Mental Health Worker (MHW) - Per Diem - Weekends/Holidays As Needed

At Steward Health Care System, we are committed to improving the health of our communities by delivering exceptional, personalized behavioral health care with dignity, compassion and respect. Our continued focus on the patient experience informs our caregivers in how to provide care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient and family preferences, needs and values.

We dedicate ourselves in the communities we serve to delivering affordable health care to all and being responsible partners. No matter what your role, as a member of the Steward family, you are a specialist in the making every patient and family feel right at home, every co-worker a key to our success, and every referring practice, a team of prized colleagues.

In support of this, we commit ourselves to the following values:

Compassion

Accountability

Respect

Excellence

Stewardship

If you are seeking a fast-paced, challenging position in an organization committed to achieving and maintaining a standard of excellence in all we do, our organization may be a good fit for you.

1. Position Function:

Under the direction of the Patient Care Director of his/her Registered Nurse designee, the Mental Health Worker (MHW) performs a variety of duties related to the clinical care of psychiatric patients.

1. Job Relationships:
   • Supervised by and/or reportable to the following by job category:
     • Patient Care Director and his/her Registered Nurse designee.
     • Routinely interacts and collaborates with members of the psychiatric interdisciplinary
     • Treatment team including nurses, medical staff, social workers, and OT and RT. staff.

1. Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

"Provides superior customer service to internal and external clients, customers, and patients as referenced in the Service Excellence Standards."

• Participates in patient admission and discharge process by performing the following duties:
  • Accurately obtains and records admission vital signs, height and weight, and documents these on the Nursing Assessment Form.
  • Records and processes patient belongings and valuables on admission and at discharge.
  • Orients patients to the physical layout of the unit, milieu staff, unit rules, schedules and patients rights, and documents this on the Nursing Assessment form.
• Participates in implementing the interdisciplinary treatment plan for individual patients by performing the following duties:
  • Accurately monitors, reports, and documents routine vital signs as assigned.
  • Accurately monitors, reports and documents patient intake and output as assigned.
  • Assists with the collection of routine specimens.
  • Assists in all aspects of basic nursing care utilizing, i.e., bed-making, patient transfers with knowledge of proper body mechanics.
  • Assists patients as needed with activities of daily living (ADLs) including eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, ambulating and all aspects of personal hygiene and care.
  • Assists and monitors patient's adherence to pre and post-test protocols and ECT procedures as determined by the Registered Nurse.
  • Escorts patients to and from unit for tests and activities as needed.
  • Performs and documents patient safety checks at scheduled intervals per assignment.
  • Performs 1:1 observation for high risk patients as assigned.
  • Participates in limit setting with patients and other de-escalation techniques.
  • Assists in a team approach to provide physical control of patients in a crisis, including assisting with implementation of restraints and/or seclusion.
  • Assists in medical emergencies as directed.
  • Monitors and promptly communicates all observations or information relative to patient's safety or clinical status or treatment to Patient Care Director or his/her Registered Nurse designee and documents information as needed in Progress Notes.
  • Prepares daily patient related information sheets as assigned.
  • Participates in interdisciplinary treatment planning meetings and patient conferences by sharing patient related observations/information.
  • May co-lead community meeting and therapeutic groups for patients as designated by the Patient Care Director.
• Participates in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment on the unit by the following:
  • Monitors the overall milieu per assignment and reports any patient or environmental issues which might impact on patient care or patient/staff safety.
  • Maintains proper professional demeanor with patients, families, visitors, and co-workers.
  • Utilizes principles of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) in managing high risk situations.
  • Assists in maintaining cleanliness, sanitation, and orderliness of unit.
  • Is dependable and punctual in reporting to work.

Responsibilities/Non-Essential Functions:

• Functions as a resource person for orienting staff, students, visitors and families.
• Assists with answering unit phone and monitoring access to the unit when needed.
• Performs related duties as needed.

1. Reporting Requirements:

• Reports immediately to the Patient Care Director or his/her Registered Nurse designee, the following:
  • Any unusual occurrence related to patients, staff, self, or visitor.
  • Any change or question of change in a patient's clinical condition.
  • Incidents and/or breaches in quality of care.
  • Incidents and/or breaches in patient's civil rights.
  • Observations related to environmental safety or equipment maintenance or development of a potential crisis situation.

1. Accountability:

• The Mental Health Worker shall be accountable for the following:
  • Maintains the confidentiality and security of all Medical Center-related, staff-related, and patient-related data and information.
  • Abides by all Nursing and Department of Psychiatry policies and procedures.
  • Abides by all relevant Medical Center policies and procedures, including infection control.
  • Keeps informed of each patient's physical, mental, legal status, assigned observation and privilege level and daily nursing care plan.
  • Keeps proper patient identification by requesting patient name and checking ID bands
• Consistently when interacting with milieu.
  • Facilitates fiscal control by an awareness of cost control efforts.
  • Continues maintenance and develops skill level in patient care through attendance at
• In-service education and clinical supervision.

1. Qualifications:
   • Minimum Education:
     • High school diploma; additional college education preferred.
   • Minimum Experience:
     • One to two years nursing assistant, mental health worker experience required. Or enrolled in a Bachelor of Psychology, social worker or another human service related program
   • Minimum skills/abilities:
     • Interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to competently interact with patients and interdisciplinary professional team.
     • Ability to identify patient behaviors requiring intervention.
     • Ability to manage the stress and pace of an acute psychiatric setting.
     • Ability to perform basic physical care.
   • Certification/Licensure: None
   • Training: CPI training within first six months required

Steward Health Care is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Steward Health Care does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression or any other non-job-related characteristic.

Important COVID message

Please note, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center is taking additional, necessary preparations to ensure patients can receive compassionate care in a safe, carefully managed environment - with confidence and without fear. Our Safe and Ready program consists of a rigorous [five-point] standard ensuring patient safety, confidence, and convenience: Expanded hours will allow previously cancelled procedures to be scheduled as quickly as possible. Any COVID-19 related care takes place in designated areas away from other patients and their families. Emergency Departments are reorganized to be a safe place to treat all emergency patients. A stringent cleaning policy has been implemented throughout the hospital. A strictly controlled visitor and masking policy is required for patient safety. You can rest assured that we have made the necessary preparations to provide care in a safe, controlled, and professional way.

This position is subject to the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for Steward Health Care Workforce. Employees in this position will be required to provide adequate proof of vaccination for COVID-19 by an FDA-approved vaccine prior to starting work. Steward will consider requests for exemptions from this vaccine requirement on the basis of medical condition or sincerely held religious belief in accordance with applicable Federal laws.