Description
The Mental Health Counselor provides care to patients under the direction of the Registered Nurse. The MHC contributes to the assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation of patient care within the scope of hospital policies, procedures and standards. The MHC collaborates/cooperates with nursing staff and other health care personnel to promote treatment and recovery of patients.
Knowledge and understanding of psychiatric conditions is essential to the effective functioning of the Mental Health Counselor in the psychiatric setting. The Mental Health Counselor is a member of the nursing staff who works collaboratively to ensure a safe, therapeutic treatment environment. Mental Health Counselors assist with behavioral or management issues in either inpatient psychiatric area and other areas of the hospital as needed.
The focus of this role is in the following key areas:
- Employs de-escalation techniques to ensure patient, unit, and staff safety.
- Participates in physical/mechanical restraint of patients.
- Assists in crisis situations in other areas of the hospital as needed.
- Interacts with patients on a one to one basis offering support, education, and diversional activities.
- Monitors patients and interactions between patients.
- Completes safety checks of patients and milieu as assigned.
- Reports significant information to the RN and treatment team.
- Provides one to one observation to clients in crisis as necessary or as assigned by the charge nurse.
- Provides support to clients in crisis as needed or as assigned.
- Leads educational, support, and activity groups as assigned and in coordination with the department's occupational therapy program.
- Assists patients with activities of daily living and performs these activities for patients who are unable to care for themselves such as basic care needs including bathing/showering, grooming, clothing, feeding or any personal hygiene needs.
- Attends to patient's elimination needs by assisting with bedpan, urinal, bathroom or commode.
- May document patient condition and behavior in medical record.
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for his/her actions in delivering patient care.
- Communicates effectively and establishes good rapport with all levels of personnel, patients, and visitors.
- Participates in the department’s patient safety and quality improvement activities.
- Works with the RN to provide a therapeutic milieu.
- Obtains patient weights, vital signs, specimen collection.
- May complete blood sugar monitoring on assigned patients.
- Makes decisions in collaboration with the RN that reflect the evaluation of all pertinent data utilized in the problem solving process.
- Participates in the education of patients, families and other staff.
- Moves patients and equipment as patient care needs dictate.
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and expertise:
- Must have demonstrated clinical competency, including group leadership skills, in appropriate psychiatric settings. Evidence of this should include: effective communication, the ability to problem solve, get along well with others, and confront issues appropriately.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology or related field preferred.
- Experience: At least 1 year psychiatric experience required. Knowledge and experience in the Chemical Dependency field preferred.
