Behavioral Health Tech

Behavioral Health Technician The Behavioral Health Technician, in collaboration with behavioral health nurses and other clinicians, works closely with individuals suffering from, but not limited to, developmental disorders, psychiatric disorders, mental illness, and/or substance abuse issues. The Behavioral Health Technician will assist with daily patient care tasks, organizing activities, and monitoring patients in an acute behavioral health crisis.

The Behavioral Health Technician must have effective communication, compassion, attention to detail, de-escalation techniques, and good time management. Activities are based on organizational or unit needs and are performed within the scope of education, training, and experience.

Duties And Responsibilities The duties and responsibilities described below represent the general tasks performed on a daily basis; other tasks may be assigned.

Care of the Behavioral Health Patient

• Develop a therapeutic relationship with behavioral health patients. Assist in participating, observing, monitoring, reporting, and recording patient interactions in the milieu or during activities or group sessions.
• Demonstrate a sound understanding and assist in the management of a therapeutic milieu; providing structure, social support, patient education, safety, and social skills training.
• Act as a physical patient sitter or camera/audio viewer for both safety and suicide precautions. Complete required observations, interventions, and documentation timely and accurately.
• Utilize sound judgment and crisis intervention skills, including verbal de-escalation, to prevent or reverse potentially harmful situations.
• Support patient safety, in accordance with scope of role, hospital policy, and training, with seclusion/restraint, elopement, and management of the assaultive patient.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of psychotropic medications, in accordance with scope, including actions and side effects.
• Assist with patient education as appropriate for scope.
• Assist with training programs for clinical staff related to care of the behavioral health patient population.

General Patient Care / Procedures

• Assist patients with activities of daily living (ADLs), including but not limited to meals/feeding, bathing, oral care, range of motion, and/or ambulation.
• Respond to patient or visitor call lights promptly.
• Perform blood glucose monitoring.
• Collect specimens according to policy and transport to the lab as needed.
• Escort patients during testing or transfer.
• Obtain blood products from the Blood Bank per policy.
• Perform EKGs.
• Monitor and record patient vital signs and intake/output.
• Accurately notify the nurse of pertinent changes in a patient’s condition.
• Maintain and stock adequate supplies and equipment.
• Follow established routines and utilize supplies and equipment in a cost-effective manner.
• Initiate emergency measures as appropriate according to scope (e.g., Code Red, Patient Elopement, Code Green).
• Perform functions within the electronic medical record in accordance with scope; utilize downtime procedures as necessary.
• Relay urgent orders immediately to the appropriate staff.
• Coordinate scheduling of diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or discharge services for patients.
• Answer unit phones and communicate effectively.
• Attend required unit-level and hospital-wide orientations, meetings, and in-services.
• Demonstrate flexibility with work scheduling as necessary to ensure patient care.

Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Minimum Required Education

• High school diploma or equivalent

Minimum Required Experience

• 1 year of previous experience as a care partner, Certified Nursing Assistant, or similar role

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience with behavioral health patient population

Certification Requirement

• BLS certification required. If not current upon hire, must be obtained within 90 days of hire.