Behavioral Health Technician - Inpatient Behavioral Health Adolescents Unit (4YBH)

About the role

We are seeking a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) with strong clinical experience in developmental disabilities and adolescent mental health to work on a multidisciplinary team. The BHT will primarily be working on 4YBH, a 10-bed unit comprised of pediatric patients with developmental disabilities in need of crisis stabilization.

Responsibilities

• Aids patients in reality orientation, participates in behavior modification plans/therapy, provides informal support therapy to patients/families, provides verbal de-escalation of potentially aggressive patients, aids in the physical management of aggressive/out-of-control patients, facilitates age appropriate play for children, and monitors the therapeutic milieu activities on assigned unit to ensure that emotional and safety needs of patients are met.
• Aids in interviewing patients and their families for routine admission data. Orients patients and families to the facility.
• Provides data input during team discussions and meetings to assist in developing therapeutic plans and objectives. Interacts with patients on a one to one as well as small group basis.
• Facilitates assigned groups in ways which encourage and require maximum patient participation and interaction, appropriate to functional level of group members.
• Observes, collects, and documents patient information obtained while providing care and promptly report significant changes in the patient's condition to a registered nurse or physician.
• Provides direct personal care to patients as outlined in plan of care for routine activities of daily living including bathing, personal hygiene, feeding and dressing.
• Aids patients with position changes, range of motion exercises, transfers and walking. Obtains and records vital signs, intake and output amounts or other measures as delegated.
• Observes patients and assesses progress on daily basis and reports significant changes in patients' condition and/or behavior to supervising RN. Provides protection and control for patients as required to ensure patient safety in the facility. Participates in restraining combative patients as necessary. Provides care and monitoring of patients in seclusion and/or restraint.
• Reinforce routine teaching given to patients by the registered nurse or physician and document patient understanding of instructions. Distributes patient education materials at the request of patients and/or health care providers.

Requirements

Must be a Certified Nursing Assistant and must have 1 year working in a behavioral health/neurosciences unit.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)
• Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) certification within 60 days from date of hire
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification

Skills

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and hospital staff.
• Ability to work with, express sensitivity and understanding, and secure the cooperation of patients, including maintaining empathetic attitude towards patients.
• Ability to work with groups of patients or individuals in didactic or recreational groups.
• Ability to keep calm in stressful situations.
• Fluent in verbal and written English language.
• Capability to develop computer skills if not competent.

Benefits

This position qualifies for an extensive benefit package including PTO hours, which are accrued based on the number of worked hours.