Psychiatric Technician

About This Role

Providing assistance with daily living activities and secretarial support, the Psychiatric Technician ensures the safety of adults and children with mental illness on an acute psychiatric hospital unit. This role involves leading groups, directing code secure activities, and actively participating in all unit activities while maintaining a safe therapeutic environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist with observing patients and reporting any unusual circumstances to a licensed nurse
• Organize, prioritize, and provide nursing care in accordance with unit standards
• Complete the admission/discharge process and documentation according to unit standards in chart/EMR
• Greet admissions, make them comfortable, and orient them to unit routines and safety precautions within 15 minutes of arrival on the unit
• Answer call lights and telephones promptly and meet basic patient needs, whether assigned patient or not
• Conduct patient safety rounds every 15 minutes or according to unit policy
• Perform activities of daily living and assist with meeting nutritional needs of patients
• Provide patient treatments as delegated such as EKGs, Blood Glucose testing, I&O, enemas, etc.
• Act as a patient advocate, protector of patients' rights, and provider of psychological/social/cultural support
• Treat patients with respect and dignity, call patients by name, and provide privacy
• Use system resources to meet patients' cultural and disability needs
• Provide patients and their families with appropriate information and care in a timely manner
• Organize and lead daily goals/wrap-up groups
• Report to a licensed nurse any issues or concerns verbalized or written by patients in groups
• Function with minimal supervision, recognizing the need for direction and assistance in situations beyond scope of capabilities
• Manage patients with potential for aggressive or combative behavior toward themselves or others
• Assist nursing staff with escalating patients
• Possess strong communication skills to cope with escalating situations
• Lead and direct code secure activities with staff and security
• Function well in crisis situations to ensure safety and well-being of patients, visitors, and staff
• Participate in Quality Management activities
• Contribute to Carilion Clinic performance improvement activities
• Complete all activities related to performance improvement as requested by the CTL or director
• Participate in performance activities and identify opportunities for improvement in a timely manner
• Actively participate in cost containment measures at the unit level
• Appropriately charge for supplies used at the time of use