Psychiatric Technician

Psychiatric Technician

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing direct patient care and support for patients with behavioral issues. The Psychiatric Technician promotes a safe and therapeutic environment through 1:1 patient interaction, safety monitoring, group facilitation, and de-escalation.

Job Duties

• Ensure that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families, and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome.
• Establish therapeutic alliances with patients through patient centered communication.
• Promote a safe environment for patients by completing safety checks, 1:1 observation, contraband searches, and environmental rounds and correcting safety hazards promptly.
• Monitor patient activity and alerts licensed personnel to any changes in behaviors that are of concern.
• Utilize deescalation techniques for assisting patients in regaining and maintaining control and safety.
• Provide direct patient care to assist with activities of daily living.
• Provide physical interventions when necessary in order to maintain safety while using safe techniques and following policy and procedures.
• Document in medical record data collected and patient observations.
• Perform clerical duties as needed such as answering the phone, ordering supplies
• Respond appropriately to emergencies and life threatening conditions.
• Demonstrate support for changes in practice designed to improve performance.
• Create a welcoming environment for new staff members, patients and patient's families.
• Provide safe and effective patient care under the supervision of the licensed nurse by performing tasks and support functions as delegated by the department.
• Assure patient privacy by knocking on doors, closing curtains, and protecting patient information.
• Facilitate wellness, goals, coping skills, and recreational groups as needed.
• Educate patient to utilize positive coping skills to improve overall well-being.
• Assist is providing service information and support for the crisis phone line callers.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates effective therapeutic communication skills.
• Recognizes manipulative and destructive behaviors and utilizes skills to promote positive coping mechanisms.
• Demonstrates an ability to assist appropriately with the facilitation of patient treatment groups.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide safe and effective patient care.
• Ensures that accurate and relevant information is communicated with patients, families and coworkers at hand-offs to ensure the best possible patient outcomes within MMC.

Professional Experience

• Work experience with mental health, chemical dependency, or behavioral patients preferred.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred. One year of college in health care, social services, psychology or related field preferred.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS), in accordance with the American Heart Association required.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required. Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.