Psychiatric Technician

Psychiatric Technician

HealthCare Support is actively seeking a Psychiatric Technician to fill an opening in San Diego, California for a Naval Medical Center.

Daily Responsibilities for the Psychiatric Technician :
Contractor personnel shall perform a full range of duties consistent with their labor category, education, training, experience, clinical privileges (as applicable), and assigned position. General duties that apply to all personnel or across certain labor categories are given below.

• Maintain a level of productivity comparable with that of other individuals performing similar services.
• Participate in peer review and performance improvement activities.
• Practice aseptic techniques as necessary. Comply with infection control guidelines to include the proper handling, storage, and disposal of infectious wastes, and the use of universal precautions to prevent the spread of infection.
• Function with an awareness and application of safety procedures.
• Perform efficiently in emergency patient situations following established protocols, remaining calm, informing appropriate persons, and documenting events. Anticipate potential problems/emergencies and make appropriate interventions. Notify supervisor, director, or other designated person regarding problems that the HCW is unable to manage.
• Apply an awareness of legal issues in all aspects of patient care and strive to manage situations in a reduced risk manner.
• Participate in the implementation of the Family Advocacy Program as directed. Participation shall include, but not be limited to, appropriate medical examination, documentation, and reporting.
• Exercise awareness and sensitivity to patient/significant others' rights, as identified within the MTF.
• Maintain an awareness of responsibility and accountability for own professional practice.
• Participate in continuing education to meet own professional growth.
• Attend and/or comply with all annual training classes required by the Command, to include but not limited to online annual training provided by the MTF: disaster training, infection control, Sexual Harassment, Bloodborne Pathogens, Fire and Safety, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE), and all other required training.
• Actively participate in the command’s Performance Improvement Program. Participate in meetings to review and evaluate the care provided to patients, identify opportunities to improve the care delivered, and recommend corrective action when problems exist.
• Participate in the provision of in-service training to clinic staff members. Provide training and/or clinical direction as applicable to supporting government employees (e.g., hospital corpsmen, students, etc.).
• Attend and participate in various meetings as directed.
• Perform timely, accurate, and concise documentation of patient care.
• Operate and manipulate automated systems such as CHCS, AHLTA, ADS, Essentris, MHS Genesis, and Clinical Information System (CIS), participate in clinical staff Performance Improvement (PI) and Risk Management (RM) functions, as prescribed by the Commander. Maintain DOD email account as directed. The HCW shall be responsive to all email and voicemail communications.
• Exercise appropriate clinical delegation of tasks and duties in the direction and coordination of health care team members, patient care, and clinic activities.
• Maintain documentation of all treatment provided in accordance with clinic directives and prepare such records and reports as may be required. All records and reports must be legible. Abbreviations must be only those listed in local instructions.

The HCWs shall provide services within the scope of their competencies, the applicable duties provided in the basic contract, and the following:
 

• Perform ongoing risk assessment; assist in maintaining therapeutic milieu.
• Transcribe physician’s orders.
• Develop a therapeutic relationship with psychiatric patients; observe patient progress during treatment.
• Organize and facilitate patient groups and activities.
• Escort patients safely on and off the unit, as permitted by the government supervisor and while adhering to patient management protocols for patients identified as elopement risks.
• Monitor patient safety; be able to do physical restraint procedures such as applying manual and mechanical restraints.
• Manage agitated patients; identify and report symptoms of homicidal or suicidal patient; perform line of sight one-on-one observations.
• Maintain all records required on patients to include data entry and retrieval on CHCS and CIS computer systems.
• Perform a range of diagnostic support duties which include but are not limited to drawing blood for lab studies, collect and label specimens, take vital signs, and assist Physicians in a variety of diagnostic examinations.
• Understand the rules of confidentiality as applied to patient and health care provider during all aspects of care; instruct personnel in psychiatric patient rights.
• Respond to emergency situations within area of competence and initiate appropriate action and documentation (restraint calls, fire calls, and disaster situations).
• Monitor and discontinue IV fluids as directed.
• Operate the outpatient front desk areas, assist patients with questions and information, offer courteous and attentive assistance. Follow the Command’s mission and values of Service, Professionalism, Teamwork, Respect, and Compassion.
• Schedule patient appointments through the CHCS computer system. Coordinate and assist the Primary Care Providers in contacting patients who miss appointments.
• Ensure that all records are properly maintained, constructed, and secured in a controlled access area.
• Provide Secondary Convenience Records to the government supervisor for disposal after being maintained for three years.
• Prepare and pull all outpatient records for scheduled appointments.
• Perform End of Day processing in accordance with local instructions.
• Perform psychiatric testing/screening evaluations as directed.

Psychiatric Technician Shift:
Facility is open Monday through Friday, 6:30am and 7:30pm. Candidate must be flexible to work either an 8 hour or 12 hour shift (still submit if they're open to an 8-hour only shift). Each shift will be extended ½ hour or 1 hour for an uncompensated meal break to cover a full 8 or 12 hours of service. 

Required Qualifications for the Psychiatric Technician :
US Citizenship – Permanent Residents not applicable 
Education:  Graduation from an accredited Psychiatric Technician Program; or completion of an equivalent education and experience that meets the requirement of the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians or completion of education and experience as a behavioral science specialist/technician in the United States military and proof of having completed an Armed Forces course involving psychiatric technician training or civilian course from an accredited school in the care of behavioral health patients.
Experience:  Have a minimum of 12 months experience within the last 18 months as a Psychiatric Technician providing care in a mental healthcare setting.
Licensure: Psychiatric Technicians will have the ability to work while obtaining their Certificate or License! The Psychiatric Technicians must obtain their Certificate or License within 6 months of employment to continue performing services within the contract or face immediate termination.

• Possess and maintain a current, unrestricted license to practice as a Psychiatric Technician in any one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands;
• OR
• Possess at least a level one national Psychiatric Technician certification or equivalent – Open book test! https://psychtechs.org/the-certification-process/ 

Preferred Qualifications for the Psychiatric Technician :
Have a minimum of 12 months experience within the last 18 months as a Psychiatric Technician providing care in a mental healthcare setting.

Benefits for the Psychiatric Technician :

• Immediate enrollment in Health Insurance
• 2 weeks Paid Time Off annually
• 11 Paid Holidays
• 56 hours Sick Pay annually 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Access to Investment Accounts
• Career and educational tools within our Ingenovis ACT (Advocacy) Program

Pay Details: $26 /hour – $30 /hour

Interested in being considered?
If you are interested in applying to this position, please click Apply Now for immediate consideration.

For additional consideration, please email a copy of your resume to James.Wallen@healthcaresupport.com with your phone number, the job title and location, and our recruiters will reach out.

Healthcare Support Staffing, LLC. is an equal employment opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

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