Mental Health Associate- Mount Sinai West - Part Time Nights

Mount Sinai Health System • New York, NY

96d • $26 - $28

About The Position

Mental Health Associate is an individual who functions in both a support and collaborative role with the Registered Professional Nurse by providing direct care to individual and to groups of psychiatric patients within the Psychiatry Care Center.

Requirements

• Associate Degree or equivalent with some college level courses preferred.
• Satisfactory completion of a Basic Medical Assistant's Skills Training Program or equivalent including EKG and Venipuncture skills.
• One (1) year of satisfactory work performance as a Nurse's Aide or Patient Care Associate preferred.
• Current Heart Saver Certification from American Heart Association. BCLS will also be accepted as an alternative.
• Successful completion of a Crisis Prevention and Intervention Course and updated according to policy.
• Ability to read, write, understand and speak English in a clear and concise manner.
• Visual and aural acuity to assess patient within parameters of job responsibilities.
• Communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with a wide variety of individuals.
• Orientation toward consumer satisfaction.
• Physical stamina, manual dexterity and visual and aural acuity to perform duties.
• Trained on the job.
• Successful completion of on site preparation program.
• Prior healthcare experience with demonstrated competency in a psychiatric setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assists the nursing staff in performing selected nursing procedures and functional tasks to specific patients.
• Assists with the admissions, transfer and discharge of patients according to established policy and procedures.
• Provides direct physical care, and/or one to one observation to selected patients under supervision.
• Carries out procedures as taught.
• Assists with patients' examinations treatments and procedures.
• Assists with lifting, positioning, moving and ambulating patients using body mechanics as instructed.
• Transports patients by wheelchair, stretcher or bed.
• Assists in preventive measures and crisis interventions (i.e. suicide, aggression, elopement self-harm and sexual risks).
• Assists in de-escalation of agitated patients and utilizes crisis prevention techniques as necessary for the management of potential destructive behaviors.
• Escorts ambulatory patients.
• Escorts patients outside of the hospital as necessary.
• Goes on errands as necessary.
• Aware of the need for safety devices; applies or assists with application as taught.
• Cares for patient's personal possessions and reports presence of valuables to the nurse or ward clerk.
• Answers call lights, attends to the patient's needs and/or reports patient's concerns and requests to the nurse.
• Reports pertinent information and observations regarding patients to the nurse.
• Communicates information and basic instructions to patients, families and visitors.
• Participates in exchange of patient daily report and nursing care conferences.
• Obtains and records blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respiration rate in accordance with hospital policy.
• Attends staff and educational meetings.
• Works safely and provides for the safety of patients and others.
• Maintains neat and clean patient and service areas.
• Organize and implement group activities in conjunction with the unit program and other staff and document patient participation and report to nurse.
• Facilitate the patient's transition toward discharge.
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of desired effects and side effects of psychotropic medication.
• Participate in Interdisciplinary Treatment Team meetings as assigned.
• Perform Q20 minute environmental/patient safety rounds and implement a higher level of observation in emergencies.
• Immediately reports any need for increased observation to the clinical nurse for further assessment.
• Establish and foster collegial, therapeutic relationships with peers, support staff and other disciplines.
• Demonstrate therapeutic skills in crisis intervention.
• Demonstrates safe use of equipment, safety precautions in all aspects of patient care activities (e.g. restraints applications, transportation).
• Recognizes changes in a patient's status, sharing findings with the primary nurse.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of DSM-IV diagnoses.
• Assists with emergency interventions based on clinical manifestation (i.e. choking, respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest).
• Demonstrates awareness of the effect of the physiological changes (decrease vision, hearing and speaking) when utilizing verbal/written skills to communicate with the elderly.
• Selects toys and play room activities consistent with the age and developmental stage of the child/adolescent patient.
• Maintains cleanliness of toys.
• Assists on restraining patients and providing monitoring and comfort of those patients in restraint.
• Perform phlebotomy/fingerstick procedures, as assigned.
• Perform EKG as assigned.
• Perform supplemental components of the nursing admission, i.e. tour of unit, orientation, patient and belonging search, as defined by RN.
• Participate in Clinical Specialty Performance Improvement Activities.
• Document care administered according to policy.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care, based on physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients served in assigned area.
• Assist in supervision of volunteers assigned to the unit.
• Identifies physical, behavioral and emotional characteristics typical for the age group.
• Modifies approaches based on patient age-specific needs and responses to treatment.
• Provides care for patients based on age-specific needs.
• Uses communication techniques which are age appropriate.

Benefits

• Salary range for the role is $26.7056 - $28.9775 Hourly.
• Actual salaries depend on a variety of factors, including experience, education, and operational need.

What This Job Offers

• Industry: Hospitals
• Education Level: Associate degree