TECH - MH/BH (NO DEGREE) PRN

UHS•MADERA, CA

10h•Onsite

About The Position

River Vista Behavioral Health is a new, 128-bed facility overlooking the San Joaquin River, dedicated to providing high-quality behavioral health services. The hospital employs over 250 staff members, including clinicians, nurses, mental health technicians, support staff, and administration. We are seeking a compassionate and forward-thinking Mental Health Technician to join our Nursing Team. This role involves providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling to patients across all age groups, from adolescents to geriatrics, under the direction of a Registered Nurse. This is a per diem position requiring flexibility in shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, based on departmental needs.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Two (2) years of related experience, with knowledge of psychiatric patient care techniques, and understanding of mental illness required.
CPR certification and successful completion of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training.
A strong knowledge of The Joint Commission, HCFA, OSHA regulations, and patient rights standards and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing mental health care facilities.

Nice To Haves

Certified Nursing Assistant preferred.

Responsibilities

Functions as an active part of the treatment team, providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling to patients ranging in age from adolescents through geriatrics.
Works under the direction of a Registered Nurse.
Demonstrates responsibility for observation and application of sound judgment in patients' physical and mental condition/needs.
Provides continuous patient care and maintains the safety of all assigned patients, verifying patient safety every 15 minutes on appropriate forms.
Observes and documents changes in patients' appearance, behavior, and ability to work towards treatment plan goals.
Communicates changes in patient's condition to the Charge Nurse or Nurse Manager.
Ensures timely documentation of interventions and that interventions are based on the patient's plan of care.
Applies appropriate crisis intervention techniques, as required.
Assists patients in achieving their optimum level of independent functioning.
Documents services rendered in accordance with established criteria.
Demonstrates excellent guest relations in communication and cooperation, assisting patients, licensed practitioners, co-workers, and visitors in a prompt and courteous manner.
Acts as a patient advocate and assures patient rights are upheld.
Demonstrates understanding of and compliance with reporting and supervisory hierarchy.
Attends program meetings and maintains related records.
Participates in performance improvement activities as assigned (i.e., in-services, auditing).
Utilizes time constructively and in an organized manner to accomplish assigned responsibilities.
Demonstrates good judgment when making decisions.
Adheres to facility, department, and Corporate Personnel Policies and Procedures.
Attends all mandatory facility in-services and staff development activities as scheduled.
Maintains confidentiality of facility employees and patient information.
Conducts safety rounds to ensure no contraband is allowed on units.
Escorts patients to meals and activities, and may escort patients to other healthcare facilities.
Demonstrates appropriate therapeutic boundaries and consistently follows established procedures.
Provides pertinent feedback to the interdisciplinary treatment team regarding patient response to didactic group offerings, treatment interventions, and therapeutic objectives, as appropriate and necessary.
Maintains knowledge of the Child Program rules, protocols, and handbook guidelines.
Maintains knowledge of children's stages of development and seeks guidance from the nurse in charge when questions about the norms for behavior related to child development arise.
Assesses patients for behaviors consistent with developmental stages and notes any deviations in behavior.
Recognizes acting out behavior of child-specific age groups and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral, and non-judgmental terms based on the patient's age.
Demonstrates an awareness of learning disabilities and translates treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled child.
Relates to child patients in an age-appropriate manner.
Utilizes seclusion and restraint procedures with an understanding of the need for modification regarding smaller body sizes of children, abandonment issues, and history of physical and/or sexual abuse.
Maintains knowledge of the Adolescent Program rules, protocols, and handbook guidelines.
Assesses patients for behaviors consistent with developmental stages and notes any deviations in behavior.
Recognizes acting out behavior of adolescent-specific age groups and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral, and non-judgmental terms based on the patient's age.
Demonstrates an awareness of learning disabilities and translates treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled adolescent.
Relates to adolescent patients in an age-appropriate manner.
Utilizes seclusion and restraint procedures with an understanding of the need for modification regarding smaller body sizes of adolescents, abandonment issues, and history of physical and/or sexual issues.
Gathers information from the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team and uses judgments based on knowledge of adult behaviors in treatment planning and interventions.
Recognizes behaviors and sets appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral, and non-judgmental terms.
Utilizes seclusion/restraint procedures applicable to adult body size and past history of violent or emotional behaviors and/or history of physical and/or sexual abuse issues.
Utilizes theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of adult care within Specific Standards of Care for this age group.
Maintains knowledge of the Adult program rules, protocols, and handbook guidelines.
Maintains knowledge of the developmental tasks and sociological theories of aging.
Utilizes theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of gerontological health care and behavioral care.
Gathers appropriate information from the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team and uses therapeutic judgments based on knowledge of gerontological health/behavioral care practices to develop a comprehensive plan of care.
Is knowledgeable of special patient needs as related to chemical dependency.
Effectively collaborates with other chemical dependency staff professionals in facilitating the plan of care.
Maintains an awareness of how personal issues relating to co-dependency can impact work performance/relationships.
Must work every other weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, as required.