Occupation · SOC 31-1133
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.
Median wage
$41,590
$30,920–$58,530
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
34,900
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
48 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationMonitoringActive ListeningCritical ThinkingCoordinationActive LearningWritingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingComplex Problem SolvingPersuasionNegotiationTime ManagementLearning StrategiesSystems EvaluationManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsTroubleshootingSystems AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesScienceTechnology DesignOperations AnalysisProgrammingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
PsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceTherapy and CounselingEnglish LanguageAdministrativeSociology and AnthropologyPublic Safety and SecurityAdministration and ManagementPhilosophy and TheologyEducation and TrainingMedicine and DentistryComputers and ElectronicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesCommunications and MediaMathematicsTransportationForeign LanguageTelecommunicationsLaw and GovernmentChemistryEconomics and AccountingHistory and ArcheologyBiologySales and MarketingGeographyMechanicalFood ProductionFine ArtsEngineering and TechnologyBuilding and ConstructionPhysicsDesignProduction and Processing
Technology & tools
Email softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordPatient management software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationAssisting and Caring for OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesDocumenting/Recording InformationTraining and Teaching OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersThinking CreativelyDeveloping and Building TeamsCoaching and Developing OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesWorking with ComputersOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProcessing InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleHandling and Moving ObjectsAnalyzing Data or InformationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesControlling Machines and ProcessesSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Emotional support and active listening — provide to assigned psychiatric patients under direct staff supervision on an inpatient unit.Patient physical checks — conduct at scheduled intervals following written protocols in a supervised psychiatric ward.Unusual or harmful patient behaviors — recognize and report immediately to a charge nurse or supervising clinician during a shift.Patient area restrictions — enforce by guiding patients back to assigned zones under the direction of senior staff.Vital signs and basic intake data — record accurately into patient charts using facility-approved forms under direct oversight.Restraint techniques — apply basic approved holds to prevent patient self-harm or injury to others when directed by a licensed nurse.Therapeutic activity sessions — assist in setting up and facilitating social or recreational programs led by professional staff.Interdisciplinary team meetings — participate as an observer or note-taker, reporting aide-level observations to clinical team members.Electronic mail and word processing software — use to send shift reports and complete basic documentation tasks under supervisory guidance.Eating habits and daily behavior — observe and document for patients with cognitive or developmental disabilities following a structured care plan.
developing
Emotional and psychological encouragement — deliver consistently to a caseload of psychiatric patients during routine daily interactions with reduced direct oversight.Behavioral monitoring logs — maintain accurately across a full shift, identifying patterns that warrant escalation to nursing staff.Physical care routines — implement independently for patients with intellectual or developmental disabilities following established nursing care plans.De-escalation communication — apply practiced verbal techniques to calm agitated patients before physical intervention becomes necessary.Multidisciplinary team collaboration — contribute aide-level observations and progress notes during scheduled patient review meetings.Social and educational activity programs — organize and supervise small patient groups with minimal prompting from professional staff.Patient discharge planning documentation — update assigned sections of discharge plans accurately using office suite or medical software.Area restriction management — monitor and maintain independently across multiple patient assignments within a psychiatric unit.Reading comprehension of clinical notes — interpret care plan updates and treatment instructions to adjust daily patient support tasks accordingly.Crisis response protocols — follow and execute established procedures when a patient displays sudden escalation in harmful behavior.
proficient
Complex patient behavioral profiles — assess and interpret independently, adjusting daily care approaches without routine supervisory direction on an inpatient psychiatric floor.Non-routine emotional crises — manage autonomously using advanced active listening and social perceptiveness skills before clinical escalation.Comprehensive patient progress notes — write and maintain with clinical accuracy across multiple patients using electronic medical record software.Individualized activity programs — design and lead therapeutic social, educational, or recreational sessions tailored to each patient's cognitive level.Restraint and safety procedures — execute and evaluate in high-acuity situations, applying judgment to determine appropriate level of intervention.Coordination with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers — facilitate effectively by synthesizing aide observations into actionable clinical information.Patient care plan adherence — monitor and identify deviations across a full unit caseload, initiating corrective action within aide scope of practice.Orientation and onboarding — guide newly hired aides through shift workflows, documentation standards, and behavior observation techniques.Medical and behavioral data trends — analyze across multiple patients using spreadsheet software to flag emerging safety concerns for clinical review.Ethical dilemmas in patient care — navigate using sound judgment and facility policy, balancing patient autonomy with safety requirements.
advanced
Unit-wide behavioral safety culture — lead the development and continuous improvement of monitoring protocols across an entire psychiatric care setting.Aide team performance and development — direct, mentor, and evaluate a team of psychiatric aides to sustain high standards of patient-centered care.Interdisciplinary care model integration — shape the aide role within broader clinical teams by advocating for aide-level insights in care planning and policy decisions.Therapeutic activity programming strategy — oversee the design and evaluation of facility-wide social, recreational, and educational programs aligned with patient treatment goals.Crisis response systems — establish and refine facility de-escalation and restraint protocols, ensuring compliance with regulatory and patient rights standards.Staff training curriculum — develop and deliver competency-based training programs for psychiatric aides covering observation, documentation, and therapeutic communication.Patient safety incident analysis — lead post-incident reviews, identify root causes, and implement corrective measures across a psychiatric department.Regulatory and accreditation compliance — ensure aide team documentation, reporting practices, and care delivery meet Joint Commission and state licensing standards.Workforce scheduling and resource allocation — manage aide staffing levels across shifts to maintain safe patient-to-staff ratios on a psychiatric inpatient unit.Organizational quality improvement initiatives — contribute aide-sector data and frontline expertise to hospital-wide patient experience and safety improvement projects.
Also known as
32 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Behavior AideBehavior AssistantBehavior Intervention AssistantBehavior Support AssistantBehavioral AideBehavioral AssistantBehavioral Health AssistantBHA (Behavioral Health Aide)BHA (Behavioral Health Associate)Charge AideCharge AttendantClinical AssistantDevelopmental AideDirect Care WorkerHealth Service WorkerMental Health Aide (MHA)Mental Health AssistantMental Health AssociateMental Health OrderlyMental Health Program AssistantMental Health Worker (MHW)Neuropsychiatric AidePsychiatric AidePsychiatric AssistantPsychiatric AttendantPsychiatric Nursing AidePsychiatric OrderlyPsychiatric Technician Assistant (Psychiatric Tech Assistant)Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)Resident Care Technician (Resident Care Tech)Residential Care Tech (Residential Care Technician)Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)