Psychiatric Aides

Psychiatric aides care for patients with mental disorders.

Psychiatric aides work in hospitals and institutions. They care for patients who are mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed.

Psychiatric Aides are in the Health Science career cluster and the Therapeutic Services pathway.

Quick Facts

Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and CareerOneStop.

Wages & Outlook

Wages

Wages vary by employer and the aide's level of experience. Aides who work night and weekend shifts may receive higher pay.

Full-time aides in hospitals generally receive one week's paid vacation after one year of service. They may also receive paid holidays, sick leave, and health and life insurance.

View the Regional Wage Comparison Chart for:

• Psychiatric Aides

 

Employment

In Minnesota, about 243 psychiatric aides work in this very small occupation.

Major employers:

• Psychiatric Hospitals
• Residential care agencies
• Hospitals

Outlook

Currently, most psychiatric aides work in hospitals. However, most job growth will be in residential mental health facilities and in home health care agencies. There is a long-term trend toward treating mental health patients outside of hospitals. This is because it costs less and allows patients to live more normal lives. Demand for psychiatric aides in residential facilities will rise in response to growth in the number of older persons. In addition, more adults who have mental disabilities, who were formerly cared for by their elderly parents, will need care. Job growth also could be affected by changes in government funding of programs for the mentally ill.

Many jobs will open as workers leave this occupation. The turnover rate is high because of the low wages and lack of advancement opportunities.

Employment Outlook for Psychiatric Aides

	Employment		Employment Change
	2010	2020	Number	Percent
U S	67,700	77,900	10,200	15.1%
Minnesota	123	146	23	18.7%
	2010	2020	Number	Percent

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and Minnesota Department of Education.

On the Job

Overview

Psychiatric aides care for patients with mental disorders.


Working with patients who need hospital or institutional care demands compassion, resolve, and the desire to help others. If these words describe you, you may be interested in working as a psychiatric aide.Psychiatric aides work in hospitals and institutions. They care for patients who are mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed. They provide patients with much of their basic care. For example, psychiatric aides help patients eat, dress, and bathe. They also lead patients in educational and recreational activities. Activities include playing games and watching television. Sometimes they play sports or go on field trips. Aides also accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. They measure and record patients' temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. Aides make sure patients stay in assigned areas. Sometimes they restrain patients to prevent injuries.

Because psychiatric aides spend a lot of time with patients, they are often the first to notice changes in their behavior. Aides report these changes to doctors. Aides work on teams with psychiatrists and psychologists. Nurses, social workers, and therapists may also be part of their teams. It is important for aides to maintain daily records of the physical condition of their patients.

Work Activities

The following list of occupational tasks is specific to this career.

• Observe and report changes in patients' behavior to medical staff.
• Provide patients with routine care under the supervision of medical staff.
• Maintain daily records of the physical condition of patients.
• Work as part of a team with other health care workers.
• Help patients adjust to hospital routines.
• Measure patients' temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
• Encourage patients to participate in activities.
• Serve meals and help patients eat.
• Aid or restrain patients to prevent injuries.
• Interview new patients and create records.
• Help patients dress and bathe.
• Participate in group activities with patients.
• Make sure patients stay in assigned areas.
• Accompany patients to and from examinations and treatment.
• Clean patients' rooms.
• Deal with patients' families.

People in this career perform the following list of tasks, but the tasks are common to many occupations.

• Assist and care for others.
• Document and record information.
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others.
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates.
• Get information needed to do the job.
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Identify objects, actions, and events.
• Evaluate information against standards.
• Establish and maintain relationships.
• Think creatively.
• Perform activities that use the whole body.
• Update and use job-related knowledge.
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people.
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials.
• Coach others.
• Develop and build teams.
• Coordinate the work and activities of others.
• Handle and move objects.
• Explain the meaning of information to others.

Working Conditions

In a typical work setting, people in this career:

Interpersonal Relationships

• Deal with patients who may be irritable or uncooperative on a daily basis.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of others. They must make sure that patients do not harm themselves.
• Are placed in conflict situations on a daily basis.
• Have a high level of social contact. They work closely with patients, families, and medical staff.
• Often deal with patients whose illness may cause violent behavior.
• Are responsible for work outcomes.
• Communicate with coworkers and patients daily by telephone or in person.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly basis.

Physical Work Conditions

• Work indoors most of the time. Often work outdoors when accompanying patients on walks and activities.
• Work very near patients. They often work within inches of other people.
• Are often exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting and uncomfortable. Patients may become loud when upset or excited.
• Are often exposed to diseases and infections from their contact with patients.
• Often wear uniforms. Sometimes wear protective attire, such as rubber gloves.
• Are sometimes exposed to hazardous situations that may produce cuts or bites.

Work Performance

• Must be exact in their work. Errors on patients' charts could result in improper treatment.
• Repeat same tasks over and over, such as bathing patients.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before making a decision. However, these are usually minor decisions.
• Are able to set some tasks for the day without consulting with a supervisor.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.

Hours/Travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• May work part time or full time, but most work 40 hours a week.
• May work days, evenings, or weekends.

Physical Demands

In a typical work setting, people in this career:

People in this career frequently:

• Sit or stand for long periods of time.
• Walk for long periods of time.

