Behavioral Health Technician - Child, Adolescent, & Eating Disorders Unit (5Neurosciences)

Behavioral Health Technician

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We are pleased to announce that we are looking for a Behavioral Health Technician for the Child, Adolescent, and Eating Disorders Unit.

Must be a Certified Nursing Assistant and must have 1 year working in a behavioral health/neurosciences unit.

Position Offering:

• Shift: Day & Night Rotating, including weekends and holidays
• Hours: Full Time; 36 hrs/wk; three/12 hour shifts
• Entity: UNC Medical Center
• Location: Chapel Hill, NC

The Child Adolescent and Eating Disorders Psychiatry Unit is a 28-bed unit comprised of three different focus areas to include 14 Adolescent, 8 Child and 6 Eating Disorders patient beds. Safety is the key component of the care provided as well as introduction of positive coping skills, healthy living and positive leisure activities.

This position qualifies for an extensive benefit package including PTO hours, which are accrued based on the number of worked hours. This position requires the ability to attend the required weeklong hospital orientation offered every two weeks.

Orientation Schedule: Monday and Tuesday - In person from 8am to 4pm; Wednesday - 8am to 10am Virtual and in person from 1pm to 5 pm; and Thursday and Friday - Virtual.

Summary:Under close supervision, responsible for providing a safe, supportive and therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients. Provides direct patient care and may conduct therapeutic group sessions under the direction and supervision of the RN. Provides input to the RN to help develop the plan of care and assists in carrying out the plan of care for assigned patients. Assists with the admission of new patients and orients new patients and families to the unit.

Responsibilities:

• Aids patients in reality orientation, participates in behavior modification plans/therapy, provides informal support therapy to patients/families, provides verbal de-escalation of potentially aggressive patients, aids in the physical management of aggressive/out-of-control patients, facilitates age appropriate play for children, and monitors the therapeutic milieu activities on assigned unit to ensure that emotional and safety needs of patients are met.
• Assists in interviewing patients and their families for routine admission data. Orients patients and families to the facility. Provides data input during team discussions and meetings to assist in developing therapeutic plans and objectives.
• Interacts with patients on a one to one as well as small group basis. Facilitates assigned groups in ways which encourage and require maximum patient participation and interaction, appropriate to functional level of group members.
• Observes, collects, and documents patient information obtained while providing care and promptly report significant changes in the patient's condition to a registered nurse or physician.
• Provides direct personal care to patients as outlined in plan of care for routine activities of daily living including bathing, personal hygiene, feeding and dressing. Assists patients with position changes, range of motion exercises, transfers and walking. Obtains and records vital signs, intake and output amounts or other measures as delegated. Observes patients and assesses progress on daily basis and reports significant changes in patients' condition and/or behavior to supervising RN.
• Provides protection and control for patients as required to ensure patient safety in the facility. Participates in restraining combative patients as necessary. Provides care and monitoring of patients in seclusion and/or restraint.
• Reinforce routine teaching given to patients by the registered nurse or physician and document patient understanding of instructions. Distributes patient education materials at the request of patients and/or health care providers

Education Requirements: High school diploma or GED required; higher-level degree may satisfy this requirement.

Licensure/Certification Requirements: Listed as a Nursing Assistant I by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) certification within 60 days from date of hire Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification

Professional Experience Requirements: Requires one (1) year of relevant experience in a behavioral health environment.

Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and hospital staff. Ability to work with, express sensitivity and understanding, and secure the cooperation of patients, including maintaining empathetic attitude towards patients. Ability to work with groups of patients or individuals in didactic or recreational groups. Ability to keep calm in stressful situations. Must be fluent in verbal and written English language. Capability to develop computer skills if not competent.