Mental Health Technician/CNA- Full Time

Wood County Norwood Health Center has a great passion for helping the members of our community. As an employer, we strive to provide a work environment where diversity and differing opinions are valued, creativity is encouraged, continuous learning and improvement are fostered, teamwork and open/honest communication are encouraged, and meeting customer needs through quality services is a shared goal across all departments.

What We Offer

• Health Insurance – low premiums and low deductibles, with excellent coverage
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) – one of the best-funded public pension plans in the U.S.
• 457 deferred compensation plan
• Vacation and Sick Time – start accruing for both on your first day
• 10 Paid Holidays
• Flexible Spending Account to set aside pre-tax dollars for childcare and medical expenses
• Life Insurance
• Short and Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Incentive Plan
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

Pay

Wage: $22.54 to $25.50/hr, plus differentials: $1.50/hr for PM/NOC shifts and $2.00/hr for weekend shifts.

About the Role

To help residents lead as normal a life as possible by providing daily care and support specific to their illness, anticipating all of their needs, and providing a safe environment both physically and mentally. The Mental Health Technician (MHT) assists in carrying out the patient’s treatment plan in conjunction with psychiatrists, physicians, and other interdisciplinary treatment members, the patient, and family. The MHT provides care in a professional manner that maintains the dignity, respect, and rights of all patients.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Assess vital signs or other similar procedures per patient needs, at proper times and in accordance with physician orders. Document in the record and report unusual findings to Nurse promptly.
• Communicate and assist residents with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as feeding, bathing, toileting, mobility, and dressing. Ensure residents appear neat, clean, and well-kept at all times.
• Support and encourage residents to maintain their independence. Report to nurse if knowledge of mental or physical conditions creates problems in self-care or completion of ADLs in accordance with the care plan.
• Transfer residents as stated in the care plan.
• Consistently perform required treatments as assigned and document correctly. Report unusual findings to nurse (e.g., splints, braces, cold compresses).
• Participate with professional personnel in planning and carrying out patient/resident treatment plans and care plans, both physical and psychiatric.
• Conduct therapeutic and meaningful contact with residents. Perform patient charting and follow the treatment plan or care plans developed for individual residents.
• Facilitate individual 1:1 patient interaction.
• Work with the team to promptly and effectively respond to acting out, assaultive, and self-abusive persons per facility policy and federal and state requirements.
• Recognize escalating patient/resident behaviors and intervene in a therapeutic manner using the least restrictive measures, including non-violent physical crisis prevention intervention techniques, de-escalation techniques, and assisting the charge RN for patients that require restraint or seclusion.
• Immediately report any and all incidents to the supervisor on duty.
• Ensure a safe and sanitary environment. Complete an inventory of personal effects and items that an individual can harm themselves with, and secure upon admission.
• Complete body checks accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain universal precautions.
• Conduct accurate supervision of patients in need of frequent monitoring, such as five-minute checks, suicide observation, elopement precautions, or 1:1s.
• Recognize unsafe situations and intervene, reporting them to the supervisor as appropriate.
• Role model appropriate hygiene, grooming, social interactions, and coping skills. Treat patients with respect and dignity.
• Provide immediate first aid measures as required.
• Transport and supervise patients/residents for appointments and out-of-center activities as required. Patients must be under direct observation of staff when not in the facility.
• Support the patient’s mental health or rehabilitative recovery process while hospitalized and assist them in formulating a safety plan at discharge in collaboration with the nurse.
• Participate in active listening, worksheet exercises in problem-solving and goal setting as assigned, and other emotional supportive care required during the patient’s hospitalization.
• Supervise dining room during meal times.
• Perform housekeeping procedures: make beds, put away clothing, empty wastebaskets, clean floors, bathrooms, and work areas.
• Participate in group activities and offer patient/resident activities within a therapeutic program.
• Follow policies and procedures set forth at the facility. Know and practice the safety policies of the County. Perform all job tasks in a safe and responsible manner.

Other Job Duties

• Meet ongoing requirements to maintain current CNA certification.
• Participate in in-service and continuing education trainings as assigned. Provide documentation of all training activities.
• Maintain cooperative working relationships and appropriate professional boundaries with patients and residents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent (minimum).
• Minimum age 18.
• Valid Wisconsin Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification, maintained per State requirements while employed by Wood County.
• CPR certified.
• Previous experience in dealing with mental health patients is preferred.
• Ability to intervene and deal directly with highly agitated, depressed, or assaultive patients in a non-retaliatory therapeutic manner.
• Ability to write legibly and communicate effectively, verbally.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality.

Skills

Basic equipment used includes: EZ stand, EZ lift, gait belt, walker, wheelchair, sensor pad alarms, clip alarms, anti-rollback devices, seatbelts (alarmed or unalarmed), low beds, personal care items, mats for floor, scales, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, telephone, and stethoscope.