A  Michigan Jobs & Career Portal service.

Psychiatric Aides and Technicians are employed by mental health facilities to assist professional specialists in the care and treatment of persons with mental illnesses and disabilities.

JOB DUTIES  

The duties of Psychiatric Aides and Technicians vary according to work setting and level of responsibility.

Psychiatric Aides may:

Go to shower rooms with patients and help them bathe, dress, and groom

Take patients to and from wards for exams and treatments

Encourage patients to participate in social, educational, and recreational activities

Feed patients who need assistance

Aid or restrain patients to prevent injuries to themselves or others

Escort patients off grounds for medical or dental treatment and to libraries, theaters, churches, or athletic events

Assist professional staff with patient orientation, housekeeping, and security

Psychiatric Technicians may:

Interview patients upon admission and their families and record information

Participate in developing and carrying out patient treatment plans

Lead individual and group counseling sessions and various therapy activities

Teach skills that help patients resolve employment, housing, financial, and other personal problems

Most Technicians are also skilled in some nursing techniques, such as checking and recording patients' vital signs and assisting supervisors in giving prescribed medication.

Organize, supervise and encourage patient participation in social, educational and recreational activities

Click here to view a brief video of Psychiatric Aides and Technicians at work.

The equipment and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES  

Psychiatric Aides and Technicians may specialize in these areas:

355.377-014  PSYCHIATRIC AIDES are employed by mental health facilities to assist professional specialists in the care and treatment of persons with mental illnesses and disabilities.

079.374-026  PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIANS (often called Mental Health Technicians) provide general and psychiatric nursing care to mentally ill and emotionally disturbed patients. They may work in hospitals, community mental health clinics, and other facilities in which patients are treated on an out-patient basis. Technicians generally have more formal education and training than Aides, and their duties involve greater responsibility.

355.377-018  RESIDENT CARE AIDES assist in providing self-care training and therapeutic treatments to the residents of centers for the mentally impaired.

Psychiatric Technicians may specialize in crisis intervention, substance abuse, or working with emotionally disturbed children.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following Career Exploration Scripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS  

Psychiatric Aides and Technicians generally work as part of a rehabilitation team under the direct supervision of health therapists, psychologists, registered nurses, special education teachers, psychiatric social workers, and experienced

Psychiatric Technicians.

These workers must deal with patients who are often demanding, temperamental, easily upset, or overly sensitive, in addition to some who become violent.

Psychiatric Aides and Technicians in institutional settings usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. Since many facilities operate 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, work schedules can include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Aides and Technicians who work with patients away from the hospitals or clinics have varied working conditions.

Hospital and clinic employees may have to furnish their own uniforms. Some receive a cleaning allowance or cleaning service from their employer.

These workers may join employee organizations where they work, such as the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) or the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Some belong to professional associations such as the National Association of Human Services Technologies. Members must pay periodic dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Helping people with emotional and mental problems

• Communicating information or ideas to others

You Should Be Able To:

• Deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions

• Influence people in their attitudes and judgments

• Adapt to working with mentally or physically ill patients

• Adapt to doing a variety of tasks

• Accept responsibility

• Carry out assigned tasks completely

• Rate information by personal judgment

• Work under stress

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

On the average, 60% of the mentally challenged people succeed in being a stable part of society. If you have 35 people under your care, how many of them can you expect to succeed?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Stress is the body's response to external conditions (or stressors) that upset our equilibrium.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report to your supervisor about an instance of behavioral disobedience by one of the patients.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to quickly decide how to handle a person that is experiencing a violent mental break-down.

A High School Diploma and postsecondary training are needed for employment as a Technician, but not as an Aide. To work for government agencies, individuals must pass a civil service test. Most workers must pass a physical exam.

[back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A High School Diploma or Equivalent and a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond High School) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond High school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in this Career Exploration Scripts:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***  

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1800 HEALTH & HEALTH CAREERS , 2200 MATH , 2900 SCIENCE , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***  

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this Career Exploration Scripts.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

104  MENTAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY

Programs in Mental Health Technology provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment assisting in the area of human behavioral problems. Employment may be found in such facilities as crisis, substance abuse, and social service centers, as teacher aides in schools for the mentally impaired, and in community mental health programs.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***  

There are no Apprenticeships related to this Career Explorations Script.

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***  

Please check the Military web site at  http://www.todaysmilitary.com . 

MEDICAL CARE TECHNICIANS  

The military provides medical care to all men and women in the services. Medical care technicians work with teams of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to provide treatment to patients. They help give patients the care and treatment required to help them recover from illness or injury. They also prepare rooms, equipment, and supplies in hospitals and medical clinics.

What They Do  

Medical care technicians in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Provide bedside care in hospitals, including taking the body temperature, pulse, and respiration rate of patients

• Feed, bathe and dress patients

• Prepare patients, operating rooms, equipment, and supplies for surgery

• Make casts, traction devices, and splints according to physicians' instructions

• Give medication to patients under the direction of physicians and nurses

Physical Demands  

Some specialties in this area require sufficient strength to lift and move patients, and some require a normal skin condition to guard against infection.

