Pediatric Mental Health Tech - Texas Behavioral Health Center

UT Southwestern Medical Center • Dallas, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pediatric Mental Health Tech works under supervision at the Texas Behavioral Health Center, a state-funded psychiatric hospital in Dallas operated by UT Southwestern Medical Center. The center provides behavioral health treatment for adults, children, and adolescents in a modern clinical environment. The role supports nursing staff and patients by collecting clinical data, assisting with hygiene and mobility, facilitating treatment activities, monitoring patient safety, and communicating changes in patients’ conditions or behavior to nurses. The position is offered on three 12-hour shifts, with a day or night shift option.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) course accredited by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.
• Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) certification/training must be completed within 30 days of hire.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate in English.
• Ability to meet the role's physical demands, including extended walking and standing, frequently carrying up to 40 pounds, grasping, corrected vision and hearing to normal range, full range of motion, restraining patients when necessary to protect them from harm, and turning and assisting patients with activities of daily living.

Nice To Haves

• One year of acute-care inpatient hospital experience; or Certified Nurses Aide certification with training from an accredited program; or training from an accredited Mental Health Technician program; or completion of the first semester of nursing clinicals in an accredited program.

Responsibilities

• Collect intake and output, weight, temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure; perform skin assessments and promptly report abnormal findings to the nurse.
• Apply age-specific considerations when gathering patient assessments.
• Perform sterile procedures in accordance with nursing and infection-control policies, including sterile-glove use, dressing changes, and in-and-out catheterization.
• Help facilitate the treatment milieu and participate in codes to protect patients from harming themselves or others.
• Immediately report changes in a patient's condition or behavior to the nurse and seek guidance as needed to provide safe, high-quality care.
• Monitor patients' sharps and valuables and label and handle them appropriately.
• Conduct walking, exercise, and community groups.
• Respond respectfully, positively, and promptly to patient requests for assistance.
• Provide basic hygiene care in accordance with nursing policies; inspect skin during bathing and promptly report abnormal findings.
• Make frequent patient rounds to provide comfort, positioning, toileting, and hygiene care, and let patients know when you will return.
• Document patient information accurately, in the appropriate place, and on time.
• Transfer and transport patients safely in accordance with nursing policies and age-specific considerations; ensure patients are appropriately covered and wearing slippers.
• Welcome new patients and their families, knock before entering rooms, introduce yourself, wear a name tag, and alert the nurse if a patient's or family's concerns remain unresolved.
• Orient new staff and students to work areas and collaborate with nursing staff and hospital employees to support retention of qualified personnel.
• Attend at least 80% of scheduled staff meetings and all mandatory educational sessions.
• Use downtime to assist others and provide additional amenities to patients or their families.
• Assume accountability for workplace actions and promptly report errors.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare with no copay
• Paid time off, available day one
• Retirement programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Paid parental leave
• Wellness programs
• Tuition reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer
• Healthcare
• Paid holidays
• On-site childcare
• Wage and merit increases

What This Job Offers

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