What is mental health tech? How can it be used?
Mental health technicians, also known as psychiatric aides or mental health assistants, work primarily in a supporting role to give care to mentally ill or emotionally disturbed patients. Mental health technicians work in hospitals or institutions under the direction of supervising mental health care professionals, such as psychiatrists or medical doctors. Typical duties of a mental health technician include coordinating mental health care services, assisting in patient assessment, monitoring and documenting care, escorting patients and identifying the personal needs of patients.Essential EducationWhile it's possible to work as a mental health technician with a high school diploma or relevant training or work experience, a related associate's degree will improve your opportunities. An associate's degree in a field like mental health technology would typically take two years to complete and include coursework in psychiatric nursing, psychology and group dynamics. Experience in nursing or as a hospital orderly will also help qualify you for a career in mental health care.Important SkillsTo succeed as a mental health technician, it is important to be patient, flexible and able to deal with demanding situations. Because mental health technicians work as part of a team of caregivers, it is also important to have strong interpersonal and communications skills.Economic and Employment OutlookAccording to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for psychiatric technicians is expected to see a 5% increase between 2014 and 2024, with the creation of 3,500 new jobs during that time. The median annual wage for psychiatric technicians was $31,140 as of May 2015, according to the BLS. Psychiatric technicians working for specialty hospitals had the highest average wages in 2015.
What qualities and skills should a mental health nurse have?
Previous answer notwithstanding, I think the number one attribute a mental health nurse needs is mental health. A mental health nurse needs to be able to remain calm in the face of chaos, absorbing insults and even assault without taking it personally. She needs to be free of bias, taking each patient on his or her own terms and providing consistent care regardless of personal opinion. She must be able to recognize manipulation when she encounters it and have the inner strength to resist it without damaging the therapeutic relationship. She must be able to listen and hear what is being said without interjecting her own thoughts and opinions. In short, the ideal mental health nurse is someone who is aware of her own issues and is able to set them aside to promote healing.One of the key qualities I see among my co-workers that I admire is the ability to balance empathy with judiciousness. While it is easy to feel for individuals in mental distress, a mental health nurse must be cognizant of how her own past may affect treatment. A tendency to transference, whereby the nurse or patient identifies strongly with the other due to a similarity to a major figure in the development of either person, can mimic the arc of the past relationship in a way antithetical to treatment. An example might be a nurse with her own addictions who empathizes so deeply with a patient’s addiction issues that she is willing to offer PRN medications to soothe mental distress without first promoting non-pharmacological solutions.Most of all, a mental health nurse needs to keep her observational and reporting faculties sharp with self-care and personal reflection. When I am tired or overworked, my communication style suffers and therefore so does the therapeutic relationship. Every day when I am driving home I review my exchanges with patients. Many times I regret something I’ve said or done, realizing belatedly how negatively it might affect the patient’s inner state. All I can do in these situations is try to do better in the future. My ability to do so depends on honesty, self-care, and a commitment to improving.This very fact is the reason I find mental health so compelling. The adventure of self-discovery is not limited to the ill, nor should it be.
What is it like being a patient receiving mental health care when you are also a mental health care worker?
Well I am not a mental healthcare worker, but my spouse is one and most of our friends are as well. It's actually standard procedure for a mental health professional to go to regular therapy since they are dealing with many other people's issues. It's actually required, but many don’t becassarily follow that guideline.Going beyond regular therapy, mental health workers are people too. Thy have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety etc. They typically know it's ok to seek help when needed and most of them know how to go about doing it. To me it seems like they can be a step ahead of things when recieving their own mental healthcare because they usually have an existing understanding Of the processes involved.Recieveing mental health is healthy at any level and this is something they already understand going into it.
Are there any healthcare workers that perform medical treatments but don’t have an MD?
