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Psychiatric Aide

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What Do Psychiatric Aide Do?

Job 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.

What Do Psychiatric Aides Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
  • Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
  • Provide mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
  • Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
  • Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
  • Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.

Skills Needed to be a Psychiatric Aide

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.

Types of Psychiatric Aide

  • Professional Nursing Assistant (PNA)
  • Behavioral Health Aide
  • Mental Health Orderly
  • Certified Nurses’ Aide (CNA)
  • Clinical Assistant

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. The BLS estimates 8,800 yearly job openings in this field.

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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 Average Salary

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

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Psychiatric Aides who work in Minnesota, New York, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.

How much do Psychiatric Aides make 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

What Tools 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 do I Become a Psychiatric Aide?

Education needed to be a Psychiatric Aide:

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Psychiatric Aide?

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Who Employs Psychiatric Aides?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Psychiatric Aides employed by various industries.

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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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