Psychiatric Nursing Assistant II

Job Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and compassionate Psychiatric Nursing Assistant II to join our team at the Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services. As a key member of our healthcare team, you will provide high-quality patient care services to individuals in need of psychiatric nursing care.

Key Responsibilities:
Provide patient care services under the clinical supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) to ensure the health and safety of patients.
Observe, report, and document patient conditions and behaviors in an electronic record to facilitate effective care planning.
Interact with patients therapeutically to promote living and social skills, encouraging progress towards a lesser restrictive environment.
Participate in shift reports and recovery team meetings to ensure seamless communication and collaboration among team members.
Perform delegated nursing duties commensurate with competency, including taking and monitoring vital signs, administering first aid, and conducting TIPS.
Actively promote safety through continuous monitoring of the environment and engagement with patients to minimize unsafe situations and injuries.
Assist in facilitating programming offered on the unit or at the facility, co-facilitating groups as assigned or requested, and encouraging patients to attend.
Respond effectively in crisis or psychiatric emergency situations, utilizing verbal de-escalation and Treatment Intervention Protection Strategies (TIPS) under the direct supervision of a RN.
Communicate effectively with other team members to ensure a culture that promotes the least restrictive interventions necessary.
Perform CPR/Heimlich techniques and use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) correctly and safely according to the specifications of the American Heart Association.
Provide guidance, as requested, to PNA Is in the performance of duties assigned by an RN to maintain smooth, efficient provision of patient care.
Serve as a preceptor for new employees (PNA I) and temporarily assigned personnel to the unit, providing orientation and on-going training.
Serve on unit and hospital committees as appointed, actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.
Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient operation of the patient care unit.

Requirements:
Knowledge of patient care techniques and of treatment, therapy, developmental, and patient-centered recovery programs.
Knowledge of basic computer skills, effective interpersonal and leadership skills, and ability to interact with other team members utilizing effective interpersonal skills.
Skills in taking vital signs, providing patient care, administering first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and conducting TIPS.
Ability to read, write, and understand English to effectively communicate and carry out verbal and written instructions.
Ability to work with others and accept supervision, train and provide guidance to others, and promote safety through continuous monitoring of the environment and engagement with patients.

Working Conditions:
This position may be eligible to earn additional pay for work performed on evenings, nights, and/or weekends.
This position may also be eligible to earn additional pay for work performed on maximum security locations.

Essential Functions:
Attends work on a regular basis and may be asked to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift, and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
Uses therapeutic communication skills in promptly and effectively engaging patients to assist them in meeting the objectives of their individual recovery plans.
Provides supportive, age-specific care to patients as assigned by the Registered Nurse (RN) or designees(s) and assists patients with activities of daily living, hygiene, and eating to promote independence and self-care.
Monitors patients as assigned and provides observation to ensure the health and safety of all persons.
Serves as a liaison to the recovery team or admissions team, providing on-going, verbal and written communication concerning patient's progress or lack thereof, to individualized goals and takes an active role in the implementation of the individualized recovery plans and offers consistent, ongoing support in assisting patients reaching their goals.
Uses basic computer skills, documentation skills, and reporting procedures to communicate patient care information clearly and concisely in a timely manner.
Assists the licensed nurse in preparing patients for medication administration or treatment, takes and monitors vital signs, and performs other assigned tasks within competency level.
Actively promotes safety through the continuous monitoring of the environment and active engagement of patients, to minimize unsafe situations and injuries.
Assists in facilitating programming offered on the unit or at the facility, co-facilitating groups as assigned or requested, and encouraging patients to attend.
Responds effectively in crisis or psychiatric emergency situations, verbal de-escalation, and the application of Treatment Intervention Protection Strategies (TIPS), and other more restrictive interventions under the direct supervision of a RN to avert crisis situations and to ensure the health and safety of all persons.
Communicates effectively with other team members to ensure a culture that promotes the least restrictive interventions necessary.
Performs CPR/Heimlich techniques and use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) correctly and safely according to the specifications of the American Heart Association.
In the absence of the PNA III and IV, provides guidance, as requested, to the PNA Is in the performance of duties assigned by an RN to maintain smooth, efficient provision of patient care.
Provides RN with timely, clinically relevant patient information (such as possible side effects of medication, disease/injury, behavioral escalation) gained by direct observation/interaction with patients to promote safety.
Serves as a preceptor (orientation and on-going training) for new employees (PNA I) and temporarily assigned personnel to the unit.
Serves on unit and hospital committees as appointed, actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.
Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient operation of the patient care unit.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of patient care techniques and of treatment, therapy, developmental, and patient-centered recovery programs.
Knowledge of basic computer skills, effective interpersonal and leadership skills, and ability to interact with other team members utilizing effective interpersonal skills.
Skills in taking vital signs, providing patient care, administering first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and conducting TIPS.
Ability to read, write, and understand English to effectively communicate and carry out verbal and written instructions.
Ability to work with others and accept supervision, train and provide guidance to others, and promote safety through continuous monitoring of the environment and engagement with patients.

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