Psych Tech

DHR Health - US:TX:Edinburg - Days

Summary:

Provides direct and indirect patient care under the direction of a registered nurse. Provides for the personal care and comfort of psychiatric patients. Provides a safe, clean environment. Participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.

POSITION EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school/GED preferred.
• CPI training required within 30 days of hire date.
• Current CNA certification required.
• Current BLS/CPR certification required.
• Good written and verbal communication skills required.
• Ability to read, write and speak English
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with all levels of nursing, administration, and physicians
• Prefer hospital experience

Responsibilities:

• Promotes the facility mission, vision and values by effectively communicating them to others. Considers mission, vision and values in developing services, standards and practices
• Conducts a full client inventory in the Intake area.
• Give report to the nurse and tech picking up client in the Intake area.
• Does not leave the client unattended at any time.
• Identify any contraband and dispose of it appropriately.
• Identify if client has brought home medications. If so coordinate with the nurse and the family so that medications can be sent home.
• Orient patient and family to BHR processes. Monitoring, programming, activities, and phone numbers for units.
• Assist on units in between admissions coordinating this task with the Intake Department.
• Orients patients to the unit, takes admission vital signs and records on the Nursing Assessment Form.
• Performs and records patient vital signs, intake and output; notifies RN of any changes.
• Provides general nursing care, i.e., transferring patients, assisting with ADLs.
• Continuously observes patients' behavior, mental status and activities, notifies RN of any changes or unusual occurrences.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify behaviors that require intervention.
• Escorts patients when leaving the unit for activities and scheduled tests.
• Able to perform patient safety checks at scheduled times, documents appropriately.
• Responsible for one-to-one observation for high-risk patients.
• Able to assist with restraining a patient, placing a patient in seclusion.
• Participates in patient care conferences.
• Communicates appropriately and clearly to the Nurse Manager, RNs and physicians.
• Demonstrates the ability to set limits for patients and other de-escalation techniques.
• Orients new staff members to the staff.
• Assists with therapeutic groups under the direction of the RN.

Other information:

JOB KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

• One - two (1-2) years experience as a nursing assistant; behavioral health setting preferred
• Requires strong communication and organizational skills.
• Requires reasoning ability and good independent judgment.
• Must present a professional image.
• Requires working with frequent interruptions.

LINES OF REPSONSIBILITES:

(Chain-of-command)

1.Charge Nurse→ 2.Director→ 3.VP of Behavioral Hospital

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Provide excellent customer service to all DHR customers. All employees are required to attend the DHR C.A.R.E.S program which outlines the Customer Service Principals including: Commitment, Accountability, Respect, Excellence and Service.

AGE SPECIFIC:

Employees must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in his/her assigned unit. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirement relative to his or her age.

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