What is a Psych-Tech?

Apoetess · Apr 21, 2011

Started my psych rotation yesterday and the home we were assigned to was staffed by one RN and six Psych-Techs. The staff seemed very unprofessional and untheraputic towards how it treated its patients. One even got argumentative with a patient over his delusions. Although the experience did start to solidify my thoughts of becoming a psych nurse. :monkeydance:
But I was wondering what exactly a psych tech was and what their qualifications were. Needless to say they didn't seem that knowledgeable (most had been in employement for 5+ yrs) and while we were dressed in business causal (per clinical requirements) they were in jeans and hole ridden t-shirts yet they expect their residents to be dressed appropriately and were making comments when one resident had a stain on their shirt.

To reply to your thrashing of my profession here you go: :mad:

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 :yeah:

alexne01 · Dec 11, 2011

I am currently starting my career as a Psych Tech for a psych unit at OSU. I was a case mgr for a local MH agency for 1 year and have an Assoc. of Applied Science. My goal is to move to CA in a few years, hopefully finding employemnt as a Psych Tech in the area. Do I have to "start all over again" in order to become a licensed Psych Tech, or will my experience at OSU and education be enough to get accepted in a CA certified program?

Apoetess · Dec 11, 2011

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

alexne01 · Dec 11, 2011

Thanks for the information. I hope the hiring trend continues for the next few years. I will for sure keep my options open. Thanks again??

caliotter3 · Dec 11, 2011

I am currently starting my career as a Psych Tech for a psych unit at OSU. I was a case mgr for a local MH agency for 1 year and have an Assoc. of Applied Science. My goal is to move to CA in a few years, hopefully finding employemnt as a Psych Tech in the area. Do I have to "start all over again" in order to become a licensed Psych Tech, or will my experience at OSU and education be enough to get accepted in a CA certified program?

I would contact the BVNPT and inquire as to your ability to become licensed without going to a CA program. As for being accepted into a CA psych tech program, you will be very well qualified to be admitted. Mission College in Mountain View CA has a very good psych tech program. You might be able to get your CA credentials by only repeating one or two semesters of the three semester program.

Al.ginger · Dec 11, 2011

One of my class mates is psyc tech in the hospital. SHe works nights. As for education, she has a CNA certificate. All she talks about is restrains, and how to protect yourself from combative pt. Weird... I don;t wanna even go to psyc rotation after her stories

mangopeach · Dec 11, 2011

One of my class mates is psyc tech in the hospital. SHe works nights. As for education, she has a CNA certificate. All she talks about is restrains, and how to protect yourself from combative pt. Weird... I don;t wanna even go to psyc rotation after her stories

Please don't go into your psych rotation being scared. I just completed my psych rotation & it was the best by far. I learned so much. I already knew I wanted to be a psych nurse and this just solidified it. Everyone else in my group was scared in the beginning. They had heard all these horror stories but they were all surprised to find that much of what they heard was more hype than reality. True, you always have to be aware of your surroundings & you will be told things like never turn your back to a patient and keep an arms length distance but its not as bad as you probably think. Yes at times a patient may need to be put in restraints but the least restrictive methods are used first. During my rotation, I never saw anyone put in restraints. Someone did go to the seclusion room though. Not trying to say that patients don't get combative but its usually not as bad as many students think going in. At least that's the conclusion most of the people in my class came to.

I was at a State Mental Hospital & they get the worst of the worst & I truly enjoyed interacting with the patients. Remember that psych patients are not just in Psych hospitals or on Psych floors. Almost half my med surg patients had psych issues & one became very agitated while I was taking care of her.Psych patients have health issues, they have babies. You can almost guarantee that you will come across more than a few psych patients as a nurse. Didn't mean to take the thread off track, just wanted to say keep an open mind.

I think Psych tech may mean different things at different institutions. The techs at my clinical site did not give meds.

Apoetess · Dec 11, 2011

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

Apoetess · Dec 11, 2011

One of my class mates is psyc tech in the hospital. SHe works nights. As for education, she has a CNA certificate. All she talks about is restrains, and how to protect yourself from combative pt. Weird... I don;t wanna even go to psyc rotation after her stories

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...

mangopeach · Dec 11, 2011

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

I'm in GA. I don't know about other hospitals in GA,but at my clinical site, only RNs & LPNs gave meds.

nashgirl516 · Dec 11, 2011

I'm going into my last year of nursing school, but I have actually been a Psychiatric Associate for the past seven years. (Note: my position used to be called "Psychiatric Technician" and many people still just use the short-hand "tech".) I work at a major University hospital with 200 in-patient beds across 12 Mental Health units. 11 of our 12 units are secure (locked), despite the fact that I'd say 80% of our adult patients are voluntary.

As for what the position entails: it really depends upon the location and the particular unit/patient population. I work in the float pool, so I get to work with all different types (child/adolescent, adults, seniors, chemical dependency, acute and sub-acute).

In general, the position is part "orderly", part CNA and part counselor. The main function is to preserve patient safety (by any means necessary). This involves checking on the patients at regular intervals, as well as doing searches (both of clothing & rooms), deescalation ("talking down"), sitting on "constant observation" patients and doing physical restraints. The other functions include assisting with ADLs/meals, admits/discharges, doing vital signs, running groups, doing 1:1s/talking with patients and just being available for ANY non-medication-related patient needs.

If you have any particular questions, feel free to ask!

nashgirl516 · Dec 11, 2011

ALSO: Psych Associates at my work require a BA/BS in a social or medical field. However, since they are NOT (always) trained/certified as CNA or LPNs, they do NOT give out meds or perform blood sugar checks, etc. However, the RNs generally listen to the Psych Techs as to what meds (or other actions) might need to be given/done when, since the Psych Techs are the ones working with the patients most closely 24/7.

I got a LOT of training before I started my position (two weeks full-time class time, then four more weeks on-the-job training), but wasn't required to get a CNA or anything other than my CPR/First Aid. We also get one full day of training each year.