Therapeutic Assistant - Youth EmPATH Unit - Mental Health

Youth EmPath Unit is a 4-bay behavioral-health area for patients 17 years and under in crisis, located on the 2nd floor of SJCH. All bays are open and single occupancy. Patients typically benefit from a therapeutic milieu in less than 72 hours before disposition.

About the role

The Therapeutic Assistant reports to the Nurse Manager and, under the direction of a registered nurse, provides patient care as directed by the multi-disciplinary treatment plan and daily assignment sheet. The role involves assisting with patient admission and discharge processes, monitoring and promoting a safe therapeutic environment, ensuring patients’ activities of daily living are maintained, and supporting the therapeutic program.

Schedule

3–12 hour day shifts per week, including weekends and holidays.

Requirements

• Therapeutic Assistant I: High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Therapeutic Assistant II: Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or closely related field, or high school diploma and 1 year of experience in behavioral health or related healthcare.
• Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) required within 2 weeks of hire; must maintain current BLS (AHA or American Red Cross equivalent).
• Certification in TACT and First Aid within the first 6 months of employment; TACT certification renewed annually, BLS and First Aid renewed biannually.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform job functions while standing, sitting, or walking (continuous).
• Ability to climb stairs (infrequent).
• Ability to work indoors (continuous) and outside in temperature extremes (infrequent).
• Ability to work from elevated areas (frequent) and in confined/cramped spaces (frequent).
• Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions (infrequent), bending at the waist (continuous), twisting at the waist (frequent), and squatting (frequent).
• Ability to perform pinching, gross motor, firm grasping, and fine manipulation with fingers and hands (continuous).
• Ability to reach overhead (frequent), in all directions (continuous), and perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows/shoulders (continuous).
• Ability to fully use both legs and lower extremities for balance and coordination (frequent).
• Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. unassisted (infrequent).
• Ability to lift/lower objects 50 lbs. from/to floor from/to 36 inches unassisted (infrequent).
• Ability to lift from 36" to overhead 25 lbs. (infrequent).
• Ability to exert up to 50 lbs. of force (frequent). Examples:
  • Transferring a 100 lb. patient who cannot assist requires 50 lbs. of force; for every additional 100 lbs., assistance is required.
  • 20 lbs. of force is needed to push a 400 lb. patient in a wheelchair on carpet.
  • 25 lbs. of force is required to push a stretcher with a patient using one hand.
• Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one or both eyes (continuous).
• Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand or at a distance, match or discriminate between colors, determine distance/relationship between objects, and maintain good peripheral vision (continuous).
• Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction (continuous).
• Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements (continuous).
• Ability to deal effectively with stressful situations (continuous).
• Ability to work rotating shifts (frequent) and overtime as required (frequent).
• Ability to work in a latex-safe environment (continuous).
• Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions (continuous).
• Selected positions: Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function (continuous).
• Selected positions: Ability to be qualified physically for respirator use, initially and as required (continuous).