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.
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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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- 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.

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.

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?

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

Who Employs Psychiatric Aides?

Below are examples of industries where Psychiatric Aides work:

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.
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