Mental Health Associate, PTRC, 20 Hours, Evenings

UMass Memorial Health•Worcester, MA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Associate participates as a member of the mental health team on an inpatient and/or outpatient mental health unit. The role provides direct patient care, including treatment-plan implementation, documentation, and milieu safety assessments and activities. The position is part-time at 20 scheduled hours per week, working evening hours from 1500 to 2330, with every other weekend and every other holiday scheduled. The associate supports patients, families, nurses, physicians, and other colleagues; communicates observations and patient changes to the Registered Nurse; contributes to a safe, therapeutic environment; and assists with medical and psychiatric interventions as directed. Work is considered sedentary and takes place indoors in a normal patient care environment.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current Basic Life Support or Heart Saver certification required within one month as a condition of employment.
One year of relevant patient support experience.
Ability to read, write, and communicate in English clearly and concisely.
Effective interpersonal skills for respectful, culturally and age-appropriate communication with patients, staff, visitors, and others.
Effective problem-solving abilities for routine situations.
An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides proficiency in the listed areas of responsibility may be substituted for stated requirements where certification, licensure, or registration is not required.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree.
Medical terminology skills.
Computer skills.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the Mental Health Team and support patients, families, nurses, physicians, and other colleagues involved in care and services.
Communicate observations and changes in patients to the Registered Nurse in a clear and timely manner, and record behavioral data on appropriate forms.
Maintain patient safety through patient safety checks and environmental safety rounds; use directed fall-prevention strategies, de-escalation tools, and calming strategies; and follow restraint policy standards when caring for restrained patients.
Share responsibility for developing and maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment.
Lead or co-lead group activities, structure and supervise recreational activities, handle routine situations, and seek assistance when more direction is needed.
Assist in medical emergencies as directed by the Registered Nurse and use proper safety techniques and body mechanics.
Obtain and record vital signs, and measure and record patients’ height and weight as assigned by the Registered Nurse.
Perform tests and procedures as assigned by the Registered Nurse, which may include EKGs, phlebotomy, and intake and output measurement.
Document daily progress notes and group notes according to policy and as assigned by the Registered Nurse.
Assist the Registered Nurse with other medical and psychiatric interventions as directed.
Provide personal care as appropriate and support patients’ independent functioning in daily routines.
Use interventions to de-escalate patients and, if de-escalation is unsuccessful, participate in restraints in accordance with training and education as directed.
Perform and document safety checks on patients and the unit as directed.
Review and follow patients’ treatment plans, provide feedback to the clinical team about implementation, and implement special treatment strategies indicated in the plan.
Maintain logs, organize patient care charts for admission, discharge, and transfer, and maintain medical records as instructed.
Attend required or directed staff meetings and in-service programs; stay current on hospital and unit changes, including by regularly reading and responding to UMMHC emails and other communications.
Comply with departmental policies, procedures, objectives, and health and safety requirements; attend required or directed meetings and conferences; and use Quality Improvement in daily operations.
Demonstrate respect for diverse views and contribute to a professional, tolerant, civil, and accepting environment.
Maintain regular, reliable, and predictable attendance and perform other similar and related duties as required or directed.