes in condition. The role also includes maintaining supplies and equipment, performing assigned electronic medical record functions, communicating urgent orders, coordinating patient services, answering unit phones, attending required training and meetings, and demonstrating scheduling flexibility to support patient care.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of previous experience as a care partner, Certified Nursing Assistant, or in a similar role.
Current BLS certification, or obtain certification within 90 days of hire if not current.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with a behavioral health patient population.

Responsibilities

Develop therapeutic relationships with behavioral health patients.
Participate in, observe, monitor, report, and record patient interactions in the milieu, during activities, and in group sessions.
Assist in managing a therapeutic milieu by providing structure, social support, patient education, safety, and social skills training.
Act as a physical patient sitter or monitor patients through camera/audio systems for safety and suicide precautions.
Complete required observations, interventions, and documentation accurately and on time.
Use sound judgment and crisis intervention skills, including verbal de-escalation, to prevent or reverse potentially harmful situations.
Support patient safety related to seclusion/restraint, elopement, and management of assaultive patients, within role scope, hospital policy, and training.
Demonstrate a basic understanding of psychotropic medications, including their actions and side effects, within role scope.
Assist with patient education as appropriate for role scope.
Assist with training programs for clinical staff who care for behavioral health patients.
Assist patients with activities of daily living, including meals and feeding, bathing, oral care, range of motion, and ambulation.
Respond promptly to patient or visitor call lights.
Perform blood glucose monitoring and EKGs.
Collect specimens according to policy and transport them to the lab as needed.
Escort patients during testing or transfers.
Obtain blood products from the Blood Bank according to policy.
Monitor and record patient vital signs and intake/output.
Notify the nurse accurately of pertinent changes in a patient's condition.
Maintain and stock adequate supplies and equipment, and use them cost-effectively.
Initiate emergency measures as appropriate to role scope, including Code Red, Patient Elopement, and Code Green procedures.
Perform electronic medical record functions within role scope and use downtime procedures when necessary.
Relay urgent orders immediately to appropriate staff.
Coordinate scheduling of diagnostic, therapeutic, and discharge services for patients.
Answer unit phones and communicate effectively.
Attend required unit-level and hospital-wide orientations, meetings, and in-services.
Demonstrate flexibility with work scheduling as needed to ensure patient care.