Psychiatric Technician

Description

DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND INDEPENDENCE OF IDAHOANS

People Making a Difference!

State Hospital South (SHS), in beautiful Southeast Idaho, is seeking Psychiatric Technicians to work at the facility located in Blackfoot.

These positions offer the opportunity to work with an excellent team. We are seeking individuals who are driven to make an impact to our patients’ lives. If you are someone who wants to make a difference, share in growth and development, and know at the end of the day you have made a positive impact, then our Psychiatric Technician position might be for you!

State Hospital South in Blackfoot provides psychiatric inpatient treatment and skilled nursing care for Idaho’s adult citizens with the most serious and persistent mental illnesses. The hospital works in partnership with families and communities to enable clients to return to community living. State Hospital South includes 110 psychiatric adult beds and 42 skilled nursing beds. It also maintains a statewide program to restore the competency of criminal justice patients. The 42 skilled nursing beds in the Syringa Chalet Nursing Facility offer services to consumers with a history of behavioral or psychiatric illness.

General Information:

• Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications of a Psychiatric Technician, can apply as aPsychiatric Technician Trainee to receive training and become certified as a CNA so that they can qualify to apply as a Psychiatric Technician.

• These positions will be working under the direction of the Nurse Manager to implement, maintain, and manage patient care and safety.

• This position also requires applicants to become certified in CPR and certified in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.

• Employees may be required to work weekends, holidays, day, evening, and night shifts (swing or night shifts include 5% shift pay).

This announcement may be used to fill full-time, part-time, and temporary positions. Employees are eligible for benefits if they are working 20 or more hours per week and the term of employment is to exceed five continuous months.

This is an ongoing announcement which means at the time applicants apply, we may or may not have an opening. Those applicants that take and pass the exam to show they meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the referral list. When a position becomes available, the hiring supervisor will then directly contact those applicants they wish to interview off the referral list.

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is a drug-free workplace. Any applicant offered employment in this position, will be required to pass a pre-employment drug test. In addition, the applicant will be required to complete and pass a criminal history background investigation after a conditional offer of employment.

BENEFITS:

BEST RETIREMENT AVAILABLE IN THE NATION

We have one of the Nation's best state retirement systems (PERSI) that offers a lifetime benefit.

OTHER EXCELLENT BENEFITS

• excellent medical, dental and vision insurance- (full-time) employee only coverage for PPO $65/month for medical and vision & $11.00/month for dental
• generous vacation and sick leave accrual beginning as soon as you start
• 11 paid holidays a year
• paid parental leave
• multiple savings plans, optional 401K, and optional 457
• basic life insurance for employee and family (employee covered at one times annual salary; spouse covered at $10,000; child covered at $5,000)
• wellness programs
• ongoing training opportunities
• an opportunity for student loan forgiveness
• and more!

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

• Provide personal care for patients.
• Provide group and/or individual services in psychosocial treatment, disturbed behavior management, record keeping, environmental management, and patient care.
• Maintain the safety of patients/residents, including involvement in emergencies such as fire evacuations. Interact with patients/residents to encourage appropriate behavior and to control aggressive behavior.
• Interact with patients/residents to provide social skills training in areas such as: social interaction; leisure time activity; planning and decision making; and money management.
• Take, record, and report vital signs, sleep patterns,nd diet patterns. Identify and report changes in patients/residents behavior and health. Maintain patients/residents progress records.
• Engage in physical activities (exercise and sports) with patients/residents for up to an hour at a time.
• Intervene in crisis or potentially harmful situations by using specific early intervention techniques and/or physical restraining techniques.
• Assist and/or support unsteady ambulatory adults of varying weights.
• Lift and transfer patients/residents; lift and carry items weighing approximately 50 pounds.
• Respond to emergency situations such as fire evacuation or the administration of first aid and/or CPR.
• Monitor and assess safety and security of clients and facilities within their environment, and take action in crisis situations.
• Maintain the environment by performing basic housekeeping duties.
• Watch for and take action to prevent safety hazards.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You must possess all the minimum qualifications below to pass the exam for this position. Please make sure your resume or work history supports your meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Failure to do this may disqualify you from being considered for this position.

• Some knowledge of human services to include psychology, nursing, or social work. Typically requires completion of a college course in psychology, nursing or social work OR at least six months of work experience in dual diagnosis, behavioral interventions, mental health disorders and medications, psychiatric symptoms or therapeutic communications OR satisfactorily completion of a psychiatric technician training program through Southwest Idaho Treatment Center, State Hospital North, State Hospital West, or State Hospital South OR at least six months of work experience providing treatment services for the mentally ill.
• Experience with behavior management for individuals diagnosed with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Typically requires completion of at least six credits of upper-division college coursework in psychology or special education OR at least six months of work experience completing behavioral assessments and/or mental health scales, analyzing behavior and its function, and developing or assisting in developing behavior support plans. Experience may have been gained through SHS, SHW, SWITC or SHN's sponsored training.
• Requires possession of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate.

***Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications of a Psychiatric Technician, can apply as aPsychiatric Technician Trainee to receive training and become certified as a CNA so that they can qualify to apply as a Psychiatric Technician.

Learn About a Career with DHW

https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/dhw-careers

***PLEASE NOTE: application assistance is not available after the business hours listed below, on the weekends, or on holidays and you must apply before 11:59 pm on the closing date. When applying, use CHROME as your browser to avoid complications.

If you have questions, please contact us at:

Email is the quickest way to get an answer to your questions.

(answered Monday through Friday during business hours MST)

EMAIL: dhwjobs@dhw.idaho.gov

PHONE: (208) 334-0681

EEO/ADA/Veteran:

The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.