Nursing/Psychiatric Aide

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Work Tasks

• Care for people with physical or mental illnesses and disabilities
• Make beds, feed patients, bathe patients, and help them to dress
• Take patient vital signs and watch for changes in how patients look or act
• May play games with patients, watch TV with them, or take them on field trips
• Work for hospitals, nursing homes, health centers, psychiatric hospitals, halfway houses, and drug abuse treatment programs
• Work with patient charts, thermometers, medical equipment, meals, bathing items, and bed linens

Salary, Size & Growth

• $30,500 average per year ($14.75 per hour)
• A very large occupation (1,515,800 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.8% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training
• Employers Prefer: A diploma from an accredited nursing program and experience as a nursing aide
• Skills/Courses: Courses are offered in high schools, vocational-technical centers, nursing facilities, and community colleges. Subjects include nutrition, anatomy and physiology, infection control, communication skills, and personal care.
• Certification/Licensing: Some states require psychiatric aides to complete a formal training program.