Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Days

Career Center•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

The Mental Health Technician (MHT) provides direct patient care in daily living activities, including bathing, eating, dressing, and toileting, under the supervision of nurses. The role helps maintain a safe, therapeutic environment and provides crisis intervention. Because of close contact with patients, the position may involve encounters with violent patients or crisis situations. The employee performs patient-care, monitoring, documentation, admission, and therapeutic-activity duties; follows infection-prevention and restraint and seclusion requirements; and works the designated schedule. The role has no supervisory responsibilities. A supervisor frequently determines priorities, and the employee may occasionally need a manager’s direction in extraordinary circumstances. Work is typically performed in a well-lit, temperature-controlled environment. The position involves frequent above-average conversational noise and possible exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other contagious illnesses. Flexible hours, unscheduled overtime, occasional weekend work, and travel may be required. The employee must be able to speak and write in English.

Requirements

Certified as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
Successful completion of required training.
Adhere to patient-rights, anonymity, and confidentiality policies, including for written and verbal communications about patient identity, address, and situation.
Promote and adhere to cultural competency when interacting with patients, visitors, physicians, coworkers, vendors, supervisors, and management.
Interact in a friendly, supportive, courteous, respectful, cooperative, and professional manner with patients, families, physicians, referral sources, visitors, coworkers, and management.
Promote and adhere to a drug- and violence-free workplace and monitor for compliance.
Handle multiple priorities effectively and abide by attendance guidelines.
Demonstrate compassion and a genuine interest in helping others; be patient, honest, communicative, observant, and able to handle stressful and crisis situations.
Demonstrate flexibility, cooperation, and a positive attitude toward work.
Practice de-escalation techniques and therapeutic rapport with patients.
Know the needs and rights of the patients served, admission criteria and screening for those criteria, and applicable restraint and seclusion laws, regulations, and requirements.
Demonstrate knowledge of the hospital’s mission, promote reduction of mental-illness stigma, and advocate for the needs and rights of persons served.
Complete CMS restraint and seclusion training before direct patient care and complete yearly refreshers.
Obtain CPR certification; until trained at the next available class, the employee will not be assigned one-on-one patient care and will be supervised by a CPR-certified healthcare professional.
Obtain CPI certification; until trained at the next available class, the employee will not be assigned one-on-one patient care and will be supervised by a CPI-certified healthcare professional.
Be able to speak and write in English.
Meet the physical demands of the role, including lifting up to 50 pounds and standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, and using the hands.
Good audio-visual ability and hearing.

Nice To Haves

One to two years of experience in a mental health, patient care, or geriatric setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

Measure patients’ vital signs, including temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate.
Provide direct patient care, including bathing, dressing, and walking assistance.
Turn and reposition patients to help prevent skin breakdown.
Change bed linens; supply and empty bed pans.
Record oral intake and measure urinary output.
Interact professionally with patients and families.
Transport patients and equipment.
Monitor patients for assessments and report observations to a supervisor.
Follow infectious disease precautions to prevent the spread of infections.
Help monitor a safe and therapeutic work environment.
Complete admission paperwork and orient patients to the hospital.
Participate in and assist with recreational and therapeutic activities for patients.
Comply with restraint and seclusion guidelines.
Request direction and supervision when needed.
Complete clear, organized, complete, current, and legible documentation.
Ensure medical records are completed, filed, and retrieved appropriately.
Work the designated schedule.
Report incidents to a supervisor and report unsafe working conditions or behaviors.
Follow safety rules and take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent unsafe practices.
Perform other duties as assigned.