Psych Tech- Full Time: Teen Unit (CAT)

University of Utah Health; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A major health organization seeks a full-time Psych Tech for its Teen Unit in Salt Lake City, Utah. The role involves maintaining a therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients, assisting with admissions and providing support during care activities. Ideal candidates will have experience in behavioral health or direct patient care and strong interpersonal skills. This entry-level position comes with essential training requirements and a focus on patient engagement in recreational and therapeutic activities.

Qualifications

• Experience in behavioral health, CNA, MA, HCA or similar roles is required.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a safe environment through observation and documentation.
• Assist with patient admissions and ensure safety during appointments.
• Provide therapeutic support and develop patient behavioral expectations.
• Participate in patient care team conferences.
• Assists with providing a therapeutic milieu for patients by encouraging patients to participate in recreational activities and group therapies.
• Assists with supportive therapy for select patients by leading activity and conversation groups.
• Assists in the development of patient behavioral expectations.
• May function as a preceptor to new Psychiatric Technicians.
• Assists with the unit’s training and quality assurance programs, as well as ordering, stocking, and maintaining clerical and patient supplies. Provides an annual educational in‑service to co‑workers.
• Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and may coordinate with leadership to maintain department forms.
• Assists with initiating and contributing to patient treatment planning, teaching and discharge planning.
• Participates in patient care team conferences by sharing observations of patient’s progress toward identified goals and assists the primary Registered Nurse with the development, evaluation, and revision of patient care plans.

Skills

Ability to recognize adverse reactions

Interpersonal skills

Knowledge of group dynamics

Effective communication skills

Patient care

Education

Six months of behavioral health or direct patient care experience

Job description

Psych Tech - Full Time: Teen Unit (CAT)

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Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well‑being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA. This position provides a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients and assists with the provision of basic patient care needs.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for its academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Assists with maintaining a safe and hazard free environment by observing and documenting patient behavior, conducting patient room searches, reporting unsafe conditions and applying appropriate emotional and physical support.
• Performs or assists with the admission of new patients by gathering routine information for nursing assessment, searching patients and personal effects for contraband, documenting personal effects and other appropriate information.
• Orients the patient and patient’s family to the facility and the policies and procedures.
• Escorts the patients to off‑unit appointments and activities using therapeutic interventions to ensure the safety of the patient, hospital staff, and other University patients and visitors.
• Assists with providing a therapeutic milieu for patients by encouraging patients to participate in recreational activities and group therapies.
• Assists with supportive therapy for select patients by leading activity and conversation groups.
• Assists in the development of patient behavioral expectations.
• May function as a preceptor to new Psychiatric Technicians.
• Assists with the unit’s training and quality assurance programs, as well as ordering, stocking, and maintaining clerical and patient supplies. Provides an annual educational in‑service to co‑workers.
• Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and may coordinate with leadership to maintain department forms.
• Assists with initiating and contributing to patient treatment planning, teaching and discharge planning.
• Participates in patient care team conferences by sharing observations of patient’s progress toward identified goals and assists the primary Registered Nurse with the development, evaluation, and revision of patient care plans.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to recognize when a patient is having an adverse reaction to medication and report it in a timely manner to the Registered Nurse.
• Ability to assess a patient that can possibly hurt himself/herself and others and report this information to the Registered Nurse, and has the ability to assist with restraints and seclusion.
• Interpersonal skills to acquire the trust of the patients and respond appropriately in a crisis situation.
• Ability to utilize the principles of group dynamics when co‑leading a group to facilitate the development of social, behavioral, and communication skills among group members.
• Knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit.
• Knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient’s status and provide care as described in the department’s policies and procedures manual.
• Demonstrated human relations and effective communication skill.

Qualifications

• Six months of behavioral health or direct patient care experience; may include CNA, MA, HCA, Teacher’s aide or assistant.

Licenses Required

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.

* Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves intensive work that may exert up to 50 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling or otherwise moving objects, such as medical equipment, or patients while providing care in a psychiatric setting. Workers in this position may be exposed to infectious diseases.

Physical Requirements

Carrying, Climbing, Color Determination, Crawling, Far Vision, Lifting, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Non Indicated, Pulling and/or Pushing, Reaching, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Stooping and Crouching, Tasting or Smelling, Walking.

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

• Hospitals and Health Care