Psychiatric Technician

University of Utah Health • Salt Lake City, UT

6d

About The Position

This position provides a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients and assists with basic patient care. The Psychiatric Technician observes and documents patient behavior, helps maintain a hazard-free environment, supports patient admissions and orientation, and escorts patients to off-unit appointments and activities. The role also helps create a therapeutic milieu through recreational activities, group therapies, and supportive therapy groups.

The technician contributes to behavioral expectations, patient treatment planning, teaching, and discharge planning, and shares observations with the interdisciplinary treatment team to support care-plan development and evaluation. Additional duties may include precepting new technicians, supporting unit training and quality assurance, maintaining supplies and department forms, and providing an annual educational in-service to coworkers.

The position requires recognizing and promptly reporting adverse medication reactions and risks of harm to the Registered Nurse, and assisting with restraints and seclusion. Care must be appropriate to the ages and developmental needs of patients on the assigned unit. University of Utah Health describes itself as a patient-focused organization committed to compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality, and trust.

Requirements

• At least six months of behavioral health or direct patient care experience; experience may include work as a CNA, MA, HCA, teacher’s aide, or assistant.
• Obtain a current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system within 30 days of hire.
• Meet any additional license requirements determined by the hiring department.
• Ability to recognize adverse medication reactions and report them promptly to the Registered Nurse.
• Ability to assess potential risk of a patient harming themselves or others, report concerns to the Registered Nurse, and assist with restraints and seclusion.
• Interpersonal skills to build patient trust and respond appropriately in crisis situations.
• Ability to apply group dynamics principles when co-leading groups to develop social, behavioral, and communication skills.
• Knowledge and skills to provide care appropriate to the ages of patients on the assigned unit.
• Knowledge of life-span growth and development principles and ability to assess patient-status information and provide care according to department policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated human-relations and effective communication skills.
• Ability to meet the position's physical requirements, with or without accommodation, including intensive work that may exert up to 50 pounds and may consistently involve lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving equipment or patients.

Responsibilities

• Observe and document patient behavior; help maintain a safe, hazard-free environment by conducting patient room searches, reporting unsafe conditions, and providing appropriate emotional and physical support.
• Assist with patient admissions by gathering routine information for nursing assessment, searching patients and personal effects for contraband, and documenting personal effects and other appropriate information.
• Orient patients and their families to the facility, policies, and procedures.
• Escort patients to off-unit appointments and activities, using therapeutic interventions to support the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.
• Encourage patient participation in recreational activities and group therapies to help provide a therapeutic milieu.
• Lead activity and conversation groups to provide supportive therapy for selected patients.
• Assist in developing patient behavioral expectations.
• May serve as a preceptor to new Psychiatric Technicians.
• Assist with unit training and quality assurance programs; order, stock, and maintain clerical and patient supplies; and provide an annual educational in-service to coworkers.
• Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and may coordinate with leadership to maintain department forms.
• Assist with initiating and contributing to patient treatment planning, teaching, and discharge planning.
• Participate in patient care team conferences by sharing observations about patient progress toward identified goals and assisting the primary Registered Nurse with developing, evaluating, and revising patient care plans.
• Recognize and promptly report possible adverse medication reactions to the Registered Nurse.
• Assess and report possible risk of harm to the patient or others, and assist with restraints and seclusion.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Healthcare benefits starting on day one
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Work environment described as valuing dedication, learning, and work-life balance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed