Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Psychiatric Aide

Find Schools Near

What You Need to Know About Psychiatric Aide

Psychiatric Aide Example 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.

Daily Life Of a Psychiatric Aide

  • Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
  • Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routine.
  • Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
  • Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
  • Perform nursing duties, such as administering medications, measuring vital signs, collecting specimens, or drawing blood samples.
  • Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.

What a Psychiatric Aide Should Know

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.

  • Mental Health Orderly
  • Professional Nursing Assistant (PNA)
  • Charge Aide
  • Mental Health Associate
  • Mental Health Aide (MHA)

Are There Job Opportunities for Psychiatric Aides?

In the United States, there were 73,600 jobs for Psychiatric Aide in 2016. 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.

undefined

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?

The salary for Psychiatric Aides ranges between about $19,830 and $46,490 a year.

undefined

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

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 kind of Psychiatric Aide requirements are there?

undefined

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

undefined

Who Employs Psychiatric Aides?

undefined

Below are examples of industries where Psychiatric Aides work:

undefined

Similar Careers

Those interested in being a Psychiatric Aide may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Katie Spencer via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.