Mental Health Associate - Electroconvulsive Therapy - Full time - Day Shift
Meritus Health, Hagerstown, MD, United States
Mental Health Associate - Electroconvulsive Therapy - Full Time - Day Shift
Job Category: Behavioral Health Service
Full-Time
On-site
Hourly Range: $20 to $26 USD
Brook Lane Main Campus 13121 Brook Lane Hagerstown, MD 21742, USA
Pay or shift range: $20 to $26 USD The posted range is the budgeted amount for this position. The actual rate of pay will be determined based on several factors, including your relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and alignment with Meritus Health's compensation practices.
Job Details
Description
Brook Lane - MHA - Electroconvulsive Therapy and Inpatient Full Time - 72 hrs. biweekly
Schedule:
36 hrs.: 600am-1200pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday in Electroconvulsive Therapy Unit 36 hrs. Inpatient Units
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment for serious mental health conditions such as severe depression, bipolar disorder, and some forms of psychosisespecially when other treatments haven't been effective. Patients are given short-acting anesthesia and a muscle relaxant, and a small, carefully monitored electrical stimulus is delivered to the brain to produce a brief therapeutic seizure. This process helps improve brain function and can significantly reduce severe symptoms. The procedure is safe, closely monitored, and evidence-based, and most patients wake up within minutes and recover in a supervised area before returning to their unit or going home the same day.
Mental Health Associates assist patients in ECT before, during, and after treatment.
Before ECT Treatment
Escort patients to ECT
Verify patient identity and treatment schedule
Take and document vital signs
Ensure NPO status (nothing by mouth) is followed
During the ECT Process
Assisting with safe patient positioning and transfers
Helping manage patient flow in pre-op and recovery areas
Observing patients for anxiety, agitation, or confusion
Supporting nurses, psychiatrists, and anesthesia staff as needed
After ECT (Recovery Phase)
Monitor patients for post-anesthesia confusion, disorientation, or agitation
Recheck and document vital signs
Ensure patient safety (fall precautions)
Escort patients back to inpatient units or discharge areas
INPATIENT UNITS:
Position Summary: The Mental Health Associate provides direct care and therapeutic support to patients of all ages in a psychiatric setting. This role involves observing and documenting patient behavior, maintaining a safe and structured environment, and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to promote patient well-being. The associate plays a key role in fostering a therapeutic milieu and supporting program activities.
MHA's are cross trained in the Adult and Child/Adolescent Units.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Maintain confidentiality in all patient interactions and documentation
Provide direct patient care with attention to safety, comfort, and therapeutic engagement
Observe and report patient behavior to clinical staff; document in progress notes
Respond appropriately to patient needs and behavioral interventions
Build cooperative relationships with staff, patients, and families
Demonstrate leadership and empathy in daily interactions
Implement structured programming using the Theme of the Day concept
Support and maintain a therapeutic environment on psychiatric units
Assist in training and orienting new employees
Modify interventions to be age-appropriate for each patient and family situation
Enforce unit rules and organizational policies assertively and respectfully
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor
Requirements and Preferred Qualifications:
High school diploma required; bachelor's degree in a social science preferred
Prior mental health experience preferred
Ability to follow written and oral instructions using sound judgment
Legally licensed to operate hospital vehicles
Basic to moderate computer skills
Effective verbal and written communication skills
Current BLS (CPR) certification in compliance with policy
Valid driver's license with a clean driving record preferred (no moving violations in the past three years)
Annual submission of certified driving record required on date of birth
Signed acknowledgment of "Attestation A" of Meritus Vehicle Management Use and Control policy
Caring for Our Team
We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees' well-being and professional growth. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance available starting the 1st of the month following date of hire, along with life insurance, & short and long-term disability coverage. Paid Time Off begins accruing from day one, and we also provide a 401k plan, an education assistance program, and an employee assistance program. Additionally, employees working evening, night, or weekend shifts may be eligible for a shift differential, adding even more value to your role.
Happy to Help
At Meritus, we believe in a collaborative and caring work environment. Interactions are an opportunity to learn, listen and to be there for one another. Therefore, we provide warm welcomes, hospitality-driven closures, and are always Happy to Help.
Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Job Category: Behavioral Health Service
Full-Time
On-site
Hourly Range: $20 to $26 USD
Brook Lane Main Campus 13121 Brook Lane Hagerstown, MD 21742, USA
Pay or shift range: $20 to $26 USD The posted range is the budgeted amount for this position. The actual rate of pay will be determined based on several factors, including your relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and alignment with Meritus Health's compensation practices.
Job Details
Description
Brook Lane - MHA - Electroconvulsive Therapy and Inpatient Full Time - 72 hrs. biweekly
Schedule:
36 hrs.: 600am-1200pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday in Electroconvulsive Therapy Unit 36 hrs. Inpatient Units
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment for serious mental health conditions such as severe depression, bipolar disorder, and some forms of psychosisespecially when other treatments haven't been effective. Patients are given short-acting anesthesia and a muscle relaxant, and a small, carefully monitored electrical stimulus is delivered to the brain to produce a brief therapeutic seizure. This process helps improve brain function and can significantly reduce severe symptoms. The procedure is safe, closely monitored, and evidence-based, and most patients wake up within minutes and recover in a supervised area before returning to their unit or going home the same day.
Mental Health Associates assist patients in ECT before, during, and after treatment.
Before ECT Treatment
Escort patients to ECT
Verify patient identity and treatment schedule
Take and document vital signs
Ensure NPO status (nothing by mouth) is followed
During the ECT Process
Assisting with safe patient positioning and transfers
Helping manage patient flow in pre-op and recovery areas
Observing patients for anxiety, agitation, or confusion
Supporting nurses, psychiatrists, and anesthesia staff as needed
After ECT (Recovery Phase)
Monitor patients for post-anesthesia confusion, disorientation, or agitation
Recheck and document vital signs
Ensure patient safety (fall precautions)
Escort patients back to inpatient units or discharge areas
INPATIENT UNITS:
Position Summary: The Mental Health Associate provides direct care and therapeutic support to patients of all ages in a psychiatric setting. This role involves observing and documenting patient behavior, maintaining a safe and structured environment, and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to promote patient well-being. The associate plays a key role in fostering a therapeutic milieu and supporting program activities.
MHA's are cross trained in the Adult and Child/Adolescent Units.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Maintain confidentiality in all patient interactions and documentation
Provide direct patient care with attention to safety, comfort, and therapeutic engagement
Observe and report patient behavior to clinical staff; document in progress notes
Respond appropriately to patient needs and behavioral interventions
Build cooperative relationships with staff, patients, and families
Demonstrate leadership and empathy in daily interactions
Implement structured programming using the Theme of the Day concept
Support and maintain a therapeutic environment on psychiatric units
Assist in training and orienting new employees
Modify interventions to be age-appropriate for each patient and family situation
Enforce unit rules and organizational policies assertively and respectfully
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor
Requirements and Preferred Qualifications:
High school diploma required; bachelor's degree in a social science preferred
Prior mental health experience preferred
Ability to follow written and oral instructions using sound judgment
Legally licensed to operate hospital vehicles
Basic to moderate computer skills
Effective verbal and written communication skills
Current BLS (CPR) certification in compliance with policy
Valid driver's license with a clean driving record preferred (no moving violations in the past three years)
Annual submission of certified driving record required on date of birth
Signed acknowledgment of "Attestation A" of Meritus Vehicle Management Use and Control policy
Caring for Our Team
We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees' well-being and professional growth. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance available starting the 1st of the month following date of hire, along with life insurance, & short and long-term disability coverage. Paid Time Off begins accruing from day one, and we also provide a 401k plan, an education assistance program, and an employee assistance program. Additionally, employees working evening, night, or weekend shifts may be eligible for a shift differential, adding even more value to your role.
Happy to Help
At Meritus, we believe in a collaborative and caring work environment. Interactions are an opportunity to learn, listen and to be there for one another. Therefore, we provide warm welcomes, hospitality-driven closures, and are always Happy to Help.
Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.