PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIAN (SAFETY)

About the Role

The permanent, full time Psychiatric Technician (Safety) will be supervised by the Unit Supervisor, Supervising Registered Nurse, Program Assistant, and lead by a Senior Psychiatric Technician/Registered Nurse Lead or Alternate Shift Lead in the assigned Program/Unit at the Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero (ASH).

Responsibilities

• Helps to create a clean, safe and therapeutic environment for patients
• Applies mental health principles and relationship security with patients
• Performs custody tasks including supervision of patient activities
• Searches for drugs, contraband, weapons, and inspect facilities to identify security breaches that could lead to the escape of a patient
• Observes and intervenes in patient behavior that may injure people, damage property, or signal impending escape attempts
• Applies and demonstrates knowledge of Trauma Informed Care (TIC)
• Applies and demonstrates knowledge of correct methods in Therapeutic Strategies and Interventions (TSI), that includes patient containment, heavy lifting, applying restraints, and responding to emergency situations throughout the hospital
• Performs nursing procedures such as administering medications including oral medications and hypodermic injection, observing patients' physical condition and behavior and reporting significant changes to a shift supervisor, unit supervisor or physician and recording nursing notes in the patients or inmate record

Eligibility

To be considered for this career opportunity, applicants must have eligibility by way of one of the following: reachable on a certification list, have transfer eligibility, or have reinstatement eligibility. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications specified in the examination bulletin/classification specifications. If you do not have eligibility, you must take the exam. The examination is a separate process from applying for this vacancy.

Department Information

The Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero is a secure public sector hospital providing inpatient forensic services for mentally ill adult males who are court committed throughout the State of California. Located on the central coast of California, the Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero is in the vicinity of destination locations such as San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, and Morro Bay, with easy access to beautiful beaches, serene natural settings, and many historical landmarks.