Psychiatric Social Health Technician

NYC Health + Hospitals; New York (NY); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Health + Hospitals Bellevue seeks a dedicated Nurse Aide to support patients with daily living activities and personal care in a busy behavioral health setting. The role requires assisting with hygiene, nutrition, and basic medical tasks under supervision, while maintaining safety and dignity.

The incumbent will participate in patient care planning, monitor vital signs, and contribute to a therapeutic ward environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals restraints and seclusion training before performing such work.
• Training in vital signs and grooming within 90 days of appointment.
• Valid BLS certification within 60 days of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Observes patient condition and reports to team leader, providing individual nursing care for acutely ill patients.
• Gathers intake information and social histories to aid case understanding.
• Plans daily living activities on the ward and supports a therapeutic ward environment.
• Assists with therapeutic activities for hospitalized psychiatric patients and encourages client involvement.
• Assists with personal hygiene and basic nursing tasks (bathing, turning, skin care, ROM, mouth care, etc.).
• Assists with meal selection and feeding, delivers trays and water as needed.
• Assists with restraints/seclusion under supervision when necessary for patient safety.
• escorts patients as directed within and outside the healthcare setting.
• Takes vital signs when directed and records data in EMR.
• Changes linens and keeps wards neat; maintains storage and recreational areas.
• Disinfects personal items as required.
• May perform Nurse’s Aide tasks and related duties as assigned.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

NYC Health + Hospitals training program in restraints and seclusion

Successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals vital signs and grooming training (within 90 days)

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Job description

Marketing Statement NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine, the 844-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with its 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. It sees more than 110,000 emergency room visits and 700,000 outpatient visits annually. Bellevue is an academic medical institution of international renown. We have served as an incubator for major innovations in public health, medical science, and medical education. Bellevue is a Level I Trauma Center delivering around-the-clock care in adult, pediatric, psychiatric and pediatric psychiatric emergencies as well as in the nationally-designated categories of cardiology, neurology, toxicology, and neonatology. In addition to providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient state-of-the-art care Bellevue is a city-wide medical specialty referral source. Bellevue’s clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Comprehensive Children’s Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services.

Marketing Statement NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine, the 844-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with its 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. It sees more than 110,000 emergency room visits and 700,000 outpatient visits annually. Bellevue is an academic medical institution of international renown. We have served as an incubator for major innovations in public health, medical science, and medical education. Bellevue is a Level I Trauma Center delivering around-the-clock care in adult, pediatric, psychiatric and pediatric psychiatric emergencies as well as in the nationally-designated categories of cardiology, neurology, toxicology, and neonatology. In addition to providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient state-of-the-art care Bellevue is a city-wide medical specialty referral source. Bellevue’s clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Comprehensive Children’s Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position

Under the direct supervision of a professional Nurse or other assigned professional staff member, performs functions related to assisting patients with activities of daily living and personal hygiene, and participates as a member of a treatment, nursing or health care team in implementing appropriate regimens for patients who are in Behavioral Health service areas. Acts in compliance with health care system and all relevant regulatory policies.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Observes patient’s physical condition, mental state and social behavior and reports to team leader or Nurse-in-charge and provides individual nursing care for patients who are acutely ill, either physically or emotionally.
• Participates in planning and implementing an orientation program for new patients. Gathers information for intake, social histories, referrals and related purposes which would augment the understanding of cases.
• Participates in planning and implementing daily living activities on the ward for patients and contributes to the development of a therapeutic ward environment.
• Assists in planning and implementing therapeutic activities with groups of hospitalized psychiatric patients and encourages client involvement in various individual and group activities as part of planned treatment programs.
• Assists with the physical care and personal hygiene of selected patients, consisting of, but not limited to: bathing, turning and positioning, skin care, passive and active range of motion, mouth care, foot care, nail care, applying hot and cold packs, etc.
• Assists patients with meal selection and feeds patients if necessary, delivers/removes trays, distributes water, nourishment, ice, etc.
• With successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals program, assists behavioral health team in the application and removal of restraints and the implementation of restraints/seclusion, when deemed necessary by appropriate personnel, ensuring the physical and emotional health and safety of the patient when using such methods.
• On the direction of a registered nurse or other professional staff member, either individually or as part of behavioral health team may escort patient to required location(s), within and outside of the health care setting.
• Takes patient vital signs, when directed to do so by clinical staff, and enters patient vital sign data into the electronic medical record performs finger stick tests.
• Changes linen and makes beds. Keeps ward and/or unit, linen, utility, treatment, storage rooms and recreational areas in a neat and orderly fashion.
• Disinfects personal items with appropriate disinfectant products, when required.
• May perform functions and activities of the basic Nurse’s Aide in support of the above tasks, and other related work, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or its educational equivalent, approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization; and
• Successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals training program in the application and use of restraints and seclusion must be completed prior to an individual performing such work; and
• Successful completion of NYC Health + Hospitals training in the performance of vital signs and grooming within ninety (90) calendar days of appointment to the title; and
• Holds or obtains a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) within sixty (60) calendar days of appointment to the title.