Careers · Explore one path
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.
Other titles employers use
Developmental Aide · Mental Health Aide (MHA) · Mental Health Worker (MHW) · Psychiatric Aide · Psychiatric Assistant · Psychiatric Nursing Aide · Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) · Resident Care Technician (Resident Care Tech)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
- Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
- 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.
- Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and organizing work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.5 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.2 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.8 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 62%
- High school or less 24%
- A two-year degree 10%
- A four-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
- Word processing software
- Medical software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 7,040
- Job openings each year
- 150
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 27.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7,040 | 150 | 27.1% |
| Mississippi | 2,240 | 330 | — |
| Florida | 2,170 | 320 | 4.8% |
| California | 2,000 | 300 | 11.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,580 | 230 | 1.3% |
| West Virginia | 1,520 | 230 | 15.2% |
| New Jersey | 1,480 | 220 | 2.8% |
| Alabama | 1,360 | 200 | 7.1% |
| Michigan | 1,140 | 170 | — |
| Oregon | 860 | 130 | 7.5% |
| Indiana | 790 | 120 | 6.8% |
| Virginia | 730 | 110 | 1.4% |
| Colorado | 670 | 100 | 17.5% |
| Arkansas | 650 | 100 | 4.8% |
| Louisiana | 580 | 90 | 5.5% |
| Iowa | 570 | 90 | 9.6% |
| Ohio | 570 | 80 | 5.6% |
| Kansas | 550 | 80 | 1.9% |
| Massachusetts | 510 | 80 | 6.3% |
| Connecticut | 490 | 70 | 8.9% |
| Illinois | 490 | 70 | 4.3% |
| Kentucky | 480 | 70 | 4.3% |
| Washington | 470 | 80 | 11.9% |
| Vermont | 460 | 70 | 12.2% |
| Maryland | 430 | 60 | 7.5% |
| South Carolina | 410 | 60 | 10.8% |
| Tennessee | 390 | 60 | 18.2% |
| Minnesota | 370 | 60 | 5.7% |
| Rhode Island | 340 | 50 | 3.0% |
| New Hampshire | 300 | 40 | 3.4% |
| Nebraska | 250 | 40 | 4.2% |
| Alaska | 210 | 30 | 5.0% |
| South Dakota | 190 | 30 | 5.6% |
| Arizona | 170 | 30 | 13.3% |
| Delaware | 140 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Nevada | 140 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Missouri | 120 | 20 | 9.1% |
| Oklahoma | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Idaho | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
James Madison University
- Degrees each year
- 415
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Old Dominion University
- Degrees each year
- 156
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Arizona
- Degrees each year
- 114
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Worcester State University
- Degrees each year
- 65
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 63
- Admit rate
- 6%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Degrees each year
- 57
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
University of Central Arkansas
- Degrees each year
- 55
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Compare every college offering mental and social health services and allied professions