Psychiatric Care Technician

Title: Psychiatric Care Technician

State Role Title: 49053

Hiring Range: $38630 Commensurate with experience

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location:Western State Hospital

Agency Website: Type: General Public G

Job Duties

Western State Hospital (WSH) is a stateoftheart psychiatric facility that has been operating since 1828 under the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. WSH is a 302bed Joint Commissionaccredited hospital situated in the scenic Shenandoah Valley just 30 minutes from major university towns. It is affiliated with the University of Virginias Department of Psychiatric Medicine and serves as a training ground for professionals from various colleges and universities in nursing social work psychology and activity therapy.

Position Available: Psychiatric Care Technicians (PCTs)

WSH is currently seeking Psychiatric Care Technicians (PCTs) to provide direct patient care in a safe and therapeutic environment for specific patient populations in our 24/7 psychiatric hospital. PCTs will follow care and treatment policies and procedures while demonstrating knowledge of populationspecific needs and competencies under the guidance of licensed nursing staff. The role involves delivering recoveryoriented care in a hospital setting while maintaining a safe clean and therapeutic environment.

Key Responsibilities:
Deliver quality care as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Monitor and document vital signs in the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
Assist individuals with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Provide oneonone direct observations.
Utilize deescalation techniques to manage behavioral situations.
Ability to administer CPR and perform TOVA approved physical interventions
Serve meals and maintain cleanliness in patient areas.
Ensure accountability within a safe and therapeutic environment.
Foster healthy interpersonal interactions in adult acute admissions geriatric units and extended rehabilitation service units.
Observe and report on interventions treatments behaviors physical and emotional wellbeing and other relevant situations.
Document and communicate observations effectively.
Employ specialized training to promote mental wellness recovery.
Escort patients to the learning center for various classes external & internal medical appointments.

Employment Details:
Western State Hospital is looking for fulltime classified Psychiatric Care Technicians for 2nd shift. PCTs will work 2 12hour shifts and 2 8hour shifts or 5 8hour shifts per week. The successful candidate must work every other weekend with holidays and overtime required as needed.

Shift Differentials for PCTs:
1st shift weekends: $3.00/hr.
2nd shift weekdays: $2.50/hr.; weekends/holidays: $3.00/hr.
3rd shift weekdays: $2.25/hr.; weekends/holidays: $3.00/hr.

Benefits of Working at Western State Hospital:
Career advancement opportunities
Professional Skills Incentive available
Flexible scheduling to maintain a worklife balance
Choice of 11 different insurance packages including health dental and vision
Two retirement savings plans to help secure your financial future
24/7 security on site
Shift and weekend differentials for select positions
Paid sick and personal time off
Loan repayment options for clinical positions
State employee discount program for various products and services including movie tickets special events cell phone plans Kings Dominion and other entertainment and travel options
Tuition reimbursement available
Three weeks of dedicated paid training
Paid vacation time
Paid life insurance
Twelve paid holidays

Minimum Qualifications

Ability to provide direct psychiatric patient care under the supervision of licensed staff.
Ability to effectively communicate with staff and psychiatric patients.
Ability to work in a secure and locked environment with individuals who are experiencing acute symptoms of mental illness and/or additional forensic/legal involvement.
Able to follow instructions and report observations/behaviors of psychiatric patients to licensed staff in a timely manner by describing observations verbally in written or electronically.
Demonstrate knowledge of recovery/trauma informed care.
Appropriately intervene in crisis or problem situations.
Has skills in providing direction and assistance to psychiatric patients in activities of daily living.
Willing to learn basic knowledge of developmental and psychiatric disorders along with human behavior agespecific needs and personality development.
Willing to learn basic treatment measures to promote mental health appropriate to the adult developmentally disabled or impaired and/or geriatric populations.
Vision and hearing adequate to recognize and respond to hazardous situation and ensure safety at facility.
Ability to work effectively with staff in a team approach.
Ability to perform infection prevention and control practices and appropriately apply standards in daily activities.
Ability to perform repetitious walking and/or standing bending lifting and reaching over to position/restrain/transfer/transport and/or escort individuals and provide assistance with activities of daily living.
Ability to work overtime due to staffing emergencies in a 24hour 7 day per week psychiatric hospital which at times may mean working a 16hour shift if and when necessary
Complete all annual competency training to include TOVA III with physical restraints.
Complete and maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers with the American Heart Association
Has basic computer skills.
If CNA maintain certification in good standing with the Virginia State Board of Nursing

Additional Considerations

Previous healthcare experience preferred
Current Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and/or previous psychiatric experience preferred
Demonstrated consistent work history preferred
Bilingual Spanish/English a plus
Veteran or Spouse of Veteran
Bilingual
Certified Nursing Assistant

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or rsum is submitted successfully. Please refer to Your Application in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Commonwealths Alternate Hiring Process: In support of the Commonwealths commitment to inclusion we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation if applicable to DARS to get their Certificate of Disability. If you need to get a Certificate of Disability use this link: or call DARS at.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact Human Resources atfor assistance. Minorities Individuals with disabilities Veterans and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY.

Western State Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities are open to all regardless of race sex color national origin religion sexual orientation gender identity age veteran status political affiliation genetics or disability.

DBHDS Facilities are no longer required to ensure that all staff members are vaccinated for COVID19. However facilities encourage and educate on COVID 19 vaccination programs to staff residents and clients. Employees may be required to disclose immunization status for purposes of infection prevention and/or management of outbreaks. Upon acceptance of a job offer new recruits will be asked to disclose their vaccination status (and for those fully vaccinated proof of vaccination) during the preemployment process. If you have questions please contact the Office of Human Resources.

Contact Information

Name: Elizabeth Weber

Phone:

Email:

In support of the Commonwealths commitment to inclusion we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS) or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). ServiceConnected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation if applicable to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1 2022 February 29 2024 can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.