Mental Health Care Assistant, Tertiary Older Adult

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Detailed Overview
Provides personal care and observation of patients with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) / serious mental illness, as directed by the Registered Nurse/Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RN/RPN), or LPN as required, using a person-centered approach. Works as a member of the interdisciplinary team to assist with activities of daily living, including personal hygiene, meals, laundry and organization; reports observations of patients' conditions to designated nursing staff; facilitates patients' participation in recreational activities; performs patient care tasks as assigned; accompanies patients on appointments and activities.
Responsibilities

• As part of the interdisciplinary team, participates in team meetings and ward rounds as directed and provides feedback on observations related to patient care provided for designated patients. Reports malfunctioning equipment and supply needs to appropriate staff.
• Provides personal care to patients such as assisting the patient with bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, prosthetics, elimination, and overseeing patient exercise routines.
• Participates in orientating patients, families, staff, volunteers, and students to the unit by familiarizing them with the layout of the unit, patient rooms and unit routines.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Performs procedures such as weighing patients, monitoring patients' nutritional/fluid intake and elimination, and collects specimens, and administers suppositories and enemas as directed.
• Assists nursing staff with care of patients in seclusion rooms as directed by the RN/RPN including assisting with activities of daily living, delivering food, and use of restraints.
• Carries out patient activity programs outside the facility; checks that patient/resident has appropriate clothing and necessary equipment for the activity, confirms details of proposed activity with nursing/medical staff, co-ordinates the movement of patients/residents during the activity and teaches the techniques of related activities.
• Carries out patient activity programs such as arts and crafts, sports, music, woodworking, cooking, gardening and exercises as directed; sets up and organizes furnishings and equipment for activity projects, teaches the techniques of related activities to patients/residents, oversees the patients/residents activities and reports problems and/or changes to supervisor.
• Assists patients with meals by serving and collecting meal trays and feeding designated patients.
• Participates in quality improvement activities as assigned by providing input and feedback on department initiatives.
• Assists care team with routine search of rooms and patient belongings in order to maintain unit safety.
• Monitors patient safety and responds to escalating behaviour through actions such as verbal de-escalation and use of other violence prevention strategies, in accordance with the care plan; advises nursing staff and/or seeks assistance from other members of the care team as appropriate.
• Assists patients with retrieval/storage and/or relocation of personal effects to different rooms within the unit.
• Assists patients in making beds, personal laundry, organizing personal belongings and assists them in retrieving personal care supplies from storage area as required.
• Escorts patients off unit for treatment or diagnostic procedures; transports patients utilizing mechanical aids such as wheelchairs and/or stretchers.
• Charts/documents patient information in accordance with established procedures/practice on the patient care health record, and reports problems and/or changes to nursing staff. Observes patients as directed by the Registered Nurse/Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RN/RPN), or LPN as required, in accordance with the care plan.

Qualifications
Education and Experience
Grade 12, graduation from a recognized Health Care Assistant Program, completion of recognized recreational courses plus one (1) year's recent, related experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Skills And Abilities

• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.
• Ability to teach.
• Ability to operate related equipment.
• Ability to deal with others effectively.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to organize work.