Behavioral Aide Acute, PM (Daphne)

Overview

EastPointe Hospital is a private, free-standing psychiatric hospital for adults and adolescent males (ages 12 – 18) located in Daphne, Ala. EastPointe’s clinical and medical professionals assess and evaluate adults and adolescents in psychiatric crisis. Treatment focuses on stabilizing psychiatric symptoms and preventing psychiatric commitment. Adults and/or adolescents admitted to EastPointe will have exhibited life-threatening, destructive or disabling behavior or symptoms. Each patient completes a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and receives 24-hour clinical care for the duration of their stay. The goal is for each patient to return to home or to the least restrictive level of care.

Responsibilities

Behavioral Aides are responsible for providing basic observation and monitoring of consumer(s) on assigned unit, monitors consumers behavior daily and communicates changes and/or patterns in behavior to the clinical staff, demonstrates ability to deescalate a crisis situation through use of mindset principles while effectively communicating with other staff members.

General responsibilities:

• Provides ongoing monitoring of consumers.
• Engages consumers to ensure their safety, needs are met, and participation in planned activities is occurring (list is not all inclusive).
• Provides daily assessments of consumers’ behaviors via daily documentation requirements according to policy and standards.
• Assists consumers with personal hygiene issues (bathing, toileting, and other personal care), medical appointments, chores, recreational activities, and safety issues.
• Provides support to teachers during class time which may include assisting consumers with class assignments, keeping consumers on task, and intervening when necessary.
• Ensures unit schedules are followed and encourages consumers to actively participate in planned activities
• Performs hand-off communication at shift change.
• Provides training on basic living skills (BLS) according to the consumers’ treatment goals as identified by the treatment team.
• Provides BLS groups and other applicable groups as needed per program schedule.
• Completes environment of care unit checklists and reports findings to supervisor.
• Ensures consumers receive meals and confirms information on the meal count sheet.
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and knows how to deescalate or resolve the situation.
• Applies seclusion and restraint per AltaPointe policy and procedure.
• Responds to crisis situations throughout facility using proper interventions.
• Documents crises, protective holds, seclusions, and restraints.
• Ensures units, room and common areas remain neat, tidy and in good operating condition. Encourages consumers to support the effort.
• Effectively collaborates and accurately communicates with treatment team members regarding consumers’ progress, regression, interactions, moods, attitudes, issues, crisis, etc.
• Participates in beginning/end of shift unit reporting
• Shows discretion when discussing consumers’ information with others
• Responsible for reporting consumer/staff problems to supervisor in a timely manner
• Demonstrates willingness to work on any unit at BayPointe based on facility needs as directed.
• Effectively models appropriate behavior including, but not limited to, good communication skills, grooming habits, manners, emotional maturity, etc.
• Transports consumer to prescribed locations or goes on unit errands as directed.
• Meets AltaPointe productivity standards.
• Effectively demonstrates the application of child and adolescent specific competencies.

Supervision and consultation:

• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance skills

Clinical record keeping:

• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents in a clear and concise manner the types of consumers’ problems, daily progress notes, progress on BLSs, treatment goals addressed, and services provided
• Documents legibly

Courteous and respectful attitudes towards consumers, visitors, and co-workers:

• Treats consumers with care, dignity, and compassion
• Respects consumers’ privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values do not inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumers’ needs, expectations, and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families

Administrative and other related duties as assigned:

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures
• Attends appropriate in-service trainings and workshops

Physical Requirements:

• There is frequent standing, sitting, and walking which are in bursts of 5 to 10 minutes. However, there are times when this can be extended to pacing with the consumer (time could be undetermined), and at times sitting and standing can be extended with the employee having the ability to change positions as permitted by the observance and behavior of the consumer at that time.
• There is occasional forward bending from the hips while kneeling to reach to the side.
• There is an occasional need to be able to assume a full squat/lunge from a standing position.
• There is an occasional need to maintain back extension while being on stomach with one’s own body weight on hips and legs. This position is maintained for several minutes.
• Occasionally, be able to put one’s own body weight on one knee and one elbow on the same side of one’s body.
• Occasionally, be able to kneel and reach to same side toward the floor.
• Lift up to 10 pounds from the floor to various levels, including from the floor to overhead occasionally during shift.
• Have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds to assist in Activities of Daily Living, as required. Be able to lift up to 50 pounds from floor to waist.
• Strong grasp is needed to use keys to open doors throughout the facility, and to maintain constant contact with a consumer during a restraint procedure or with other hold techniques.
• Pushing/pulling force up to 25 pounds occasionally during shift.
• There are times that require the employee to be able to ambulate as quickly as possible to assist coworkers with a consumer in a restraint procedure. (Example: jog/run up to 0.1 mi).
• At times therapy may be inside or outside the facility; therefore, some activities will dictate physical requirements for playing or games

This position is a “self-scheduling” position. Employees choose their preferred shifts 3-6 weeks in advance based on the availability of opportunities to work in their location or approved alternate locations. Full time employees are required to work 3, 12 hour shifts (7:00 to 7:30) per week including some weekend shifts; Part Time are 1-2 shifts per week depending on the location/job; and PRN (as needed) are required to work about 1 time or more per month and other shifts. The preferred shifts are a guide for the supervisors to build the schedule around the employees’ preferences, and generally are very similar to the finalized schedule. The preferred shifts are not guaranteed and the schedule could change at any time based on the needs in the facility. Also, on occasion overtime may be required and scheduled in advance.

Qualifications

High school diploma or GED required.