Job Description

Position: Substance Abuse Technician – Residential and Detoxification

Essential Qualifications:

1)Compassion, passion and empathy for the patients served by the facility.

2)High school graduate or equivalent preferred.

3)Must be able to meet driving requirements for commercial insurance. (Have a valid TX license and be 21 years of age or older.)

4)Must meet requirements for criminal background check.

5)Knowledge of the disease of addiction and self-help groups preferred.

6)Must have the physical ability to: Lift up to 50 lbs. on a regular basis, do extensive walking, climb stairs 30% to 50% of work time, and work outdoors.

7)Ability to work independently, with little supervision while fostering development of strong team work.

8)High level of initiative

Accountability and supervision:The Substance Abuse Technician is directly responsible to the Technician Supervisor, Assistant Technician Supervisor,and the LVN with whom they work.

Essential Job Functions:

  • Assist nursing staff with admissions and vital signs of patients as needed.
  • Conduct unit and program orientation with each patient, reviewing all guidelines.
  • Assist with patient searches as necessary.
  • Wake patients for breakfast. Deliver breakfast from kitchen as necessary.
  • Be available and sensitive to patients’ needs for personal problems and refer to appropriate staff intervention.
  • Adhere to patient confidentiality guidelines and maintain professional relationships with all staff and patients.
  • Escort and monitor patients at all times. (Meals, lounge area, meetings and outside breaks).
  • Collect and observe urinalysis according to procedure.
  • Report any changes in patient behaviors, attitudes, and progress to nurses and counselors.
  • Attend all mandatory in-services and training according to regulations set out by DSHS.
  • Assist with housekeeping duties as requested by supervisor.
  • Prepare and submit maintenance requests to Technician Supervisor.
  • Complete and document rounds regularly. When patients are ill or sleeping, complete and document rounds every thirty minutes.
  • Transport patients to and from appointments and activities as necessary.
  • Facilitate institutional AA/NA meetings as necessary.
  • Observe patient self-administration of medication.
  • Be available to patients; respond promptly to patient needs.
  • Maintain a professional relationship with patients and other staff.
  • Attend all mandatory in-services and/or training as required by DSHS.
  • Assign housekeeping responsibilities to patients.
  • Complete rounds on an hourly basis on the graveyard shift. Log rounds and patientstatus hourly. On all other shifts, complete rounds as directed by supervisor.
  • Cleaning and laundry duties as assigned by Technician Supervisor.
  • Report any allegation or suspicion of patient abuse, neglect or exploitation to Program Manager or Chief Executive Officer immediately. Also, participate in any investigation as required.
  • Follow all required policies and procedures.
  • Keep track of time worked so as not to exceed 40 hrs. without permission.
  • Participate in shift change meetings.
  • Requires regular and consistent attendance.
  • Embrace and embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, and goals of Charlie’s Place.
  • All other duties as assigned.

Working conditions:

  • Tasks to be performed in a residential, office, or outdoor setting.
  • Direct contact with patients.
  • Fast paced environment.

Essential physical and mental demands of the job

The employee must be able to perform the above essential duties and activities with or without accommodation.

Physical Demands

  • Requires mobility and physical activity: having and adequate range of body motion and mobility work in an office, residential, or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds. Use of computer and telephone systems is required.
  • Requires talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken work. Talking required to impart oral information to employees, patients and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
  • Requires hearing: hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.
  • Requires seeing: clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at a distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee’s essential job functions and to observe patient behavior and activities in and out of the facility.
  • The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids, or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment such as patient accident or patient sickness. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

Mental Demands

  • Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions.
  • Requires the ability to work and cooperate with patients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.
  • The ability to defend oneself and patients in mentally/verbally abusive situations through the use of approved mental/verbal de-escalation techniques.

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