Title:  Mental Health Technician-PRN-North Job

Summary

The Mental Health Technician is responsible for providing a safe and structured therapeutic milieu including but not limited to the monitoring of individual and/or group counseling with Behavioral Health/Psychiatric Services inpatients. Models appropriate behavior as exemplified in MLH Mission, Vision and Values.

Education/Experience/Licensure

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Knowledge of basic medical terminology preferred.
• Knowledge of basic computer functions and operations. Previous keyboard experience or computer education preferred.
• Skill and proficiency in interpersonal relations and communications and application of principles and concepts of human behavior and abnormal psychology.
• Ability to react quickly to emergency situations.
• Ability to de-escalate tense, potentially violent situations and to intervene in violent situations involving patients who may be delusional, aggressive, and/or agitated, according to principles of NVCI and established policy and procedure.
• Paraprofessional clinical skills such as: 1) VS, 2) TPR, 3) bed/bath, 4) ADL., 5) CPR, 6) NVCI.
• Ability to record, analyze and report mental status, special precautions (suicidality, homicidality, elopement), physical problems/medical acuity (withdrawal, nutritional needs), and ethnic concerns (social, religious, cultural needs).
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with others, including clear speech and acceptable pronunciation, spelling, grammar and word usage; knowledge of telephone etiquette.
• May on occasion have to tolerate verbal abuse without loss of control.
• Ability to provide individual counseling and facilitate group counseling.
• Ability to perform basic arithmetic calculations (i.e., add, subtract, multiply, and divide).

Key Job Responsibilities

• Participates in admission and discharge process and orients patients and families to the psychiatric unit.
• Performs clerical and data entry activities related to patient care.
• Provides high quality patient care and assists Mental Health Counselors by contributing to the interdisciplinary treatment planning process through communicating observations, suggesting interventions, and participating in patient care-related meetings.
• Leads recreational, leisure, and skills activities.
• Maintains unit orderliness, safety, and supplies, according to unit safety policies.
• Documents patient interactions including clinical interventions, patient's progress, and quality improvement activities.
• Utilizes, and maintains effective communication systems within Psychiatric Services, and with other units and departments of Methodist Health Systems.
• Assists and/or provides patients with personal care, ADL and basic needs under the direct supervision of the licensed nurse.
• Maintains a safe, clean, orderly environment.
• Performs other job functions as assigned or requested.

Physical Requirements

• Occasional exposure to violent and physically aggressive patients required.
• The physical activities of this position may include climbing, pushing, standing, hearing, walking, reaching, grasping, kneeling, stooping, and repetitive motion.
• Must have good balance and coordination.
• The physical requirements of this position are: medium work - exerting up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 200 lbs. unassisted and 300 lbs. with assistance.
• The Associate is required to have close visual acuity including color, depth perception, and field of vision to perform an activity, such as assessing patients, preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; or extensive reading.
• Frequent invasive and non-invasive patient contact.
• Exposure to patient body fluids as well as exposure to hazardous or poisonous materials.
• Occasional travel outside the facility.
• Annual TB skin test.
• Annual CPR.
• Annual NVCI.