Summary This position serves as the Mental Health Technician that provides technical, patient care, personnel, computer, and data management support services for the Nursing Service Mental Health Unit at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS). Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: - Assists the interdisciplinary team in the care and treatment of patients receiving medical care for psychiatric or substance abuse treatment, PTSD, and other behavioral health conditions. - Observes, collects data, documents, and reports to the professional team changes in patient behavior, attitude, physical complaints, appearance, vital signs and/or changes in the patents' condition that may be related to medications, sensory distortions, or medical conditions. Reports reactions to/responses to treatment. - Maintains a therapeutic and safe milieu by identifying, reporting, and eliminating potential hazards. - Completes unit rounds and patient safety checks. Completes hazardous items checks of unit, patients, and their belongings. - Performs one-to-one observations of patients. - Conducts camera monitoring of unit and patients. Identifies patient at risk for suicide/self.harm, falls, disruptive behavior etc. - Intervenes and restrains violent or potentially violent or suicidal Veterans using therapeutic communication or physical means required by PMDB training. - Provides general Mental Health Technician support work for the unit. - Maintains patient records/charts. - Obtains key information needed to walk-in and initiate medical administrative processing of requests and forms. Work Schedule: 12 hours shifts, days/nights Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. PD#: 593-03065A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. GS 06: Experience- Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS 05) directly related to the position being filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs. (a) Knowledge of the incumbent of standardized materials and skills sufficient to perform patient care requiring experience within local policy and Joint Commission regulations that include but not limited to, Preventative and Management of Disruptive Behavior Training Courses (PMDB I, Il, III,) and actively participate 100% in the physical activity component. (b) Knowledge and skill of practical anatomy and physiology, major disease processes, and diagnosis such as various mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and substance abuse and addictions with the skills to manage therapeutic conversations, containment, and recognize withdraw symptoms. (c) Knowledge and skill on procedures and tests such as EKG machines, AED, vital sign machines, glucometer for blood sugar readings, and urine drug screen tests. (d) Knowledge of secure messaging system, phone systems, Sail metrics, and CPRS and the skill to retrieve, review, and audit data, delegate to appropriate staff, and document in CPRS/patient charts when appropriate. (e) Knowledge of administrative duties that include ROI, patient scheduling, appointments, admissions, triage with the skill to ensure patients have appropriate ROI and scanned appropriately to patient chart, skill of scheduling, ensuring appointments are correct and timely, and the skill to assist nursing with patient triage. Preferred Experience: Active Driver's License 1 year Behavioral Health Experience You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Customer Service Human Factors Patient Care Technical Documentation Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. VA Handbook 5005/143 PART II APPENDIX G70 Physical Requirements: The work requires regular reoccurring, periods of standing and walking. The duties also require occasional bending and lifting that is 45 pounds or more, reaching, carrying, pushing, stooping, stretching, and similar activities. The incumbent assists in protecting patients' self and other team members from physical harm by hostile and/or confused patients by therapeutically applying physical restraints that may require bending and stretching. The position requires the strength and stamina to perform duties, ability to sit at a desk for long periods of time, look at a computer for long periods of time, walk and stand for 4 hours. Must be able to maintain effective audio, visual discrimination and perception needed for making observations, communicating with others, reading, and writing, and operating office equipment. Must be able to use a telephone to communicate verbally and a keyboard to communicate through written means, to review information and enter/retrieve data, to see and read characters on a computer screen. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.