Sure. All of them to some degree. I'm an RN. I perform wound care, give shots, start IVs, give medications, insert catheters, etc etc.The next step up would be a nurse practitioner or physicians assistant. They do 90% of what medical doctors do in a family practice or long term care/rehab setting.Nurse midwives deliver babies and provide pre and post natal care. Nurse anesthetist are the ones that dope you up for surgery. Psych nurse practitioners are the counselors you see if you're having mental health issues.As a matter of fact, nurses deliver more medical care than doctors do. Exponentially more.
What are some caregiver skills for a caregiver job?
Do you mean what are some of the tasks a care giver/worker? Being a caregiver/support worker is incredibly rewarding, but it can be very challenging and hard work, and the tasks can vary according to the needs of the client, and what your employed as, such as a PC (PC Personal Care), Home-care, Gardening/Maintenance worker or Respite care and Companion etc. PC is where you are assisting the client with toileting, shower, grooming etc. Home-care where you do vacuuming, mopping, laundry and other cleaning house hold duties, they may also might help with meal preparation and feeding client, including peg feeding etc. Respite care, going into a clients home or client to a Respite home, so the family or primary carer has a short break (can be from a few hours to a few days). Gardening/Maintenance is self explanatory. What skills do we need? Communication - good communication is vital, to be able to communicate with client & their family, being able to read & understand written instructions, be able to complete & fill in client feed back forms etc. And being able to communicate with or liaise with other staff and services. Respect - respect the rights of the client, their carer and family. Identify and report - identify & report dangers or risks to client and yourself, identify changes in clients physical & mental health, this includes being vigilant to skin lesions, bruising and signs of infections etc. Professionalism - maintain a sense of professionalism in the way we conduct ourselves, the way we dress and talk. Maintain confidentiality & privacy - do not discuss anything about a client, unless there is a threat of self harm or to others including yourself, or you have a concern about their health or well being, but you must follow workplace policies & protocols when making reporting concerns. Empower & encourage - empower & encourage client to do for themselves when ever possible, rather than do for them. Aides & Equipment, be competent in the use of aides and equipment, nothing more frustrating for a client, when the support worker cannot use the equipment.
Communication skills needed for a social worker?
A Social worker must learn how to communicate effectively. By this I mean you must show empathy and understanding in, not only in words but in your body language as well. The biggest skill one needs is to learn how to, not only LISTEN but you need to HEAR what is being said. This sounds like it would be easy but it is not. Another important skill is the ability SHUT UP when someone is telling you something. Do not interrupt or add some comments just be patient even though there might be some silence between questions and answers. Another big skill is to ask leading questions so that you can get someone to talk to you. Another skill is to know and believe that the person you are dealing with is the MAIN subject so do not tell them about you. Oh, don't ever pre-judge anyone or attempt to impart your own values on them. I can go on and on but I will stop here.
Why do people see mental health professionals as some sort of superhero organization?
Mental health care professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, councilors etc.) have been remiss in their failure to inform the public of the incidence, cause, signs and symptoms, treatment and prevention of mental illness. By remaining secretive they have developed an aura of the “superhero”. Remember the Wizard of Oz who was mysterious and omnipotent until the curtain he hid behind was swept aside. He suddenly became “just another man”.We saw the same thing with airline pilots who years ago were never seen until you caught a glimpse of him in the pilot seat as you entered the plane. He was a “superhero” who would control this complicated machine and get you to your destination safely. Today you may have the pilot sitting next to you in the boarding area awaiting the arrival of the plane from another city. He is revealed as “just another man” albeit with an acquired skill. The magic is gone.To learn more about mental illness double click the portrait above.
Why is professionalism so important in health care?
Merriam-Webster defines professionalism as “the skill, good judgment and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.”Having skill, good judgement, and polite behavior is vital to succeed in the healthcare field. You want the person who is taking care of you while at the hospital, doctor’s office, etc. to have been trained or have taken the required courses to gain the skills needed to perform his/her job.We need to be able to trust that they know so much about their job that they will make the right decisions for our health. They can demonstrate this by having good judgement on what to do in certain situations and always handling themselves in a polite, professional manner.Hope this helps!If you’d like more information about professionalism in the healthcare field, please visit our blog: https://www.ultimatemedical.edu/...