Psychiatric Aide – Tech

Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychiatric aides and technicians help care for mentally ill, disabled, or infirm people who are confined to hospitals, mental facilities, and residential care facilities.  They work under the supervision of mental health professionals or nurses.  They often work in hospitals, social service centers, crisis centers, schools, and substance abuse facilities.  Psychiatric technicians usually have more formal training and responsibilities than aides.  Psychiatric aides and technicians often:

Ø  Help patients bathe, dress, and eat.

Ø  Escort patients to and from wards or clinics.

Ø  Id or restrain patients.

Ø  Help with orientation and housekeeping.

 Salary: $12,000 - $24,000

Educational:

Psychiatric aides need not always have a high school diploma or formal training, however most employers prefer that they do. Psychiatric technicians need a high school diploma and should have taken courses in English and science.  A short training course or previous job experience as a psychiatric aide is often also required.

Reflection: I would not like to be one of these because this is not my future.