What is a Psychiatric Aide?
Career 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
- Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
- Provide mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
- Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
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Psychiatric Aide Required 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
- Psychiatric Orderly
- Nursing Assistant
- Psychiatric Aide
- Professional Nursing Assistant (PNA)
- Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)
Job Outlook 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. There will be an estimated 8,800 positions for Psychiatric Aide per 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.
What is the Average Salary of a Psychiatric Aide
Psychiatric Aides make between $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?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Psychiatric Aides:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Microsoft Windows
How to Become a Psychiatric Aide
What education or degrees do I need to become a Psychiatric Aide?

What work experience do I need to become a Psychiatric Aide?

Where do Psychiatric Aides Work?

Psychiatric Aides work in the following industries:

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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