All About Psychiatric Aides
Position Description 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.
Psychiatric Aide Responsibilities
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
- Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
- Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
- Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
- Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
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Psychiatric Aide Skills
Psychiatric Aides state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Psychiatric Nursing Aide
- Mental Health Assistant
- Nursing Assistant
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Resident Care Technician
Is There Job Demand for Psychiatric Aides?
There were about 73,600 jobs for Psychiatric Aide in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,100 new jobs for Psychiatric Aide by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,800 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Psychiatric Aide are Tennessee, Arkansas, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Georgia, New Jersey, or New Hampshire. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Psychiatric Aide Salary
The salary for Psychiatric Aides ranges between about $19,830 and $46,490 a year.
Psychiatric Aides who work in Minnesota, New York, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
How much do Psychiatric Aides make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $26,680 |
Alaska | $42,550 |
Arkansas | $24,950 |
California | $32,660 |
Colorado | $33,460 |
Connecticut | $37,040 |
Florida | $25,890 |
Hawaii | $41,940 |
Idaho | $34,860 |
Illinois | $26,480 |
Indiana | $28,030 |
Iowa | $36,670 |
Kansas | $25,130 |
Kentucky | $29,970 |
Louisiana | $23,580 |
Maine | $30,430 |
Maryland | $31,270 |
Massachusetts | $33,690 |
Michigan | $34,090 |
Minnesota | $44,910 |
Mississippi | $19,970 |
Missouri | $28,170 |
Montana | $29,350 |
Nebraska | $36,580 |
Nevada | $37,920 |
New Hampshire | $37,950 |
New Jersey | $38,910 |
New Mexico | $33,180 |
New York | $43,520 |
North Carolina | $28,730 |
Ohio | $34,300 |
Oklahoma | $21,520 |
Oregon | $39,570 |
Pennsylvania | $35,450 |
Rhode Island | $39,260 |
Tennessee | $23,500 |
Texas | $27,840 |
Utah | $29,360 |
Vermont | $34,780 |
Virginia | $27,480 |
Washington | $37,640 |
West Virginia | $22,430 |
What Tools & Technology do Psychiatric Aides Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Psychiatric Aides may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Microsoft Windows
How do I Become a Psychiatric Aide?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Psychiatric Aide?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Psychiatric Aide?
Where Psychiatric Aides Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Psychiatric Aide might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Katie Spencer via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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