Description
Mental Health Associate is an individual who functions in both a support and collaborative role with the Registered Professional Nurse by providing direct care to individual and to groups of psychiatric patients within the Psychiatry Care Center.

Responsibilities

• Assists the nursing staff in performing selected nursing procedures and functional tasks to specific patients
• Assists with the admissions, transfer and discharge of patients according to established policy and procedures.
• Provides direct physical care, and/or one to one observation to selected patients under supervision
• Carries out procedures as taught
• Assists with patients’ examinations treatments and procedures
• Assists with lifting, positioning. moving and ambulating patients using body mechanics as instructed
• Transports patients by wheelchair, stretcher or bed
• Assists in preventive measures and crisis interventions (i. e. suicide, aggression, elopement self- harm and sexual risks).
• Assists in de-escalation of agitated patients and utilizes crisis prevention techniques as necessary for the management of potential destructive behaviors
• Escorts ambulatory patients
• Escorts patients outside of the hospital as necessary
• Goes on errands as necessary
• Aware of the need for safety devices; applies or assists with application as taught.
• Cares for patient’s personal possessions and reports presence of valuables to the nurse or ward clerk
• Answers call lights, attends to the patient’s needs and/or reports patient’s concerns and requests to the nurse
• Reports pertinent information and observations regarding patients to the nurse
• Communicates information and basic instructions to patients, families and visitors
• Participates in exchange of patient daily report and nursing care conferences
• Obtains and records blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respiration rate in accordance with hospital policy.
• Attends staff and educational meetings
• Works safely and provides for the safety of patients and others
• Maintains neat and clean patient and service areas
• Organize and implement group activities in conjunction with the unit program and other staff and document patient participation and report to nurse.
• Facilitate the patient’s transition toward discharge
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of desired effects and side effects of psychotropic medication.
• Participate in Interdisciplinary Treatment Team meetings as assigned.
• Perform Q20 minute environmental/patient safety rounds and implement a higher level of observation in emergencies. Immediately reports any need for increased observation to the clinical nurse for further assessment.
• Establish and foster collegial, therapeutic relationships with peers, support staff and other disciplines.
• Demonstrate therapeutic skills in crisis intervention.
• Demonstrates safe use of equipment, safety precautions in all aspects of patient care activities (e.g.restraints applications, transportation).
• Recognizes changes in a patient’s status, sharing findings with the primary nurse.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of DSM-IV diagnoses.
• Assists with emergency interventions based on clinical manifestation (i.e. choking, respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest).
• Demonstrates awareness of the effect of the physiological changes (decrease vision, hearing and speaking) when utilizing verbal/written skills to communicate with the elderly.
• Selects toys and play room activities consistent with the age and developmental stage of the child/adolescent patient. Maintains cleanliness of toys
• Assists on restraining patients and providing monitoring and comfort of those patients in restraint.
• Perform phlebotomy/fingerstick procedures, as assigned.
• Perform EKG as assigned.
• Perform supplemental components of the nursing admission, i.e. tour of unit, orientation, patient and belonging search, as defined by RN.
• Participate in Clinical Specialty Performance Improvement Activities.
• Document care administered according to policy.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care, based on physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients served in assigned area
• Assist in supervision of volunteers assigned to the unit

Age Specific Competencies (Neonate/Infant, Pediatric, Adolescent, Adult, Geriatric)
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- Identifies physical, behavioral and emotional characteristics typical for the age group
- Modifies approaches based on patient age-specific needs and responses to treatment
- Provides care for patients based on age-specific needs
- Uses communication techniques which are age appropriate

C. EDUCATIONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Participates in the development of other staff members
• Meets regulatory, licensure and annual health assessment requirements

• Assists the nursing staff in performing selected nursing procedures and functional tasks to specific patients
• Assists with the admissions, transfer and discharge of patients according to established policy and procedures.
• Provides direct physical care, and/or one to one observation to selected patients under supervision
• Carries out procedures as taught
• Assists with patients’ examinations treatments and procedures
• Assists with lifting, positioning. moving and ambulating patients using body mechanics as instructed
• Transports patients by wheelchair, stretcher or bed
• Assists in preventive measures and crisis interventions (i. e. suicide, aggression, elopement self- harm and sexual risks).
• Assists in de-escalation of agitated patients and utilizes crisis prevention techniques as necessary for the management of potential destructive behaviors
• Escorts ambulatory patients
• Escorts patients outside of the hospital as necessary
• Goes on errands as necessary
• Aware of the need for safety devices; applies or assists with application as taught.
• Cares for patient’s personal possessions and reports presence of valuables to the nurse or ward clerk
• Answers call lights, attends to the patient’s needs and/or reports patient’s concerns and requests to the nurse
• Reports pertinent information and observations regarding patients to the nurse
• Communicates information and basic instructions to patients, families and visitors
• Participates in exchange of patient daily report and nursing care conferences
• Obtains and records blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respiration rate in accordance with hospital policy.
• Attends staff and educational meetings
• Works safely and provides for the safety of patients and others
• Maintains neat and clean patient and service areas
• Organize and implement group activities in conjunction with the unit program and other staff and document patient participation and report to nurse.
• Facilitate the patient’s transition toward discharge
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of desired effects and side effects of psychotropic medication.
• Participate in Interdisciplinary Treatment Team meetings as assigned.
• Perform Q20 minute environmental/patient safety rounds and implement a higher level of observation in emergencies. Immediately reports any need for increased observation to the clinical nurse for further assessment.
• Establish and foster collegial, therapeutic relationships with peers, support staff and other disciplines.
• Demonstrate therapeutic skills in crisis intervention.
• Demonstrates safe use of equipment, safety precautions in all aspects of patient care activities (e.g.restraints applications, transportation).
• Recognizes changes in a patient’s status, sharing findings with the primary nurse.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of DSM-IV diagnoses.
• Assists with emergency interventions based on clinical manifestation (i.e. choking, respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest).
• Demonstrates awareness of the effect of the physiological changes (decrease vision, hearing and speaking) when utilizing verbal/written skills to communicate with the elderly.
• Selects toys and play room activities consistent with the age and developmental stage of the child/adolescent patient. Maintains cleanliness of toys
• Assists on restraining patients and providing monitoring and comfort of those patients in restraint.
• Perform phlebotomy/fingerstick procedures, as assigned.
• Perform EKG as assigned.
• Perform supplemental components of the nursing admission, i.e. tour of unit, orientation, patient and belonging search, as defined by RN.
• Participate in Clinical Specialty Performance Improvement Activities.
• Document care administered according to policy.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care, based on physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients served in assigned area
• Assist in supervision of volunteers assigned to the uni