Psychiatric Technician (Safety)

The Psychiatric Technician (Safety) will be directed by the Unit Supervisor, RN Shift Lead, Senior Psychiatric Technician, or Health Services Specialist depending on the shift/program assigned at the Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero (ASH). The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties, but not limited to:

• Help to create a clean, safe and therapeutic environment for patients or inmates.
• Apply mental health principles and relationship security with patients or inmates.
• Supervise patient activities.
• Perform custody tasks including supervision of patient activities.
• Shakedown; i.e., searching for drugs, contraband, weapons and inspecting facilities to identify security breaches that could lead to the escape of a patient or inmate.
• Observe and intervene in patient behavior that may injure people, damage property or signal impending escape attempts. 
• 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. 
• Perform nursing procedures such as administering medications including oral medications and hypodermic injection, observing patients or inmates 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 records.
• CPR, and following infection control procedures.

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Working Conditions

• This position requires you to work within the Secured Treatment Area (STA).
• 12 hour shifts and other alternate schedules may be available based on current staffing needs.
• There are multiple vacancies for this classification. Positions filled may be assigned to any shift and any unit according to hospital need.