Unit Secretary/Mental Health Worker-Full Time, Day & Night Shift

Kaweah Health•Visalia, CA

1d•$20 - $31•Onsite

About The Position

The Unit Secretary/MHW is responsible for the safety, comfort, and support of acute psychiatric patients. This role is an integral part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting and coordinating unit activities to promote the wellness and recovery of patients with psychiatric disorders and their families. Kaweah Health is a publicly owned, community healthcare organization that provides comprehensive health services to the greater Visalia area in central California. With more than 5,000 employees, Kaweah Health provides state-of-the-art medicine and high-quality preventive services in its acute care hospital, specialized health centers and clinics. Its eight-campus healthcare district has 613 beds and offers comprehensive health services across a broad continuum of care.

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years of age.
HeartSaver AED certification.
Kaweah Health approved crisis intervention training within 60 days of hire/transfer.
Desire to work with involuntary/persistently mentally ill adults is crucial.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma.
Experience with basic psychiatric and nursing skills.

Responsibilities

Collaborates and communicates with the nursing staff to maintain accurate records during the patient's hospitalization.
Accurately enters patient data into computer on all admissions, discharges, and transfers.
Enters all computer orders within two hours and processes STAT orders immediately.
Keeps Nurse Manager/Charge Nurse informed of admits, discharges, and transfers by frequent communication.
Prepares and maintains patient's charts. Reviews charts at the end of every shift to ensure adequate supply of forms are filed in the chart and that the chart is maintained in proper order.
Ensures that after discharge the patient's chart is completely assembled for Medical Records. Prepares chart in proper order for patients transferred to another unit.
Copies all materials as directed and distributes to appropriate persons.
Refers complaints and problems to the Charge Nurse/Nurse Manager immediately.
Serves as a liaison to the medical nursing unit who provides communication between all disciplines as well as patients, families, and visitors.
Assists with total body cleanliness such as giving baths, helping with showers, and providing oral care.
Provides for the toilet needs of patients by emptying bedpans and drainage containers.
Reports any variation in amount, color, consistency, and odor of output to the licensed nursing staff.
Assists with emergency care by participating in crash cart checks, providing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and responding to Code Blue.
Monitors patient behavior in the milieu, setting limits when indicated, responsible for communicating observations to the team.
Initiates and responds to Code Gray, participates in the holding of patients for involuntary medication administration, restraint administration, and transport of patients.
Accompanies patients within KDMHH (dining room, gym, outdoors, entry, exit, etc) and to community locations for court/assessment/testing.
Performs and documents Q15 checks, audio/video monitoring and 1 to 1's as assigned.
Monitors patient visitors as indicated.
Monitors and assures safe environment of care.
Participates in admission and discharge of patients, assists patients with changing into hospital gowns, completes contraband searches, and inventories patient belongings.
Records intake and output, weight and height.
Collects, labels, and delivers specimens.
Assists in gathering of patients for MD's, groups, meals, etc.
Transports meals from dining area to unit for patients not clinically appropriate for off unit meals.
Sets out nourishment for patients and cleans up after such.
Answers phone within 4 rings. Answers questions of patient or family or refers them to the appropriate personnel.
Retrieves charts, completes patient paperwork and documentation as assigned.
Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and services appropriate to the population served on the assigned unit or work area. Knowledgeable of growth and development for all patient/family cultural, linguistic, spiritual, gender, and age specific needs. Able to effectively communicate and care for patient and family as reflected in the Plan for Provision of Care.
Performs other duties as assigned.