This role involves delivering direct and indirect patient care, assisting patients with daily living activities, and collecting, documenting, and reporting patient data according to hospital standards. The partner also participates in patient education, activity planning, maintaining collaborative relationships with healthcare providers, and ensuring unit compliance and safety.
Requirements summary
Required qualifications include a High School Diploma or GED, strong leadership, organizational, independent, and critical thinking skills, and sound judgment regarding legal aspects of nursing practice. Preferred qualifications include completion of a Nurse Aide or comparable program, or prior experience in a related field.
Delivers direct and indirect patient care in accordance with hospital policies, procedures, protocols and standards of care.
Performs and/or assists with patient care needs as directed.
Assists patients with activities of daily living (bathing, shaving, feeding, ambulating, enemas, oral hygiene, and dressing).
Collects, documents and reports ongoing patient care data as directed.
Interacts with assigned patients, makes pertinent observations of patient's behaviors, reports and records same, including vital signs and meal consumption.
Assists in developing an educational process for the provision and coordination of patient care activities that promote and maintain health, foster self-care and improve outcomes.
Reports to the RN information regarding the patient's readiness to learn.
Plans and initiates patient activities and encourages patient attendance.
Facilitates and/or assists with groups as requested.
Documents observations in group/activity sessions.
Maintains a collaborative relationship with other health care providers to achieve desired outcomes and assure continuous flow of patient care.
Communicates pertinent information of actual/potential problems to the professional nurse.
Communicates pertinent information at shift reports and during internal and external transfers.
Safely escorts patients to appropriate departments/activities.
Demonstrates leadership by utilizing the behaviors inherent to the role of the mental health assistant.
Demonstrates an ability to solve problems utilizing critical thinking skills and seeks assistance from immediate supervisor when appropriate.
Demonstrates knowledge of chain of command; refers patient questions/requests/information to appropriate RN/Supervisor.
Performs effectively in the role of preceptor to new hires.
Assists in the department's compliance with State, JCAHO, OSHA and other regulatory agencies.
Assists in preparation for continuous survey readiness for inspections and surveys.
Adheres to the infection control process, including standard precautions, to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections.
Inventory, order and maintain proper supplies on an assigned unit.
Participates in ongoing unit performance improvement activities.
Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and nursing department policies.
Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care.
Assumes appropriate team role during code situations or mock codes.
Assists in maintaining a safe and clean environment for patients, visitors and staff.
Completes proper collection, identification, labeling and delivery of specimens to the appropriate department.
Supports limited use of restraints in accordance with established standards and documents according to policies.
Performs patient observation per unit policy. Keeps current required logs and checklists.
Performs unit safety checks per unit policy, checks patient and visitor belongings for contraband.
Understands and utilizes principles of non-violent crisis intervention.
Attends yearly crisis intervention class.
Observes patients for increase in agitation and reports to RN for early intervention.
Assists as needed in handling, restraining and secluding agitated patients using the least restrictive means.
Assists in establishing control in crisis situations.
Knows how to use the panic button and how to call security for assistance as needed.
Demonstrates knowledge of MH/MR commitment process.
Evidence understanding of Patient Bill of Rights.
Understands and can communicate the differences of a voluntary and involuntary commitment.
Other duties as assigned.
Competency and Experience [Knowledge, Skills and Abilities]
Required Qualifications/Experience
High School Diploma, GED or higher level of education.
Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Behavioral management Group leader.
Preferred Qualifications/Experience
Completion of a Nurse Aide or comparable program (such as EMT, Medical Assistant, nursing student with at least one semester of clinical or prior experience in related field.
Computer skills, Phlebotomy, EKG experience.
License, Certification & Clearances
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required or obtain within orientation period (five (5) days from hire).
Act 33 with renewal.
Act 34 with renewal.
Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
Travel may be expected locally between System locations.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Disclaimer
This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Work Environment
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
Essential – Absolute Necessity.
Marginal – Minimal Necessity.
Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.
Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.
Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.
Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.
Physical Condition
Essential
Marginal
Constantly
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
Extreme Heat
X
Extreme Cold
X
Heights
X
Confined Spaces
X: Extreme Noise(>85dB)
X
Mechanical Hazards
X: Use of Vibrating Tools
X: Operates Vehicle (company)
X
Operates Heavy Equipment
X: Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices
X
Rotates All Shifts
X: 8 Hours Shifts
X: 10-12 Hours Shifts
X
On-Call
X: Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hr/wk)
X
Travel Between Sites
X
Direct Patient Care
X
Respirator Protective Equipment
X
Eye Protection
X: Head Protection (hard hat)
X
Hearing Protection
X
Hand Protection
X: Feet, Toe Protection
X
Body Protection
X
Latex Exposure
X
Solvent Exposure
X: Paint (direct use) Exposure
X: Dust (sanding) Exposure
X
Ethylene Oxide Exposure
X: Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure
X
Blood/Body Fluid Exposure
X: Chemicals (direct use) Exposure
X
Mist Exposure
X: Wax Stripper (direct use)
X
Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure
X
Ionizing Radiation Exposure
X
Laser Exposure
X
Physical Demands
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
Essential – Absolute Necessity.
Marginal – Minimal Necessity.
Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.
Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.
Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.
Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.
Physical Condition
Essential
Marginal
Constantly
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never: Bending (Stooping)
X
Sitting
X
Walking
X
Climbing Stairs
X
Climbing Ladders
X
Standing
X
Kneeling
X: Squatting (Crouching)
X
Twisting/Turning
X
Keyboard/Computer Operation
X
Gross Grasp
X
Fine Finger Manipulation
X
Hand/Arm Coordination
X
Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force)
X: 10#
20#
50#
50#
Carry
X: 10#
10#
Transfer/Push/Pull Patients
X: Seeing Near w/Acuity
X: Feeling (Sensation)
X
Color Vision
X
Hearing Clearly
X
Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead
X
Reaching Above Shoulder Level
X
Reaching Forward
X: Lifting Floor to Knuckle
X: 10#
Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle
X: 50#
50#
Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder
X: 10#
20#
Lifting Shoulder to Overhead
X: 10#
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
