Description
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
Interests
- Social
- Investigative
Work Values
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Self-Control
- Concern for Others
- Stress Tolerance
- Cooperation
Tasks
- Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Detailed Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Medical software
- Electronic mail software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Speaking
Knowledge
- Psychology
- English Language
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician 4Certifying Organization
American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, Inc.
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician 2Certifying Organization
American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, Inc.
Type
Core
Certificate name
Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation PractitionerCertifying Organization
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician 1Certifying Organization
American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, Inc.
Type
Core
Certificate name
Nationally Certified Psychiatric Technician 3Certifying Organization
American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, Inc.
Type
Advanced
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $NaN |
| Median (50%) | $NaN |
| High (90%) | $NaN |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
| Entry Level | $50,000 |
| Mid Level | $100,000 |
| Senior Level | $150,000 |
Employability
There are currently 124,600 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 145,800 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 17%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 17%
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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