Mental Health Technician - Adult Psych

Primary Location:

UofL Hospital

Address:

530 S Jackson St
Louisville, KY 40202


Shift:

Nights 7P - 7A (United States of America)

Job Description Summary:

UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with five hospitals, four medical centers, nearly 200 physician practice locations, more than 700 providers, the Frazier Rehab Institute and Brown Cancer Center.
With more than 12,000 team members—physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly skilled health care professionals—UofL Health is focused on one mission: delivering patient-centered care to each and every patient each and every day.

Job Description:

The Mental Health Tech (MHT) participates in the delivery of patient care to the psychiatric patient in crisis, under the supervision of an RN. The MHT will assist in providing, monitoring, and maintaining a safe, therapeutic environment. Other responsibilities include specimen collection, activities of daily living, behavioral management, crisis intervention, and implementation of patient treatment in accordance with physician orders, RN directives, hospital and unit specific policies and procedures, and defined standards of patient care and clinical practice. The MHT provides clinical patient care support in a caring, safe, and efficient manner, under the direction of an RN.  In collaboration with patients and families (as defined by the patient) the MHT is responsible for the care of the patient.

Essential Functions:

• Monitors and maintains the therapeutic environment
• Participates in identification, management, and stabilization of crisis situations
• Transports patients and remains with them for the duration of any tests performed Accompanies patients, and waits with them when appropriate, to their discharge transportation (personal vehicle, cab, etc.)
• Assists with physical examination, safety and contraband searches, transferring, and discharging patients and assists in the implementation and documentation of seclusion and restraint usage
• Performs vital signs and oxygen saturation monitoring, phlebotomy and point-of-care testing and documents, as needed
• Assists other members of the nursing care team and/or other disciplines

• Performs delegated and ancillary basic nursing skills, including activities of daily living, monitoring of patient condition, body mechanics, providing nutritional support and other activities as appropriate to clinical service, in accordance with hospital standards, nursing standards of care, and policies and procedures
• Performs functional assignments per unit standards of care, including such activities as patient admission and discharge procedures, unit environmental organizational tasks, and others as appropriate to service
• Cross-trains and provides staffing support to the alternate psychiatric units, as needed

Other Functions:

• Performs clerical duties
• Demonstrates appropriate emergency and patient safety procedures, including management of safety devices and equipment to maintain a safe, comfortable and therapeutic environment for patients/families in accordance with hospital standards
• Participates in department-based activities and initiatives to improve and ensure a safe environment
• Participates in training, development and continuing education activities to improve role functioning
• Participates in performance improvement activities; quality improvement and patient safety activities; assists in maintaining compliance with Joint Commission accreditation and other internal and external regulatory standards including the code of conduct
• Maintains compliance with all company policies, procedures and standards of conduct
• Complies with HIPAA privacy and security requirements to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Job Description:

Education:

• High School diploma or GED/ equivalent (required)
• College Course work in social and health sciences (preferred)

Experience:

• One (1) year of inpatient or emergency psychiatry or related experience (preferred)

• Completion of a recognized Clinical Assistant, Medical Assistant or EMT Training Program (preferred)
• Nursing students who have completed Fundamental of Nursing School (preferred)

Licensure:

• Transport MHTs must maintain a valid driver’s license (required for Transport roles)

Certification:

• CPR accredited by the American Heart Association for Healthcare Providers (required)
• Must obtain and maintain certification through completion of an organizationally endorsed crisis intervention training program as determined by the facility (required)