Psychiatric Technician PSYCT

PSYCT-50 Anatomy and Physiology

Units

3

Hours

54 lecture hours

Introductory course providing a comprehensive overview of normal structure and function of the human organism. Includes but not limited to the following: cell and tissue structure and function, organ and system differentiation and related terminology. Designed for the psychiatric technician student.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-51 Human Development

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Entrance Requirement(s): Admission to the Psychiatric Technician program required.

Overview of normal human growth and development from biologic conception to death. Includes but not limited to the following: identification of major theorists/theories, presentation of major milestone of growth and development associated with the chronologic age groups and subject related terminology.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-52 Nursing Science A

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Entrance Requirement(s): Admission to the Psychiatric Technician program required.

Overview and orientation to the nursing science, which includes the following: basic medical terminology, fundamental concepts relating to the health care systems, ethical and professional codes of conduct and overview of past, current, and future trends in the U.S. health care systems.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-53 Developmental Disabilities A

Units

4

Hours

36 lecture hours, 108 lab hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-50; PSYCT-51; PSYCT-52; PSYCT-55; HLTH-10

Entrance Requirement(s): Conform to clinical agency rules and regulations, such as passing a criminal background check and drug screen (specific regulations dependent on clinical site).

Additional Enrollment Fees: Students will be required to also purchase the following: CPR, Background Test, Drug Test, Stethoscope, Uniforms, Nurse pack.

Introductory overview of the five developmental disability subtypes: intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, infantile autism and neurological handicapping. Also included will be instruction in MAB (Managing Assaultive Behavior) training designed to prepare the student to effectively manage assaultive behavior.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.

PSYCT-54 Nursing Science B

Units

5

Hours

36 lecture hours, 162 lab hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-50; PSYCT-51; PSYCT-52; PSYCT-55; HLTH-10

Entrance Requirement(s): Conform to clinical agency rules and regulations, such as passing a criminal background check and drug screen (specific regulations dependent on clinical site.)

Additional Enrollment Fees: Students will be required to also purchase the following: CPR, Background Test, Drug Test, Stethoscope, Uniforms, Nurse pack.

Overview of diseases and disorders in terms of diagnostic criteria, symptom presentations, system pathology, medical/nursing interventions and typical prognosis. Emphasis shall be on nursing interventions, special care needs, and patient related skills. Application of basic nursing skills associated with “long term care” patients. The clinical affiliation also includes a 40 hour skills lab practicum at the Yuba College Nursing Lab to include basic nursing care.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.

PSYCT-55 Pharmacology A

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Entrance Requirement(s): Students must be accepted into the Psychiatric Technician program.

Introductory overview to the basic concepts associated with the field of nursing related pharmacology. Includes a math review, computation conversion and review of specific drugs relating to specific drug classifications. The course material shall be directly related to the clinical medical experience offered in the clinical portion of this program.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-56 Nursing Science C

Units

5

Hours

36 lecture hours, 162 lab hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-53; PSYCT-54

Entrance Requirement(s): Conform to clinical agency rules and regulations, such as passing a criminal background check and drug screen (specific regulations dependent on clinical site).

Additional Enrollment Fees: Students will be required to also purchase the following: CPR, Background Test, Drug Test, Stethoscope, Uniforms, Nurse pack.

Overview of the medical-surgical nursing component of the program: includes all age groups, common diagnoses, nursing interventions and aspects of an acute care medical facility. in the clinical portion of the course, students will apply nursing skills relating to the medical surgical patient within an acute care medical facility. This application of skills will involve various age groups, diagnoses, and health care needs.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.

PSYCT-57 Psychiatric Disorders A

Units

7

Hours

36 lecture hours, 270 lab hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-56

Entrance Requirement(s): Conform to clinical agency rules and regulations, such as passing a criminal background check and drug screen (specific regulations dependent on clinical site).

Additional Enrollment Fees: Students will be required to also purchase the following: CPR, Background Test, Drug Test, Stethoscope, Uniforms, Nurse pack.

Overview of the major psychiatric disorders. Emphasis shall be on the following: psychiatric terminology, psychiatric disorders, symptoms, nursing interventions, treatment and typical prognosis. Application of psychiatric skills relating to patients in the acute care, day treatment and adult education components of the Sutter-Yuba Mental Health Care System. Includes the following: application of therapeutic communication skills, medication administration, group process participation, observation, clinical assessment, interdisciplinary team participation, and one-to-one observation.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-58 Group Process

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-56

Overview of the therapeutic intervention known as group process as it relates to the developmentally disabled and psychiatric client. Includes the following: related terminology, group leader skills, goals of the group process and specific client behaviors.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-59 Crisis Management

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-56

Overview of the concept of “crisis” relating to an individual’s personal reaction to physical or psychological stressors. Includes but not limited to the following: recognition of stress response, specific adaptive responses, specific maladaptive responses, the dynamics of grief “burnout and suicide.”

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-60 Pharmacology B

Units

2

Hours

36 lecture hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-55; PSYCT-56

Advisory

Student must be able to accurately calculate medical dosages prior to taking class.

Overview the somatic therapies with emphasis upon the psychotropic medications as they relate to the psychiatric client. Includes but not limited to the following major drug classes: antipsychotic, antidepressant, antianxiety, antimanic, and anticholinergic.

Offered: Fall 2026 (1 section)

PSYCT-61 Substance Abuse

Units

1

Hours

18 lecture hours

Entrance Requirement(s): Admission to the Psychiatric Technician program required.

Provides for the historical overview of those drugs that are most commonly misused, or abused within the contemporary U.S. society. Makes a distinction between substance-use disorders and substance-induced disorders. All major drugs that have the potential for abuse and or misuse shall be presented in terms of the following: classifications, physical/psychological effects and dependency potential.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.

PSYCT-62 Psychiatric Disorders B

Units

4

Hours

36 lecture hours, 108 lab hours

Prerequisite

PSYCT-57: PSYCT-58; PSYCT-59; PSYCT-60

Entrance Requirement(s): Conform to clinical agency rules and regulations, such as passing a criminal background check and drug screen (specific regulations dependent on clinical site).

Provides for the general orientation to the ten personality disorders as described in Axis II of the DSM-V. Emphasis shall be upon the defining criteria, interpersonal impact, social consequences and intervention techniques. This course will also have 108 hours in mental and developmental disabilities clinical sites.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.

PSYCT-63 Developmental Disabilities B

Units

5

Hours

36 lecture hours, 162 lab hours

Entrance Requirement(s): Admission to the Psychiatric Technician program required.

Provides an overview of the application of the behavioral science known as "behavior intervention" as it applies to the population that has intellectual disabilities. Includes a summary of state and federal legislation for the developmental disabilities. Also includes a general preparation for the Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) state board examination. Provides for direct participation with the specific agency known as "Community Resource Services". Students shall be assigned to CRS sites for their clinical rotation.

Not on the Fall 2026 schedule.