Psychiatric Aides

Career summary

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Psychiatric aides work in hospitals and institutions. They care for patients who are mentally impaired or developmentally disabled. Some work with patients in rehabilitation for drugs or alcohol.

Psychiatric aides provide patients with basic care. For example, psychiatric aides help patients eat, dress, and bathe. They maintain daily records of the physical condition of their patients.

Aides 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. Aides make sure patients stay in assigned areas. Sometimes they restrain patients to prevent injuries.

In some facilities aides change bed linens and perform other basic cleaning tasks.

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.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Child Care Workers
• Home Health Aides
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Medical Assistants
• Nursing Assistants
• Occupational Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapist Assistants
• Orderlies
• Personal and Home Care Aides
• Psychiatric Technicians
• Social and Human Service Assistants

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to psychiatric aides.

• 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.

Common work activities

Psychiatric aides perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

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

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, psychiatric aides:

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

Psychiatric aides frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.

It is important for psychiatric aides to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for psychiatric aides to be able to:

• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• 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.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.

Skills and abilities

Psychiatric aides need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

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

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Psychiatric Technology

Other programs of study to consider

• Behavioral Sciences
• Counseling Psychology
• Health Aide
• Mental Health Counseling
• Nursing Assisting
• Recreation Therapy

Training

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

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; 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.

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 career 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. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

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.

Tips

Volunteer in hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, or other health care facilities.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Psychiatric Aides 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

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.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Psychiatric Hospitals
• Residential care agencies
• Hospitals

National outlook

Demand will grow steadily for this occupation. 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. New federal health care laws will make mental health care available to more people.

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

Other resources

References

Career cluster

• Health Science

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Psychiatric Aides (31-1013.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Mental-retardation Aide (355.377-018) 
• Psychiatric Aide (355.377-014) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Social/Conventional/Realistic
• Social/Realistic/Conventional

COPSystem

• Service Skilled