Mental Health Technician - Psych Non Routine - Full Time in Alexandria, LA

Summary:

Facilitates the provision of patient care by performing specific nursing tasks in accordance with organizational and regulatory compliance. 

Responsibilities:

• Associate demonstrates competence in the performance of duties and responsibilities related to the application of CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini’s Core Values.
• Maintains continuous alertness and response to patient safety issues and participates in maintaining a safe and secure patient care environment:
  • Uses patient identifiers as defined by policy
  • Makes rounds to assure patient safety and satisfaction
  • Answers call lights promptly
  • Maintains falls precautions
  • Performs complete hand-off communication clearly and effectively
  • Provides emergency assistance within the defined role
  • Maintains a hazard-free work environment
  • Maintains unit security
  • Participates in emergency and disaster plans
  • Initiates call for emergencies and responds to staff needs
  • Complies with regulatory agency guidelines/rules
  • Performs appropriate luggage package checks, removing and properly securing contraband.
  • Make rounds on patients at least every 15-minute intervals on both day and night

• Adheres to CHRISTUS policies and procedures and the standards of JC, OSHA, DHH, HIPAA, etc.:
  • Maintains infection control standards by using proper isolation techniques, handwashing, and standard precautions
  • Provides privacy and maintenance of confidentiality
  • Promotes patients' right to make personal choices to accommodate their needs and be free from abuse, mistreatment, and neglect, reporting any instances of maltreatment to appropriate personnel
  • Assists in resolving grievances and disputes
  • Provides needed assistance in getting to and participating in patient and family meetings and other activities
  • Maintains care and security of the patient’s personal possessions
  • Works with nursing staff to reduce the need for restraints
  • Screens telephone calls and visitor requests to protect patient confidentiality
  • Restricts access to patient information (e.g., charts, computers, etc.)
  • Demonstrates knowledge of informed consent
  • Recognizes age, diversity, and specific needs/issues of customers served

• Communicates with patient/family/staff members in ways that demonstrate:
  • Spends time with and listens to patients and families as needed. Reports patients' and families’ fears, problems, and anxieties to the professional staff.
  • Awareness of age-specific needs and developmental tasks
  • Sensitivity and openness for allowing the patient to make personal choices
  • Reinforcement of the patient plan of care and education goals, e.g., use of an incentive spirometer, frequent ambulation, NPO status, etc.
  • The ability to involve the patient/family as a source of emotional support
  • Has good listening skills
  • Treats patients with compassion
  • Exhibits motivation and interest in working with psychiatric patients
• Communicates with team members demonstrating:
  • Prompt reporting of changes in patient condition
  • Timely awareness & reporting of clinical and equipment alarms
  • Appropriate access to the chain-of-command
  • Collaboration with the multidisciplinary team
  • Exhibits capability to handle crisis situations appropriately
  • Exhibits assertiveness skills when enforcing guidelines and rules
  • Exhibits independent decision-making skills, yet is able to discern the need for professional staff input.
• Performs communication using various technology applications:
  • Communicates with patients and staff via intercom
  • Sends/receives documents via fax
  • Sends/receives email and uses other programs/tools
  • Contacts personnel via telecommunication systems (e.g., pagers, cell phones)
  • Answers and processes calls using proper telephone etiquette

• Maintains responsibility for learning needs and remains current on all aspects of the nursing assistant role:
  • Attends in-services, department, staff, or other required meetings
  • Reviews facility-specific publications, memos, policies, and other job-related publications
  •  Yearly CPI Training
  • Yearly CPR
  • Utilize knowledge of computer skills as changes occur

• Performs basic nursing skills competently and in accordance with CHRISTUS policies and procedures following initial competence validation within the scope of practice:
  • Taking, recording, and reporting vital signs
  • Taking, recording, and reporting other clinical measurements such as pulse oximetry and bedside glucose
  • Measuring, recording, and reporting height/weight, nutritional, and fluid intake/output
  • Recognizing and reporting abnormal changes in body functioning
  • Care of catheters, colostomies, and ileostomies within the scope of practice
  • Specimen collection and delivery
  • Using appropriate moving and lifting techniques and equipment
  • Caring for the dying patient including post-mortem care
• Performs patient care skills needed to assure patient comfort and safety:
  • Bathing, grooming (mouth care, shaving, hair care) and dressing
  • Toileting, walking and skin care
  • Tray distribution and assisting with eating (proper feeding techniques and aspiration precautions) and hydration
  • Transferring, positioning, turning, and encouraging range of motion
  • Recording patient care activities
  • Assisting with transporting patients
  • Assisting with admission, transfer, and/or discharge processes, including securing assistive devices and personal effects
• Participates in care of the patient environment and equipment:
  • Maintains the cleanliness of the room and bedside area
  • Replenishes water, linen, towels, etc.
  • Maintains the cleanliness of bedside mechanical equipment, including oxygen and suction
  • Reapplication of sequential compression devices

Requirements:

Education/Skills

• High School Diploma required. 

Experience

• 6 months of Healthcare Experience preferred. 

Licenses, Registrations or Certifications

• American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification required.
• De-Escalation Certification or completion within 90 days of employment and recertified annually.

Work Schedule:

7PM - 7AM

Work Type:

Full Time