Life As 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.
Life As a Psychiatric Aide
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
- Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
- Interview patients upon admission and record information.
- Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information.
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
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Skills Needed to be a Psychiatric Aide
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 for this Occupation:
- Mental Health Assistant
- Psychiatric Aide Supervisor
- Psychiatric Nursing Aide
- Mental Health Aide (MHA)
- Residential Counselor
Psychiatric Aide Job Outlook
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. 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
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.
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 do Psychiatric Aides Use?
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
How to Become a Psychiatric Aide
What education is needed to be a Psychiatric Aide?
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…
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References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Katie Spencer via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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