Apoetess

I figured it wasn't here in CA. We are licensed and able to pass meds, chart etc. basically the only thig and R.N. can do that we can't is start an IV ad push IV meds.

Then she is just an aide not a LPT. I am surprised by all the posts here about PT's in other states besides CA...they're not licensed, haven't taken any sort of boards, have CNA certs and use the same title it took me 18 months and a state board exam to put as my title...quite annoying. I believe the term for them is Psych Aide...

PT's not passing meds? That's unusual. Where are you located?

I am not sure. Try this website below. You will find many useful links as well as contact numbers for our state licensing board. Private facilities are an option, but they do not pay as well as the state. We are finally growing our workforce in the prisons and Coalinga State Hospital is hiring like crazy right now, but it is an all sex offender hospital. The pay is excellent. With all the available overtime techs are making close to and even over $100,000 a year....there are many opportunities here in CA as a LPT so even if you have to jump through a few hoops to get licensed here, it is well worth it. GOOD LUCK...!!!!! http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/license_verification.shtml

To reply to your thrashing of my profession here you go: We are trained to, and are fully capable to care for the mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, or mentally retarded clients (as well as any client in any acute setting b/c that is where we do our rotations!!) be it their treatment or rehabilitation. We are directly responsible for admin/implementation of specific therapeutic procedures, techniques, and/or meds that are aimed towards the client making optimum use of their therapeutic regime. We give meds/injections, and chart just as the R.N. does, as a matter of fact my first 2 semesters were both nursing core based. Basically I can do most things the R.N's can do, minus a few things like start an IV or write up a care plan (which by the way I could do in my sleep since it was drilled into me my whole 18 months of school amongst many other staples of client care). I can work at a hospital, private facility, state mental institutions, and prisons and I get paid quite well. I don't know about these other states in some of these other comments but here in California we are licensed professionals and get paid WAY more then $11.00/hr (about 2.2 times more to START and more as you advance or if you work for Corrections). I would laugh until I peed myself if someone tried to pay me such a minimal amount for the hard (and extremely dangerous) work I do. Needless to say I am offended by your comment and some of the others on this site. Maybe you guys need to send your out of state tech's to CA and let them see how it's supposed to be done and if you are writing from within CA then you need to send those tech's to a place called Walnut, CA where there is a college called Mt. San Antonio College and have them trained properly. IF that doesn't solve the issue, and frankly this turning up of your noses at myself and my fellow techs, well then let me say this, there are lazy a**es in EVERY profession. I have seen SO many medical professionals (nurses, techs, therapists, docs, etc) perform poorly and wonder how in the heck they got so far, but to disrespect an entire field of professionals for some who are lazy or barley passed boards is just ridiculous. Although I have every intention of moving on to become a Therapist, I will always be a tech at heart, and I will always have the utmost respect for these people who work with the type of client many of you would run from. So please, now that you have been somewhat informed (because I am too busy to school you any further), save your snide eye-rolling for kindergarten. Tah-tah