Psychiatric Nursing Assistant III

Job Summary:
We are seeking a skilled Psychiatric Nursing Assistant III to join our team at the Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services. As a key member of our recovery team, you will provide high-quality rehabilitative patient care services to individuals in need. Your expertise will be instrumental in promoting living and social skills, encouraging progress towards a lesser restrictive environment, and supporting patients in achieving their individualized goals.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Provide emergency, health, and personal care services to patients, observing and reporting on their conditions and behaviors.
2. Interact with patients therapeutically, promoting living and social skills, and encouraging progress towards a lesser restrictive environment.
3. Participate in individualized and unit-based programming, facilitating groups and encouraging patients to attend.
4. Respond effectively in crisis or psychiatric emergency situations, utilizing verbal de-escalation and Treatment Intervention Protection Strategies (TIPS).
5. Perform CPR/Heimlich techniques and use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) correctly and safely.
6. Provide guidance and oversight to PNA Is and IIs, maintaining smooth and efficient provision of patient care.
7. Serve as a liaison to the recovery team, providing on-going communication concerning patient progress or lack thereof, and taking an active role in the implementation of individualized recovery plans.
8. Utilize basic computer skills, documentation skills, and reporting procedures to communicate patient care information clearly and concisely.
9. Assist in facilitating programming offered on the unit or at the facility, co-facilitating groups as assigned or requested.
10. Serve as a role model, encouraging other PNA staff to demonstrate a commitment to a culture that reduces risk to both patients and staff through support of the hospital's safety and risk management plans, infection control programs, and restraint and seclusion reduction strategies.
Requirements:
1. Knowledge of patient care techniques and of treatment, therapy, developmental, and patient-centered recovery programs.
2. Knowledge of basic computer skills.
3. Knowledge of effective interpersonal and leadership skills and ability to interact with other team members utilizing effective interpersonal skills.
4. Skills in taking vital signs.
5. Ability to read, write, and understand English to effectively communicate and carry out verbal and written instructions.
6. Ability to provide patient care, administer first aid, and conduct TIPS.
7. Ability to work with others and accept supervision.
8. Ability to train and provide guidance to others.
Working Conditions:
This position requires the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, interacting with patients and staff in a therapeutic and supportive manner. The successful candidate will be able to work effectively in a team setting, providing guidance and oversight to PNA Is and IIs as needed.

If you are a motivated and compassionate individual with a passion for providing high-quality patient care, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Essential Functions:
1. 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.
2. Uses therapeutic communication skills in promptly and effectively engaging patients to assist them in meeting the objectives of their individual recovery plans.
3. 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.
4. Monitors patients as assigned and provides observation to ensure the health and safety of all persons. Escorts patients to appointments as required.
5. 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 in reaching their goals.
6. Uses basic computer skills, documentation skills, and reporting procedures to communicate patient care information clearly and concisely in a timely manner.
7. 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.
8. Actively promotes safety through the continuous monitoring of the environment and active engagement of patients, to minimize unsafe situations and injuries.
9. Provides objective and relevant information to the supervising RN on an ongoing basis concerning the work performance of Psychiatric Nursing Assistant staff to support a more comprehensive performance evaluation and to assist in the identification of training and/or performance opportunities.
10. Assists in facilitating programming offered on unit or at the facility. Co-facilitates groups as assigned or requested and encourages patients to attend.
11. 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.
12. Performs CPR/Heimlich techniques and use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) correctly and safely according to the specifications of the American Heart Association.
13. In the absence of the PNA IV, provides guidance, as requested, to the PNA Is and IIs in the performance of duties assigned by an RN to maintain smooth, efficient provision of patient care.
14. 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.
15. Serves as a preceptor (orientation and on-going training) for new employees (PNA Is and IIs) and temporarily assigned personnel to the unit.
16. Serves on unit and hospital committees and performance improvement workgroups as appointed.
17. Serves as a role model and encourages other PNA staff to demonstrate a commitment to a culture that reduces risk to both patients and staff through support of the hospital's safety and risk management plans, infection control programs, and restraint and seclusion reduction strategies.
18. Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to 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. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.
Knowledge Skills Abilities:
1. Knowledge of patient care techniques and of treatment, therapy, developmental, and patient-centered recovery programs.
2. Knowledge of basic computer skills.
3. Knowledge of effective interpersonal and leadership skills and ability to interact with other team members utilizing effective interpersonal skills.
4. Skills in taking vital signs.
5. Ability to read, write, and understand English to effectively communicate and carry out verbal and written instructions.
6. Ability to provide patient care, administer first aid, and conduct TIPS.
7. Ability to work with others and accept supervision.
8. Ability to train and provide guidance to others.
Working Conditions:
This position requires the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, interacting with patients and staff in a therapeutic and supportive manner. The successful candidate will be able to work effectively in a team setting, providing guidance and oversight to PNA Is and IIs as needed.

If you are a motivated and compassionate individual with a passion for providing high-quality patient care, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

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