This job ad has been posted over 60 days ago...
0
applicants
MENTAL HEALTH TECHICIAN
at Willow Creek Behavioral Health Wisconsin in Wisconsin (Published at 10-10-2022)
POSITION SUMMARY
The Mental Health Technician functions as an active part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team, providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling to patients ranging in a variety of age ranges dependent upon until assigned. Mental Health Technicians work under the direction of a Registered Nurse.
Education / Licensure
High School graduate or equivalent. College courses from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, counseling, recreational therapy or appropriate therapeutic discipline preferred as is previous experience working in a behavioral health / mental health facility.
Skills
1) Ability to apply cultural sensitivity and age specific competency to direct care provided; 2) Able to effectively respond and actively participate in bringing psychiatric crisis to resolution; 3) Completes documentation accurately and within required timeframes; 4) provides direct care to patients within a multidisciplinary team framework using strong interpersonal and communication skills; 5) Patient, flexible and able to deal with demanding situations.
Additional Requirements
Successful completion of CPR/AED Certification for the Health Care Provider and successful completion of Crisis Prevention Institute “CPI” (psychiatric crisis management) certification during new employee orientation and prior to assisting in a restraining procedure. May be required to work overtime and flexible hours.
AGES and POPULATIONS SERVED
Willow Creek Behavioral Health provides access and services to all persons meeting admission and continuing stay criteria without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, military status, veteran status, medical status, handicap or mental/physical disability. Our patient population reflects the fullest diversity of the community in which we serve. All staff are to conduct themselves with respect and consideration for others, and to appropriately intervene in situations below this standard.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Customer Service
DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT
Environment: Located in an indoor climate-controlled environment with constant exposure to patients with a psychiatric diagnosis along with medical complications. Patient acuity will at times increase environmental stressors and sound volume.
Sight: Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Hearing: Must be able to hear and respond to others in person, by telephone, alarms and to medical equipment/devices.
OSHA Category 1: Task occasionally may involve exposure to blood, body fluids, tissue and other potentially infectious materials. The use of universal precautions, personal protective equipment, regular hand washing, and following manufacturing guidelines can greatly reduce exposure risk.
Physical: This position requires regular sitting, stooping, standing, walking and lifting/reaching/carrying materials up to 35 lbs. Psychiatric emergencies require the use of safe physical techniques to lift and/or move patients in excess of 100 lbs. Some patient care settings may have patients requiring assistance in repositioning and transferring from bed to chair.
PI193879435
The Mental Health Technician functions as an active part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team, providing continuous patient care, supervision, interaction, and role modeling to patients ranging in a variety of age ranges dependent upon until assigned. Mental Health Technicians work under the direction of a Registered Nurse.
Education / Licensure
High School graduate or equivalent. College courses from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, counseling, recreational therapy or appropriate therapeutic discipline preferred as is previous experience working in a behavioral health / mental health facility.
Skills
1) Ability to apply cultural sensitivity and age specific competency to direct care provided; 2) Able to effectively respond and actively participate in bringing psychiatric crisis to resolution; 3) Completes documentation accurately and within required timeframes; 4) provides direct care to patients within a multidisciplinary team framework using strong interpersonal and communication skills; 5) Patient, flexible and able to deal with demanding situations.
Additional Requirements
Successful completion of CPR/AED Certification for the Health Care Provider and successful completion of Crisis Prevention Institute “CPI” (psychiatric crisis management) certification during new employee orientation and prior to assisting in a restraining procedure. May be required to work overtime and flexible hours.
AGES and POPULATIONS SERVED
Willow Creek Behavioral Health provides access and services to all persons meeting admission and continuing stay criteria without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, military status, veteran status, medical status, handicap or mental/physical disability. Our patient population reflects the fullest diversity of the community in which we serve. All staff are to conduct themselves with respect and consideration for others, and to appropriately intervene in situations below this standard.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Customer Service
- Champions the AIDET approach to customer service (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation and Thank-You). Models a steady practice of AIDET throughout the customer experience. In-person and telephone communication is consistently attentive, responsive and reflects “helpfulness”.
- Professional awareness and boundaries are observed. Unnecessary self-disclosure is minimized.
- Telephones are answered by the third ring whenever possible and a professional greeting. Dedicated extensions/mobile phones with voice mail have a personalized greeting, and messages retrieved/responded to in a timely manner.
- Critical customer encounters are met with advanced customer service skills and resolved.
- Take and record vital signs properly.
- Utilize sound judgment during assessment and observe and document any changes in a patient's appearance, behavior or ability to work toward treatment plan goals.
- Communicate changes in patient's condition to the charge nurse.
- Follow the therapeutic interventions outlined by the treatment team for each patient.
- Ensure awareness of patient's individualized plan of care including goals and interventions.
- Provide information to the charge nurse that assists in the development and revision of the treatment plan.
- Document the treatment plan, nursing interventions and the patient's response to the intervention.
