Psychiatric Aides: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, OverviewLeave a Comment

Psychiatric Aides

Psychiatric Aides 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.

Salary
$33300
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



Job description

Psychiatric Aides 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.

  • Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
  • Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
  • Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
  • Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
Read more about what does a Psychiatric Aide really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$31090 per year

Average hourly wage
$15 per hour


Psychiatric Aides with little to no experience tend to make between $19830 and $23470 while the more experienced ones can earn over $37230 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
MN $22 $44,910
NY $21 $43,520
AK $20 $42,550
HI $20 $41,940
OR $19 $39,570

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Psychiatric Aide is to move to a higher paying state like MN. Right now, the highest paying states for Psychiatric Aides are MN, NY, AK, HI and OR.

However, a higher pay at MN doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at MN might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Psychiatric Aide is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
No degree required

We asked other Psychiatric Aides what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a High School Diploma followed by a College Certificate.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician
Health Aide
Read more about how to become a Psychiatric Aide and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Psychiatric Aide.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes to help and teach others
Suitable for people who values relationships between co-workers and customers and wants to work in a friendly non-competitive environment
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Normal working hours (40 hours per week)
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to start and carry out projects
One of the lowest paying jobs

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
72%

Is this job meaningful
78%


72% of Psychiatric Aides said they were satisfied with their job and 78% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Helpers and The Builders

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.



Learn more about Psychiatric Aides

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Psychiatric Aides job description, Psychiatric Aides salary, Psychiatric Aides information, what is the job of a Psychiatric Aide like, pros and cons about Psychiatric Aides, colleges and universities for Psychiatric Aides, is Psychiatric Aides the right career for me, careers in Healthcare and Medical

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Certified Nurses’ Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Charge Aide, Charge Attendant, Developmental Diabetes Secure Care Treatment Aide (DDSCTA), Health Service Worker, Mental Health Aide (MHA), Mental Health Assistant, Mental Health Orderly, Mental Health Technician (MHT)

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