Behavioral Health Specialist BHT

About This Role

This role involves providing direct care to psychiatric patients and assisting with activities of daily living under the supervision of a registered nurse. Responsibilities include conducting safety checks, managing the milieu, preventing falls, and observing patients.

Responsibilities

• Provide basic nursing care including technical monitoring, taking vital signs, and physical care
• Orient patients to the treatment setting and assist with activities of daily living as needed
• Review and participate in the implementation of patient treatment plans
• Make rounds and monitor patient activities, physical and mental status, reporting to nursing staff
• Check patient belongings for contraband
• Conduct various patient safety monitoring activities such as observational checks
• Document observations, interventions, and group activities in the patient medical record
• Assist in maintaining a safe, orderly and therapeutic environment
• Maintain patient safety and protect patient rights through observation and reporting patient behaviors, communications, interactions, and physical status
• Recognize patients who are behaving aggressively, acting as a danger to themselves or others, or are in a crisis or medical emergency situation
• Provide intervention including redirecting of patients and participating in restraint or seclusion as needed
• Assess and interact therapeutically with patients and families
• Provide treatment that promotes patient dignity, independence, individuality, strengths, privacy, and choice
• Demonstrate respect for cultural diversity and patient boundaries
• Plan and facilitate social and didactic group activities
• Maintain knowledge and skill level related to the symptoms and treatment of behavioral disorders
• Maintain knowledge to identify types of medications commonly prescribed for patient group and their common side effects and adverse reactions
• Assist in the admission, discharge and transfer process of patients and complete required documentation

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a behavioral health related field OR High School diploma or equivalent with 1 year of direct patient care in an inpatient behavioral health setting
• Experience in an inpatient psychiatric facility; assisting with personal grooming and other activities of daily living; conducting educational, recreational and skills groups appropriate to current patient population; creating, maintaining, and encouraging an inpatient therapeutic milieu; maintaining observation precautions and applying non-violent de-escalation interventions in crisis situations; recognizing the common symptoms of mental illness such as depression, psychosis, mood dysregulation, substance abuse, maladaptive behavior, and anxiety; understanding how symptoms are related the patient’s mental illness diagnosis and providing ordered treatment interventions appropriate to the diagnosis.
• Experience demonstrating competence in building therapeutic rapport, developing collaborative relationships with the multidisciplinary team, de-escalation techniques and limit setting
• Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card (for Banner Behavioral Health Hospital employees)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Meets age requirement as specified by state agency

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a behavioral health related field OR High School diploma or equivalent with 1 year of direct patient care in an inpatient behavioral health setting
• 1 year of direct patient care in an inpatient behavioral health setting or previous nursing assistant or BHT experience

Nice to Have

• Previous nursing assistant or BHT experience
• Additional related education and/or experience

Benefits

Certifications