What is a Psychiatric Aide?
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.
Life As a Psychiatric Aide
- Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Interview patients upon admission and record information.
- Maintain patients’ restrictions to assigned areas.
- Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
- Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information.
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Psychiatric Aide Needed Skills
When polled, Psychiatric Aides say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Other Psychiatric Aide Job Titles
- Psychiatric Nursing Assistant
- Behavioral Health Aide
- Mental Health Worker (MHW)
- Resident Care Technician
- Mental Health Associate
Psychiatric Aide Job Outlook
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.
How Much Does a Psychiatric Aide Make?
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.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Psychiatric Aides in different U.S. states.
| 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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Psychiatric Aides
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
Becoming a Psychiatric Aide
Are there Psychiatric Aides education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Psychiatric Aide?
Who Employs Psychiatric Aides?
Below are examples of industries where Psychiatric Aides work:
You May Also Be Interested In…
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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