IOP Mental Health Tech/Driver

Regions Behavioral Health Hospital • Baton Rouge, LA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This role involves direct patient care for geriatric acute and chronic psychiatric patients. The technician must be able to lift and transfer patients, work on their feet for 8-hour shifts, and adapt to an unpredictable and constantly changing environment. The job involves risks such as personal injury, exposure to communicable diseases, and potential for patient loss of control.

Requirements

• Must be 25 years of age or older.
• Must have high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must be able to obtain vital signs.
• Must have clean driving record.
• Demonstrates adequate communication skills.
• Good grooming and appearance.
• Courteous diplomatic manner.
• Good reading comprehension and spelling ability.
• Neat and legible handwriting.
• Ability to work well with others.
• Ability to follow orders.
• Punctual and dependable in attendance.
• Uses discretion in handling confidential information regarding patients, personnel, and facility policies.
• Demonstrates good, working knowledge of program.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of development characteristics across the lifespan.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of emotional and behavioral disorders of the chronically mentally ill.
• Demonstrates knowledge of policies related to suspected abuse/neglect procedures including interviewing, reporting and documenting.

Nice To Haves

• College background preferred.
• Completion and certification in a formal nursing assistant program or Mental Health Technician course preferred.
• One year experience in a related field or as a MHT preferred.
• Chauffer's license is preferred.
• Maintains Class D Chauffeurs license.

Responsibilities

• Performs all aspects of direct patient care including hygiene.
• Delivers care not requiring a license and under direct supervision by licensed staff.
• Takes vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and respiration, and documents them accurately.
• Recognizes and reports abnormal vital signs to the nurse in a timely fashion.
• Assists nurses, physicians, and patients during treatments, procedures, and exams.
• Assists patients with specimen collection.
• Orients new patients to the program upon admission.
• Assists with admissions, transfers, and discharges of patients as instructed.
• Provides a clean, comfortable, safe, and therapeutic environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Assists patients with nourishment, snacks, and meals.
• Performs program cleaning duties as instructed by the Program Director.
• Provides care to patients in a manner that considers patients' rights.
• Assists with transports in and outside the facility.
• Intervenes to decrease panic in disturbed patients.
• Observes patient behavior for changes to intervene appropriately or report to the appropriate person.
• Remains in patient areas for meals, breaks, or errands off the facility property.
• Sets limits on a patient’s behavior with the assistance of professional staff.
• Encourages independent behavior in appropriate patients.
• Completes all required annual in-services.
• Participates and attends program staff meetings.
• Participates and attends committee meetings as assigned.
• Participates in clinical staffing as instructed by the Program Director.
• Attends and participates in therapies, including social work group therapy and other programmatic groups offered by other disciplines as directed.
• Demonstrates an active interest in patients by making appropriate contact, communicating, and maintaining a supportive, empathetic, and respectful therapeutic style.
• Keeps abreast of applicable facility policies and procedures and conforms to changes.
• Implements fire/safety/disaster/code when necessary under the direction of the Program Director.
• Serves as a role model for patients and peers.
• Collaborates with members of other disciplines.
• Maintains a good working relationship with nursing, medical, ancillary staff, patients, and visitors.
• Adheres to all facility and personnel rules and regulations.
• Makes frequent patient contact to evaluate patient needs.
• Adheres to the established dress code.
• Monitors and reports maintenance, safety, or housekeeping problems to supervisor.
• Completes appropriate admission forms and forwards them to the appropriate persons.
• Functions as a visitor escort and monitors visitation as instructed by a supervisor.
• Transports patients in a professional, timely, and safe manner.
• Operates vehicle in a safe manner.
• Maintains vehicle in clean fashion, reports any maintenance needs to supervisor, and assists in facilitation of maintenance records.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Completes tasks in a timely fashion.
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize tasks.
• Adheres to all facility policies and procedures.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED