Mental Health Specialist (nights)

Schedule: Nights; 12-hour shifts. Every other weekend required

Float Population

Key Functions

1. Milieu Management

a. Promotes and maintain a safe environment conducive to healing and health promotion.

b. Conducts patient environmental and safety rounds in accordance with Menninger policy.

c. Reports patient and staff safety concerns to the charge nurse or supervisor.

d. Demonstrates an understanding of the need for situation monitoring and awareness to provide a continually safe environment.

e. Maintains a clean, orderly environment.

f. Establishes therapeutic relationships with patients.

g. Provides effective and therapeutic limit setting with patients, seeking team alliance and input as needed.

2. Patient Care

a. Provides direct patient care and in activities of daily living in a goal-directed manner consistent with the assigned program and plan of care.

b. Collects focused data to contribute to the assessment of individual strengths and limitations.

c. Directly assists patients with showering, oral hygiene, laundry and other activities of daily living as needed.

d. Assures orientation of newly admitted patients to the program.

e. Reinforces treatment structures for individual patients as indicated.

f. Provides input to the patient‘s assigned nurse and other healthcare professionals assigned to the patient regarding patient’s progress towards treatment goals.

g. Serves as a patient advocate.

3. Therapeutic Activity

a. Initiates and maintains a supportive relationship with patients; facilitate the development of appropriate behaviors, self-expression, and social interaction.

b. Establishes therapeutic relationships with patients

c. Actively encourages patient participation in assigned activities and scheduled meetings.

d. Assists patients to utilize free time in a healthy manner.

e. Initiates interactions in a supportive and therapeutic manner.

f. Assists with ADL’s as indicated

g. Escorts patients to on and off ground appointments in accordance with Menninger policy.

h. Supervises patients on and off grounds during leisure time outings in accordance with program structure and Menninger policy.

i. Actively participates, leads or co-leads in psycho-educational groups with patients as assigned.

j. Regularly performs assigned rounds in accordance with Menninger policy.

k. Maintains professional boundaries and confidences with patients and staff.

l. Demonstrates good judgment and appropriate behavior for the clinical setting including characteristics such as grooming, personal appearance, speech and hygiene.

m. Provides effective and therapeutic limit setting with patients.

4. Continuous Learning

As assigned:

1. Actively participates in unit and system wide committees.
2. Attends in-services provided at TMC.
3. Completes all annual training.

Education Required: High School Diploma

Education Highly Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or a mental health-related; will consider commensurate work experience (3 or more years in mental health care role) in lieu of completed degree.

License/Certification: License to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Texas.

Experience: Prior experience in a mental health setting is desired.