Psychiatric Technicians

Career summary

#no alt titles

Psychiatric technicians provide nursing, psychiatric, and personal care for patients. Some work with patients who are developmentally disabled and others work with people in rehabilitation for drugs or alcohol.

Technicians help to admit new patients. They interview new patients and their families in order to assess the patient's mental status. They also ask about previous mental health treatments.

Psychiatric technicians monitor patients and write reports about their behavior. They check patients' temperature, respiration, and pulse. They also give prescribed medications. Technicians keep daily records of the physical condition of patients. Technicians may lead group counseling sessions.

Technicians assist patients with personal cleanliness. For example, they help patients clean their rooms, bathe, and dress. They teach patients basic living and working skills. They encourage them to develop social relationships and to participate in recreational activities. Occasionally technicians must restrain patients who are violent.

Psychiatric technicians work on a mental health team with doctors and psychologists. Nurses, social workers, and therapists are also part of the team. Psychiatric technicians may be called mental health technicians.

Related careers

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

Related careers include:

• Addictions Counselors
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Medical Assistants
• Occupational Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapist Assistants
• Psychiatric Aides
• Psychiatrists
• Recreational Therapists
• Registered Nurses
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Social Workers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to psychiatric technicians.

• Fill out admitting forms for new patients. Measure a new patient's physical condition, such as blood pressure.
• Contact patients' families to arrange conferences.
• Interview patients and their families.
• Help develop therapy treatment plans.
• Lead individual and group counseling sessions.
• Maintain daily records of the physical condition of patients.
• Help patients with their personal hygiene and housekeeping.
• Give prescribed medication by mouth or injection, following hospital procedures.
• Observe and report patients' behavior to medical staff.
• Teach basic living and working skills to patients.
• Restrain patients who are violent or suicidal.
• Make referrals to community agencies.
• Coordinate community services.
• Visit patients at home after release from the hospital.
• Develop strategies to teach patients wellness and independence.

Common work activities

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

• Assist and care for others
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Document and record information
• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Develop and build teams
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Evaluate information against standards
• Teach others
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Use computers
• Process information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Analyze data or information
• Think creatively
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Schedule work and activities
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Coach others
• Develop goals and strategies
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Perform for or work with the public
• Handle and move objects
• Perform administrative tasks
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, psychiatric technicians:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They work closely with patients and medical staff.
• Deal with patients who may be angry or uncooperative.
• Often deal with patients whose illness may cause violent behavior.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of patients.
• Often are in conflict situations.
• Are responsible for work outcomes and results of coworkers.
• Communicate with patients and medical staff in person on a daily basis.
• Communicate with medical staff weekly by telephone.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly basis.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Are exposed to diseases and infections on a daily basis.
• Mostly work indoors.
• Often wear protective attire, such as latex gloves.
• Are often exposed to sounds and noise levels that re distracting and uncomfortable.
• Work near other people, but usually have a few feet of space separating them from patients.

Work performance

• Must avoid errors and be exact in their work. Errors could cause patients harm if they receive the wrong medications.
• Must repeat the same physical activities.
• Make decisions on weekly basis that affect patients. They consult supervisors for some decisions, but make most without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some tasks and goals for the day without talking to 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 technicians frequently:

• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for psychiatric technicians to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.

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

• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• 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.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.

Skills and abilities

Psychiatric technicians need to:

Communicate

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

Reason and problem solve

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

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Manage the time of self and others.

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.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

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
• Licensed Practical Nursing
• Mental Health Counseling
• Nursing Assisting
• Psychology, General

Training

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

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• complete a formal training program; 
• have one to five years of related work experience; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Many psychiatric technicians learn their skills through a formal training program. Professional-technical schools and two-year colleges offer these programs. In this type of program, you earn a certificate or an associate degree. You learn about the nature of mental illness, human development, and personality structure. You also study anatomy, physiology, and basic nursing care.

Work experience

Psychiatric technicians typically need clinical experience. You can gain experience by working as a nursing assistant or licensed practical nurse.

On-the-job training

Beginning psychiatric technicians learn additional skills on the job from experienced workers. You may spend up to one month in training.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be medical care technicians. Training lasts seven to 52 weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

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

Some employers will hire workers who have only a high school diploma. However, most prefer applicants who have one to two years of training beyond high school. Employers value workers who have a strong desire to help others, patience, and understanding.

Tips

Experience in patient care is very important. Working as an technician will provide an insight into job duties, responsibilities, and drawbacks. Experience can also be gained through volunteer work in nursing homes or other health care facilities. Computer skills are increasingly important.

Costs to workers

Expenses include uniforms, reference books, and educational services. Some workers pay dues for professional association or union membership.

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 Technicians 

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 the employer and the technician's level of education and experience. Technicians who work night and weekend shifts may receive higher pay.

Technicians who work full time usually receive benefits. Common benefits include paid vacations, sick leave, and health 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
• Hospitals
• Residential care agencies

National outlook

Demand will grow faster than average 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 technicians in residential facilities will rise in response to an increase in the aging population. 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 Technicians (29-2053.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

DOT occupation

• Psychiatric Technician (079.374-026) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Social/Enterprising/Realistic
• Social/Realistic/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Service Professional