Mental Health Worker (Day Shift)

As a Mental Health Worker at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, your responsibilities will include providing basic nursing care, assisting patients with daily activities, and ensuring a safe and clean environment. You will work closely under the guidance of a Charge Nurse and a Lead Mental Health Worker to support patients with their treatment plans and contribute to their overall wellness in a compassionate way.

To qualify for the Mental Health Worker position at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, candidates need a High School Diploma or equivalent. While six months of experience related to human behavior, psychiatry, or social services is preferred, we encourage all applicants with a heart for helping others to apply, value experience and education, and will consider an equivalent combination.

New Mental Health Workers at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital are required to have current CPR certification before their start date. Additionally, during orientation, you will complete ‘Handle-With-Care’ Physical Restraint Technique Training to ensure a safe approach to patient management.

The starting pay for a Mental Health Worker at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital is $21.00 per hour, with automatic merit increases based on annual evaluations. This position also qualifies for overtime, making it a rewarding career both personally and financially.

Mental Health Workers at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital can enjoy a comprehensive benefits package including over three weeks of paid time off in your first year, tuition reimbursement, medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and even pet insurance! It's a supportive environment designed to foster personal and professional growth.

When answering this question, share specific experiences where you provided care or support in a mental health setting. Discuss your interactions with patients, focusing on what you learned from these experiences and how they shaped your understanding of mental health care.

It's important to illustrate your ability to remain calm and composed. Provide an example of a stressful situation you faced and explain your approach, emphasizing your communication skills and strategies you used to defuse tension.

Discuss specific engagement strategies, such as building rapport, active listening, and using motivational interviewing techniques. Providing examples of successful patient interactions can show your capability in enhancing patient involvement in their care.

Show your understanding of safety protocols and the importance of a clean environment. Discuss your experience with safety measures and how you maintain vigilance in identifying potential hazards.

Explain your approach to conflict resolution, emphasizing empathy and understanding. You might talk about the importance of communication and collaboration with the patient to explore their concerns and guide them toward a positive outcome.

Demonstrate your research about the hospital's values and culture, explaining how they align with your personal philosophy. Discuss your passion for making a difference in people’s lives and how this institution provides an ideal environment to do so.

Illustrate your crisis intervention skills by describing a systematic approach you would take. Touch on de-escalation techniques and the importance of staying calm and supportive in high-pressure situations.

Identify key qualities such as empathy, patience, and strong communication skills. Provide examples from your experience that demonstrate how these qualities have made an impact on your work with patients.

Discuss how you pursue ongoing education, whether through formal training, reading relevant literature, attending seminars, or participating in peer discussions, indicating your commitment to professional development and best practices in care.

Emphasize that mental health care is a collaborative effort. Discuss your experiences working as part of a team and how collaboration enhances patient care, addressing the importance of communication and shared responsibility among staff.