3rd Shift Psychiatric Care Technician

DHRM•Danville, VA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Psychiatric Care Technician works directly with patients at Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute, a 72-bed Joint Commission-accredited state mental health facility in Danville, Virginia. The role supports patients in achieving therapeutic goals through activities of daily living, responds to patient concerns, encourages participation in activities, and helps patients develop awareness and coping skills. It also involves intervening in behavioral problems and crisis situations, including situations where patients may become verbally or physically aggressive. Technicians are expected to use the least restrictive interventions available under hospital policy and avoid seclusion and restraint whenever possible. The position requires observing and listening to patients, interacting therapeutically, and monitoring and reporting changes in patients’ medical and psychiatric status. Work includes two 12-hour shifts from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. and two 8-hour shifts from 11:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., each with a 30-minute meal break. The role includes rotating holiday coverage and every other weekend, and overtime may be required. Third-shift differentials are $2.25 per hour on weekdays and $3.00 per hour on weekends and weekday holidays.

Requirements

Basic computer skills; training will be provided for documentation in an Electronic Health Record.
A valid driver’s license that remains valid throughout employment.
Ability to follow written and verbal directions.
Physical and mental ability to participate in patient treatment and behavior management, including manual tasks, walking, sitting, standing, lifting, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, writing, and performing mathematical calculations.
Ability to lift objects weighing more than 50 pounds.
Ability to walk and/or stand for at least 75% of the shift.
Ability to work with patients who may become verbally and/or physically aggressive.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a psychiatric, healthcare, acute care, long-term care, or correctional setting.
High school diploma or GED.
Veteran status.

Responsibilities

Support patients in achieving therapeutic goals through activities of daily living.
Attend to patients’ problems and concerns and encourage participation in activities.
Provide interventions for behavioral problems and crisis situations.
Promote patients’ awareness and coping skills for dealing with realities of judicial controls, as required.
Use the least restrictive interventions available under hospital policy and avoid seclusion and restraint whenever possible.
Observe, converse with, and listen to patients to distinguish appropriate from inappropriate behavior.
Interact with patients in a therapeutic manner.
Monitor and report changes in patients’ medical and psychiatric status.
Complete documentation in an Electronic Health Record after training.
Work rotating holidays, every other weekend, and overtime if needed.