The Professional Association for California State-Licensed Psychiatric Technicians

Introduction to CAPT

• CAPT: California Association of Psychiatric Technicians
• Professional resources include preparation, licensing, job finding, and continued education

Scope of Practice

• No exhaustive list of functions for Psychiatric Technicians under California law
• Includes everything taught in the approved Psych Tech education program
• Legal scope detailed in Psychiatric Technician Law (BPC Section 4500-4502.3)
• Requires 1,530 hours of instruction (classroom and clinical)
  • Pharmacology: 54 theory hours
  • Nursing science: 126 theory, 270 clinical hours
  • Mental disorders: 108 theory, 270 clinical hours
  • Developmental disabilities: 108 theory, 280 clinical hours
• Additional curriculum content as defined by BVNPT
  • Anatomy, nutrition, psychology, nursing process, communication
  • Nursing fundamentals, medical/surgical nursing, communicable diseases, gerontological nursing
  • Patient education, drug knowledge, dosage computation, medication preparation
  • Treatment programs for developmental disabilities and mental disorders
  • Leadership, supervision, ethics, critical thinking, culturally congruent and end-of-life care

Code of Ethics

• Adopted by CAPT on September 18, 1996
• Framework for ethical decision-making in psychiatric nursing
• Responsibilities include respect for human dignity, privacy, professional competency, and collaboration

Key Ethical Principles

1. Provide care with respect regardless of client status
2. Safeguard client's privacy and dignity
3. Protect against incompetent or unethical practice
4. Accountability for nursing judgments and actions
5. Maintain professional competency via continuing education
6. Respect interdisciplinary findings and express judgments appropriately
7. Engage in research and develop the profession
8. Improve Standards of Practice
9. Establish employment conditions conducive to quality care
10. Protect public from misinformation
11. Collaborate to meet public mental health needs
12. Maintain readiness for public emergencies

Interpretive Statements

• Details on ethical conduct, privacy, protection from unethical practices, responsibility, and accountability
• Importance of respecting individual rights and cultural values in treatment
• Legal implications of confidentiality and testimony
• Advocacy against unethical practices and reporting procedures

Psychiatric Technician Pledge

• Emphasizes integrity, human dignity, inspiring hope, maintaining professional competence
• Adopted on September 20, 1985