Helpful Attributes  

Helpful school subjects include general science, biology, and psychology. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in helping others

• Ability to work under stressful or emergency conditions

• Ability to follow directions precisely

Work Environment  

Medical care technicians work in hospitals and clinics on land or aboard ships. In combat situations, they may work in mobile field hospitals.

Training Provided  

Job training consists of classroom instruction, including practice in patient care. Training length varies depending on specialty. Course content typically includes:

• Patient care techniques

• Emergency medical techniques

• Methods of sterilizing surgical equipment

• Plaster casting techniques

Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Civilian Counterparts  

Civilian medical care technicians work in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, psychiatric hospitals, or physicians' offices. They perform similar duties to those performed in the military. They may be called nurses aides, orderlies, operating room technicians, orthopedic assistants, or practical nurses.

Opportunities  

After job training, new technicians are assigned to hospitals or medical units where they work under close supervision. In time, they may advance to supervisory positions and help train others.  

E-Learning Courses and Programs  

[back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY  

Postsecondary programs in mental health technology may offer work experience opportunities. Home nursing and first aid classes offered by community agencies plus volunteer or summer jobs in hospitals may be useful. You may also gain experience through military service.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Psychiatric Aide & Technician employer

internships

volunteer work with a Psychiatric Aide & Technician employer

community service work with an agency

To get a job as a Psychiatric Aide or Technician, apply directly to employers such as psychiatric hospitals and clinics, community mental health organizations, and facilities for the mentally handicapped. Some assistance may be obtained from school placement offices or an office of Michigan Works!  For employment with government agencies, contact civil service offices. Jobs are often listed in newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

[back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT  

Earnings of Psychiatric Aides depend on geographic location, employer, and the individual's training and experience. Earnings tend to be higher in urban areas and larger hospitals. Technician's earnings are generally higher because of the greater level of responsibility.

Nationally, the hourly wages (early 2007) of Psychiatric Technicians employed by hospitals and related institutions ranged between $11.35 and $14.42, with an average of $11.68.  The median hourly earnings of "all" workers in the U.S. were $16.78 in 2006.

In Michigan, the hourly wages (mid 2007) of Psychiatric Technicians employed by hospitals were:

Hourly earnings (early 2007) of Psychiatric Aides and Technicians employed by government agencies in Michigan were:

Some hospitals and similar institutions pay more for work performed during evenings, nights, and weekends.

Most Psychiatric Aides and Technicians receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. Some also receive optical and/or dental insurance plans. Psychiatric Aides may also receive free or low cost meals and laundry service.

Psychiatric Aides and Technicians receive comprehensive on-the-job training lasting several weeks or months. Highly experienced and trained workers demonstrating competency and leadership ability may advance to the few supervisory positions available. Many hospitals offer formal classes or continuing education programs to prepare employees for careers in nursing and other allied health fields. Promotional opportunities for Psychiatric Aides and Technicians are limited. Advancement depends on experience, training, the ability to supervise.

[back to top]

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK  

Nationally, approximately 120,600 Psychiatric Aides and Technicians were employed in 2004. Employment in this occupation is expected to increase more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2014. The industry distribution for Psychiatric Aides and Technicians looked like this:

To find employers, click  Employer/Business Locator .

Qualified Psychiatric Aides are experiencing a demand for their services in community mental health agencies such as crisis centers and suicide prevention centers. The employment outlook for Technicians with at least an associate degree will be good. However, as formal training programs in this field expand, competition for job openings is expected. The number of investor-owned psychiatric hospitals has increased in recent years and likewise their demand for Aides and Technicians. Job opportunities in public mental hospitals are not likely to increase due to constraints on public spending and continued support to deinstitutionalize patients.

There are about 2,000 Psychiatric Aides and Technicians employed in Michigan. Most work for the government, others in general medical and surgical hospitals, private psychiatric facilities, state-operated psychiatric hospitals or veterans administration hospitals. Psychiatric Aides and Technicians in these facilities work in programs providing inpatient and out-patient care, emergency mental health care, readjustment services, foster and home care services, and consultations and educational services. Other Aides work for community mental health care facilities such as crisis intervention centers, and substance abuse clinics, in which patients are not hospitalized but are receiving treatment.

Employment of Psychiatric Aides and Technicians in Michigan is expected to grow -more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2014.  An average of 30 annual openings is expected during this period, with all due to the need to replace workers who retire, die, or leave the labor force.  Additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations.

An increasing and aging population and rising health costs will require more health paraprofessionals. With the trend toward outpatient treatment, the percentage of Psychiatric Aides and Technicians employed in hospitals is expected to steadily decrease.

[back to top]

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

 Copyright © 2008 Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth