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Psychiatric Aide Job Description

What does a Psychiatric Aide do?

A psychiatric aide is a healthcare professional who assists patients with mental disorders, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse disorders. They work under the guidance and supervision of a mental health professional and provide direct patient care, including monitoring patients’ vital signs and physical condition, administering medications, helping patients with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, and leading therapeutic activities. Additionally, psychiatric aides help maintain a safe and clean environment for patients, communicate with the treatment team, and document patients’ progress and behavior.

Our Psychiatric Aide job description includes the Psychiatric Aide responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.

Psychiatric Aide Example


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If you need an example job description for a Psychiatric Aide download the one below, alternatively we have many other Healthcare job description samples and a job description library with over 3000 job descriptions templates that you can download for free.

What does a Psychiatric Aide do?

Psychiatric Aide Job Summary

A Psychiatric Aide is responsible for providing assistance to patients with psychiatric disorders, in order to ensure their safety and wellbeing. As part of the team at a mental health facility, duties may include: monitoring patients, administering basic care such as changing bed linen, providing emotional support, helping with physical activities and observing behaviour. This role requires strong interpersonal skills, a caring nature and the ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people.

Psychiatric Aide Role Purpose

The purpose of a psychiatric aide is to assist in the care and treatment of individuals with mental health problems. This includes providing emotional support and helping to implement treatment plans. Psychiatric aides may also help to monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being, provide basic nursing care, and help with activities of daily living. They may also help to provide a safe and supportive environment for clients.

Psychiatric Aide Role

Psychiatric Aides provide direct care to patients in a psychiatric facility, assisting with their daily activities and helping to create a safe and supportive environment. They monitor, observe, and report any changes in the patient's mental state and behaviour, and also provide social and emotional support.

Psychiatric Aide Duties

  • Provide assistance to psychiatric staff in the care of patients
  • Assess patient needs and develop treatment plans
  • Observe and monitor patient behaviour
  • Lead recreational and other activities
  • Provide emotional support and counselling
  • Administer medications and treatments

Psychiatric Aide Requirements

  • Assist psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals in providing care to patients
  • Observe and document patient behavior
  • Participate in the development and implementation of individual treatment plans
  • Provide emotional and physical support to patients
  • Lead or participate in group therapy sessions
  • Administer medications when needed
  • Conduct basic medical tasks (e.g. taking vital signs)

Psychiatric Aide Skills

  • Excellent communication skills
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Ability to work on own initiative
  • Ability to remain calm in challenging situations
  • Ability to understand and comply with policies and procedures

Psychiatric Aide Personal Traits

  • Compassionate
  • Patient
  • Organised
  • Caring

How to write a Psychiatric Aide Job Advert

Use our job advert template to write a job advert for posting on job sites and job boards. Our job advertising templates are carefully created to help you reach your audience and beat the competition to the best talent.

A job description informs the reader about a job, whereas a job advert’s main objective is to sell the job opportunity to attract as many suitable applicants possible. A job advert maybe the first touch-point a candidate has with your company so it is important to create a great impression.

Job Advertisements should enticing, so considering using short, exciting language which get the reader’s attention.

How to write a Psychiatric Aide Job Description

To write a job description, we recommend starting with a job description template from our job description library, which contains examples for 800+ positions and professions. Our job description examples include a job summary with duties and responsibilities and skills and requirements, which can be personalised for your job vacancy.

Job Description Advice - Guidance on How to Personalise a Psychiatric Aide Job Specification

The hiring process and recruiting new employees to fill your key roles requires a degree of personalisation if you are to attract the best employees in a competitive employment market. The right person for a crucial role or more senior roles will likely have other employers targeting them. As your job description will be the first point of contact, you need to nail your pitch and provide the best possible service.

Job Description Tips - Help on formatting a Psychiatric Aide Job Specification

When creating your bespoke description and advert, you should cover and promote these points:

Job title: This should accurately reflect the role and include keywords that top talent might be using to search for jobs.

Job duties: The day to day duties, such as administrative tasks, which vary depending on the company and inform the candidate if they can complete the role.

Technical skills: These are the hard skills required through training, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Soft skills: These include the interpersonal skills and general abilities the right candidates will possess. For example, the competency to prioritise multiple tasks, handle customer queries and customer complaints, work alone, or build a good relationship with coworkers.

The company's culture: Highlighting your company culture and values ensures employees thrive and find outstanding job satisfaction. Candidates that are not the right fit won’t waste their time completing the application process, meaning you can focus on qualified individuals and hire in a more timely manner.

Career progression: Including the career path will entice candidates looking for career growth. 

Training and development programs: Smaller companies may need employees with previous experience or provide educational assistance over internal training offered by larger organisations with more significant resources. 

Employee benefits: Compensation and benefits often fail to appear in job ads and while you may want to hold your cards close to your chest, failing to include them is a mistake. Consider answering common questions, such as working hours and paid leave. Researching the average salary for the role in these early stages will ensure you don’t waste your interviewer’s and the candidate’s time.

Skill gaps: Your company may need to bring in new skills beyond those required to complete the key role and duties. Thinking on an organisational level can be beneficial when contemplating skills diversity.

Legal requirements: Ensure your job advert and description does not ask for inappropriate or discriminatory personal details, such as age, marital status, or religion.

How to Hire a Psychiatric Aide

Once you have selected your Job Description download it or convert it to a Job Advert. From here you can post/advertise your job across our network of job boards. If you wish to use the job description for a CV Template click through for advice and Convert to a CV

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