Psychiatric Attendant 3958

Schedule is lightly flexible 11-7 or 10-6

Psychiatric Attendant

JOB DUTIES IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE : (These duties are illustrative only. Incumbents may perform some or all of these duties or other job-related duties as assigned.)

• Provides on-ward security functions over forensic patients or residents of secure-care areas of mental health institutions (e.g., provides on-ward surveillance in regards to safety & security; escorts patients to & from off-ward activities or appointments such as meals, dentist, laboratory, work details, recreational & therapeutic activities; investigates patient misbehavior; observes & monitors patient behavior such as during meals; intervenes during crisis behavior to prevent self-injury or injury to others such as by applying restraints or assisting nursing staff in subduing or secluding violent patients; monitors patients in seclusion; searches patient clothing, individual rooms & ward living area for dangerous objects, contraband or unusual room conditions; prevents patient escapes). In the Department of Mental Health this class is only used in the Timothy B. Moritz Forensic Unit at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare.
• Provides direct care, treatment & / or programs to forensic patients & promotes activities, on & off-wa rd, through participation, interaction & / or involvement with patients (e.g., attends to personal hygiene & grooming needs by monitoring & instructing treatment plan programs such as hygiene, clothing care, room maintenance & social di ning programs; encourages independent functioning in same; monitors & / or instructs or assists patients in washing clothes; conducts one to-one sessions with patients to discuss problems or concerns; provides adequate clothing; serves meal trays; assists in administering treatments as directed by LPN or RN; prepares patients to attend psychiatric or medical treatment; bathes, shaves, feeds & / or dresses patients who are unable to perform same; leads patients in recreational activities) & assists co-workers in maintaining sanitary living conditions by performing general housekeeping duties (e.g., cleans floors, picks up trash, bags laundry).
• Prepares reports & / or documentation regarding patient & unit activities (e.g., documents significant, unusual or appropriate patient behavior in progress notes as dictated by individual treatment plans; completes restraint / seclusion, daily ward log, daily shift change & incident rep orts; completes work orders; orders & stocks patient clot hing & cleaning supplies; prepares patient movement reports; keeps unit communication logs updated; documents crisis interventions).
• Attends in-service training programs; attends & participates in interdisciplinary team meetings; attends weekly staff meetings.
• Responds to patient needs in emergency situations (e.g., fires or riots).

MAJOR WORKER CHARACTERISTICS :

Knowledge of agency & hospital policies & procedures related to forensic client / patient care; ward security for forensic

patients; client custodial care; addition & subtraction. Ability to recognize unusual or threatening conditions & take

appropriate action; deal with problems involving several variables within familiar context; read short sentences with

concrete vocabulary.

Developed after employment.

MINIMUM CLASS QUALIFICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT :

Formal education in arithmetic that includes addition & subtraction & in reading & writin g common English vocabulary.

Pursuant to a Fede ral Court Order, individual hired into th is class at Oa kwood Forensic Center must be high school

graduate or G.E.D.)