Psychiatric Aides

Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.

Median Annual Wage: $26,220

Education: High school diploma or equivalent (63%); Some college, no degree (16%); Bachelor's degree (12%)

Projected Growth: Slower than average (3% to 7%)

Related Job Titles: Mental Health Technician (MHT); Residential Counselor; Patient Care Assistant (PCA); Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW); Psychiatric Aide; Psychiatric Nursing Aide; Mental Health Worker (MHW); Resident Care Technician; Mental Health Aide (MHA); Psychiatric Nursing Assistant

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Psychiatric Aides.

More Healthcare Support Careers

  • Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
  • Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
  • Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
  • Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
  • Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
  • Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
  • Provide mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
  • Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
  • Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
  • Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routine.
  • Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
  • Perform nursing duties, such as administering medications, measuring vital signs, collecting specimens, or drawing blood samples.
  • Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.
  • Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Psychiatric Aides.

  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Psychiatric Aides.

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