It is important for people in this career to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects whether they are nearby or far away.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for people in this career to be able to:

• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Be physically active and use muscles for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.
• Move arms and legs quickly.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education.

Education & Training

Preparation

To work as a psychiatric aide, you typicallly need to:

• have a high school diploma or GED; and
• complete short-term on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Some states require that psychiatric aides complete a formal training program. Programs are available through professional-technical schools and two-year colleges.

Work experience

Working or volunteering in a hospital provides good experience for this occupation.

On-the-job training

Most psychiatric aides learn their skills on the job from experienced workers. You may spend up to one month in training. During training, you learn how to:

• care for patients;
• read and record vital signs; and
• transfer patients safely.

Related Programs (Current training programs available)

• Health Aide

Fields of Study (What to study to prepare for this career)

Click on any of the Fields of Study listed below to find out more about preparing for this career.

• Behavioral Sciences
• Health Aide
• Nursing Assisting
• Psychiatric Technology
• Psychology, General
• Recreation Therapy

Helpful High School Courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this occupation include:

• Introduction to Health Care
• Nursing
• Psychology

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education.

Skills

People in this career need to:

Communicate

• Listen to others, understand, and ask questions.
• Express ideas clearly when speaking or writing.
• Read and understand written information.

Reason and Problem Solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.

Manage Oneself, People, Time and Things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with People

• Be aware of others' reactions and change behavior in relation to them.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something using several methods.

Perceive and Visualize

• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Knowledge

People in this career need knowledge in the following areas:

• Psychology: Knowledge of people, their actions, and mental processes. This may include knowledge of how to treat emotional and behavioral problems.
• Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of the effect of diseases and injuries. Knowledge of how to give advice on social or personal problems. Also includes the knowledge of setting up a plan for treatment.
• Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of protecting people, data, and property.
• Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of providing special services to customers based on their needs.
• Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of the behavior, customs, and origins of groups of people.
• Education and Training: Knowledge of teaching and the methods involved in learning and instruction.
• English Language: Knowledge of the meaning, spelling, and use of the English language.

Interests

People in this career are people who tend to:

• Consider relationships important. They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment. They like to do things for other people. They prefer jobs where they are not pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Consider support from their employer important. They like to be treated fairly and have supervisors who will back them up. They prefer jobs where they are trained well.
• Consider independence important. They like to make decisions and try out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.
• Consider achievement important. They like to see the results of their work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of accomplishment from their work.
• Consider good working conditions important. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay. They want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer doing a variety of tasks, working alone, or being busy all the time.
• Have social interests. They like work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development. They like to communicate with others: to teach, give advice, help, or otherwise be of service to others.
• Have realistic interests. They like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like to work with plants, animals, and physical materials such as wood, tools, and machinery. They often prefer to work outside.
• Have conventional interests. They like work activities that follow set procedures, routines, and standards. They like to work with data and detail. They prefer working where there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education.

Tools & Technology for Psychiatric Aides

Tools

Bedpans for general use Bedpans Blood collection syringes Clinical hydraulic lifts or accessories Hydraulic patient lifts Desktop computers Electronic blood pressure units Automatic blood pressure cuffs Electronic medical thermometers Digital patient thermometers Enema kits or accessories Enema equipment Medical oxygen masks or parts Oxygen delivery masks Patient stabilization or fall prevention devices or accessories Patient restraints Personal computers

Razors Safety razors Special purpose telephones Multi-line telephone systems Specimen collectors Specimen collection containers Suction kits Intubation suctioning kits Two way radios Urinalysis test strips Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers Evacuated blood collection tubes Wheelchairs

Technology

Data base user interface and query software Data entry software Electronic mail software Email software Spreadsheet software Microsoft Excel

Word processing software Microsoft Word

Licensing / Certification

Certification Details

Certifications are examinations that test or enhance your knowledge, experience or skills in an occupation or profession.

There are 7 certifications related to this career.

Licensing Details

No State of Minnesota license requirements are found for this career.

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and CareerOneStop.

Jobs

Find Jobs

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Hiring Practices

Many employers prefer workers who have a high school education. However, it is usually not required. Many aides work first as a nursing assistant, and then receive additional on-the-job training helping patients with emotional problems.

Employers look for applicants who are patient, helpful, and dependable. Good communication skills and a desire to help people are also important.

Advancement Opportunities

Opportunities for advancement are limited. With additional training, aides can move into psychiatric technician positions. Experience as an aide can also help individuals decide whether to pursue a career in the health care field.

Job Title Examples

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA),  Developmental Aide,  Mental Health Technician,  Nursing Assistant,  Psychiatric Nursing Aide,  Mental Health Worker,  Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW),  Residential Counselor 

Similar Careers

Below are careers similar to Psychiatric Aides you may be interested in reading about. If you are looking to broaden your job search, these careers require similar skills. Click on the names to link to their career profile.

Home Health Aides
Licensed Practical Nurses
Nursing Assistants
Occupational Therapist Assistants
Personal and Home Care Aides
Physical Therapists
Psychiatric Technicians
Psychiatrists
Recreational Therapists
Residential Counselors

Related Industries

Below are industries related to Psychiatric Aides you may be interested in reading about. Employers in these industries typically hire Psychiatric Aides. Click on the names to link to their industry profile.

Health Care Services
Hospitals
Social Services And Counseling

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and Minnesota Department of Education.