Mental Health Technician

Lehigh Valley Health Network•Bethlehem, PA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Technician assists with planning and implementing individual patient care and therapeutic milieu groups for psychiatric inpatients. The role provides direct care and mental health support to children and adults, assists with intakes as required, and performs treatment and diagnostic procedures such as EKGs, phlebotomy, blood sugar checks, and bladder scans. The technician documents patient interactions and maintains records for staff and authorities involved in treatment decisions. Patient care activities are performed in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN. This is an onsite position at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg, in the BH Float Pool. The posted schedule is 7 p.m.–7:30 a.m., flex/per diem, with minimal weekend and holiday requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and at least one year of experience in a related human services field, such as healthcare, social services, criminal justice, education, or pastoral care; or at least one year of college credits, preferably in psychology, sociology, social work, special education, nursing, healthcare administration, or medicine.
For candidates with less than one year of experience: at least six months of direct care experience, including individual and group counseling skills, preferably in acute behavioral healthcare or a behavioral education setting. Direct care experience may include a professional formal internship or clinical practicum.
For candidates with one year of experience: one year of behavioral health experience.
Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and adapt readily to emergency situations.
Ability to speak clearly and be understood by listeners.
Ability to use reasoning to solve problems.
Ability to recognize others’ reactions and understand possible causes.
Knowledge of mental health and/or substance abuse.
Individual and group counseling skills.
AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required upon hire.
Ability to lift and carry 40–50 pounds; push or pull patients on beds or stretchers, including a stated push force of 29 pounds; and perform lateral transfers involving up to 50 pounds of a patient’s weight.
Frequent to continuous standing and walking; patient transporters may walk 8–10 miles per shift. Patient-care providers may need to kneel, bend, squat, and perform CPR.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, education, nursing, medicine, or healthcare administration.
One year of direct-care experience involving individual and group counseling in an acute behavioral healthcare setting.
Previous direct-care experience in a behavioral health setting and working knowledge of mental health technician practices.

Responsibilities

Document client behaviors observed during the shift and enter documentation in electronic medical records.
Accept emergency and crisis calls; respond to front-line first-responder needs by telephone and triage calls based on intensity, service needs, timing, and staff assignment.
Assist residents with physical care and hygiene.
Support activities of daily living, base interactions on treatment-plan goals and interventions, and follow unit-specific guidelines.
Conduct independent study of relevant current literature and present findings to staff annually.
Demonstrate at least one behavior supporting the model, such as clinical supervision, committee participation, PI monitoring, coordinating scheduling, PCC measurement, patient-satisfaction follow-up, or peer review.
Maintain competencies in accordance with established procedures and department- or unit-specific competency assessment criteria.
Provide input to the formulation and revision of treatment plans and perform treatment and diagnostic procedures.
Pursue personal and professional growth through continuing education and self-motivated learning.
Function as a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team, participate in others’ professional learning, and serve as a resource for students.
Assist with orientation of new personnel and support the professional practice model.
Assist in planning and implementing individual patient care and therapeutic milieu groups for psychiatric inpatients.
Provide direct care and mental health support to patients, assist with intakes, and perform procedures such as EKGs, phlebotomy, blood sugar checks, and bladder scans.
Document interactions and maintain complete records for staff and authorities involved in decision-making.
Perform patient care activities in collaboration with and under the direction of an RN.