- Ensure intervention is based on the patient's plan of care.
- Employ appropriate crisis intervention techniques as needed.
- Employ facility approved Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) techniques as necessary.
- Assist patients through the discharge process.
- Assist patients with personal hygiene and activities of daily living.
- Comply with the established policies and procedures requiring a safe, clean and therapeutic environment.
- Practice universal precautions and environmental safety guidelines.
- Recognize and respond to priorities in patient care responsibilities.
- Supervise and assist patients in all patient areas.
- Check patients for contraband and manage the patient's valuables and belongings.
- Report potential crisis situations to the nurse in charge and respond in a n appropriate fashion.
- Ensure patient safety through continuous supervision of patient.
- Establish and maintain a professional therapeutic relationship with patients.
- Teach the patient proper hygiene and ensure adherence to hygiene methods.
- Carry out teaching activities identified in the treatment plan under the supervision of the Program Manager.
- Model and teach appropriate social skills.
- Re-enforce the importance of medication compliance and monitor activity of compliance.
- Orient patients to their unit and program, providing continuous guidance as needed.
- Assume responsibilities for the completion of all patient care responsibilities and other assigned duties.
- Act as the patient's advocate and assure that patient's rights are upheld.
- Comply with established measures for infection control, OSHA regulations, and risk management.
- Comply with the Employee Code of Ethics.
- Adhere to all facility and personnel policies and procedures.
- Participate in continuous Performance Improvement activities.
- Maintain knowledge of the Child Program rules, protocols and handbooks guidelines.
- Maintain knowledge of Children's stages of development and seek guidance from the nurse in charge when questions about the norms for behavior related to child development arise.
- Assess patients for behaviors consistent with the developmental stages and make note of any deviations in behavior.
- Recognize acting out behavior of child specific age group and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
- Demonstrate an awareness of learning disabilities and translated treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled child.
- Relate to child patients in an age appropriate manner.
- Utilize seclusion and restraint procedures with an understanding of the need for modification in regard to smaller body sizes of children, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.
- Act as a resource to other staff in regard to the Child Patient Programs.
- Maintain knowledge of the Adolescent Program rules, protocols and handbooks guidelines.
- Assess patients for behaviors consistent with the developmental stages and make note of any deviations in behavior.
- Recognize acting out behavior of adolescent specific age group and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgmental terms based on the age of the patient.
- Demonstrate an awareness of learning disabilities and translated treatment/program expectations to the learning-disabled adolescent.
- Relate to adolescent patients in an age appropriate manner.
- Utilize seclusion and restraint procedures with an understanding of the need for modification in regard to smaller body sizes of adolescents, abandonment issues and the history of physical and/or sexual abuse issue.
- Act as a resource to other staff in regard to the Adolescent Patient Programs.
- Gather information from the patient, family and interdisciplinary team and use judgments based on knowledge of adult behaviors in treatment planning and interventions.
- Assess patients for behaviors consistent with the developmental stages and makes note of any deviations in behavior.
- Recognize behaviors and set appropriate limits in clear, concise, behavioral and non-judgmental terms.
- Utilize seclusion/restraint procedures applicable to adult body size and past history of violent or emotional behaviors.
- Utilize theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of adult care within Specific Standards of Care for this age group.
- Maintain knowledge of the developmental tasks and sociological theories of aging.
- Utilize theoretical concepts to guide the effective practice of gerontological health care and behavioral care.
- Gather the appropriate information from the patient, family and interdisciplinary team and use therapeutic judgements based on knowledge of gerontological health/behavioral care practices to develop a comprehensive plan of care.
- Utilize interventions based on gerontological theory to restore patient's functional capabilities and to prevent complications and excess disability.
- Maintain a complete knowledge of treatments, medications and side effects of such in the geriatric age group.
- Assesses patient needs as related to chemical dependency and document the plan of care from the admission through discharge.
- Collaborate with other chemical dependency staff professionals in planning for discharge and follow-up care.
- Maintain an awareness of how personal issues relating the co-dependency can impact work performance/relationships.
- Recognize and establish limits on medication-seeking behaviors.
DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT
Environment: Located in an indoor climate-controlled environment with constant exposure to patients with a psychiatric diagnosis along with medical complications. Patient acuity will at times increase environmental stressors and sound volume.
Sight: Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Hearing: Must be able to hear and respond to others in person, by telephone, alarms and to medical equipment/devices.
OSHA Category 1: Task occasionally may involve exposure to blood, body fluids, tissue and other potentially infectious materials. The use of universal precautions, personal protective equipment, regular hand washing, and following manufacturing guidelines can greatly reduce exposure risk.
Physical: This position requires regular sitting, stooping, standing, walking and lifting/reaching/carrying materials up to 35 lbs. Psychiatric emergencies require the use of safe physical techniques to lift and/or move patients in excess of 100 lbs. Some patient care settings may have patients requiring assistance in repositioning and transferring from bed to chair.
PI193879435
