Psychiatric Aides :: Job Description

ExistingUsers

User Name:

Password:

Forgot your password?
Click here

NewUsers

FeaturedResources

Psychiatric Aides

Careers / Psychiatric Aides

Summary 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.

Sample Job Titles

1.	Behavioral Health Aide

2.	Certified Nurses' Aide (CNA)

3.	Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

4.	Charge Aide

5.	Charge Attendant

6.	Clinical Assistant

7.	Developmental Diabetes Secure Care Treatment Aide (DDSCTA)

8.	Health Service Worker

9.	Mental Health Aide (MHA)

10.	Mental Health Assistant

11.	Mental Health Orderly

12.	Mental Health Technician (MHT)

13.	Mental Health Worker (MHW)

14.	Mental Retardation Aide

15.	Neuropsychiatric Aide

16.	Nursing Assistant

17.	Patient Care Assistant (PCA)

18.	Professional Nursing Assistant (PNA)

19.	Psychiatric Aide

20.	Psychiatric Assistant

21.	Psychiatric Attendant

22.	Psychiatric Nursing Aide

23.	Psychiatric Nursing Assistant

24.	Psychiatric Orderly

25.	Psychiatric Technician

26.	Psychiatric Technician Assistant

27.	Resident Care Technician

28.	Residential Counselor

29.	Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)

Job Tasks

	Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans. Record vital statistics or other health information. Maintain medical records.

	Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients. Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.

	Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff. Monitor patients to detect health problems. Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.

	Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury. Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety.

	Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion. Feed patients.

	Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers. Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.

	Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment. Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.

	Provide mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff. Care for patients with mental illnesses.

	Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information. Maintain medical records. Perform clerical work in medical settings.

	Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.

	Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary. Assist patients with daily activities.

	Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routine.

	Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities. Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.

	Perform nursing duties, such as administering medications, measuring vital signs, collecting specimens, or drawing blood samples. Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment. Collect biological specimens from patients. Give medications or immunizations.

	Interview patients upon admission and record information. Interview patients to gather medical information. Record vital statistics or other health information.

	Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events. Accompany patients or clients on outings to provide assistance.

	Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing. Engage patients in exercises or activities.

Work Activities

Importance	Work Activity

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Nature of the Work


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Psychiatric Technicians and Aides
	Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental illness and developmental disabilities. Technicians typically provide therapeutic care and monitor their patients' conditions. Aides help patients in their daily activities and ensure a safe, clean environment.

	Read More >>

Working Conditions


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Psychiatric Technicians and Aides
	Psychiatric technicians and aides work in psychiatric hospitals, residential mental health facilities, and related healthcare settings. They may spend much of their shift on their feet, and they have high injury and illness rates.

	Read More >>

<< Previous Page

Next Page >>

Interesting Fact

2.9% of Americans walk to work. 88% drive to work.

Did you know...

MyPlan.com has a Video Library of nearly 500 different career and industry videos!