MENTAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN (FULL-TIME, DAYS)

Johnson Memorial Hospital•Franklin, IN

13h•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Technician assists in restoring and promoting patient health by supporting their individual therapeutic treatment plans. This role involves conducting activities aligned with patient diagnoses and needs, assisting with personal care, monitoring vital signs and behavior, and ensuring patient dignity and respect for their values. The technician also coordinates and supervises therapeutic activities, collaborates with the healthcare team, and maintains communication to ensure continuity of care. Responsibilities include patient and family orientation, managing patient belongings, escorting patients, providing emotional and psychological support, and monitoring visitors. Safety and infection control are paramount, requiring adherence to established protocols, including assisting with seclusion or restraints under RN direction and intervening in safety rule violations. The role also involves maintaining patient privacy, participating in training, ensuring equipment functionality, and upholding quality of care standards. The technician will assist with telepsych equipment, maintain unit cleanliness, and perform other assigned duties, all while supporting the Mission and Values of Johnson Memorial Health and complying with all applicable laws and policies.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Certification as a Nursing Assistant or equivalent on the job training specific to the area for a minimum of three months, OR previous formal education or work experience in psychology, social work, or human services.
Must maintain current BLS or CPR for Healthcare Providers certification.

Responsibilities

Restores and promotes patient’s health by assisting in their individual therapeutic treatment plan.
Conducts activities in accordance with patient diagnosis and needs.
Assists patient with personal needs (oral hygiene, toileting, bathing, dressing, transferring, etc.) as required.
Regularly observes and records patients’ behaviors, temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure and weight.
Monitors and documents patients’ food and fluid intake; feeds patients as required.
Completes and documents 15-minute (or less) visual checks on patients per unit/JMH policy.
Ensures patient dignity and respects patient values.
Coordinates and supervises therapeutic activities for individual patients and for groups in accordance with patient care treatment plans.
Assists with tele psych equipment as required.
Attends and contributes to therapeutic groups, community meetings and activities.
Collaborates with physicians, nurses, and multidisciplinary team members.
Maintains continuity among staff by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs.
Assists in orientation for patients and families.
Checks in and documents luggage and personal belongings upon admission and maintains patient property list.
Escorts and monitors patients during admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional and psychological support to patients, families, and friends.
Monitors visitors and supervises visitation.
Protects patients and employees by adhering to safety standards, infection-control policies and protocols, storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
Uses hygienic practices and teaches patient hygienic practices.
Provides line-of-sight or one-to-one support to patients as ordered by the physician.
Intervenes with patients who disregard, violate, or ignore unit safety rules.
Reports any signs of increasing aggression, suicidal behavior, and danger of elopement, violation of smoking rules, or violation of any other unit/JMH safety rules.
Per RN direction, and using approved methods, assists in safely placing patients in seclusion or restraints and observes suicide/seclusion precautions.
Assists in emergency care if necessary.
Maintains patient privacy and confidentiality and protects operations by keeping patient and program information confidential.
Operates within ethical standards.
Attends appropriate facility in-service training programs and completes all required educational sessions, including staff meetings and competencies per unit/JMH policy.
Ensures operations of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, calling for repairs and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards and measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and regulatory standards.
Provides feedback to supervisor on ongoing basis in regard to concerns, improvements, changes, etc.
Helps maintain unit cleanliness and neatness for patient comfort.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Clearly communicates and continuously supports the Mission and Values of Johnson Memorial Health.
Conducts all activities in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, standards, and Johnson Memorial Health policies and procedures including Blood and Body Substance Precautions.