What You Need to Know About Psychiatric Technician
Job 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.
Life As a Psychiatric Technician
- Escort patients to medical appointments.
- Administer oral medications or hypodermic injections, following physician’s prescriptions and hospital procedures.
- Observe and influence patients’ behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Take and record measures of patients’ physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Psychiatric Technician?
Psychiatric Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Licensed Psychiatric Technician (LPT)
- Mental Health Technician (MHT)
- Mental Health Specialist
- Mental Health Assistant (MHA)
- Residential Aide (RA)
What Kind of Psychiatric Technician Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 66,100 jobs for Psychiatric Technician in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,900 new jobs for Psychiatric Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 5,600 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Psychiatric Technician are Washington, Arizona, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Illinois, or Tennessee. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Psychiatric Technician
The average yearly salary of a Psychiatric Technician ranges between $22,800 and $64,430.
Psychiatric Technicians who work in California, Connecticut, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Psychiatric Technicians in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,390 |
| Alaska | $38,940 |
| Arizona | $34,210 |
| Arkansas | $28,570 |
| California | $64,500 |
| Colorado | $37,980 |
| Connecticut | $54,130 |
| Delaware | $32,970 |
| District of Columbia | $50,490 |
| Florida | $29,680 |
| Georgia | $30,330 |
| Hawaii | $38,230 |
| Idaho | $29,880 |
| Illinois | $44,400 |
| Indiana | $30,610 |
| Iowa | $31,860 |
| Kansas | $28,060 |
| Kentucky | $29,680 |
| Louisiana | $27,330 |
| Maine | $28,830 |
| Maryland | $35,800 |
| Massachusetts | $45,220 |
| Michigan | $40,250 |
| Minnesota | $38,800 |
| Mississippi | $29,290 |
| Missouri | $31,050 |
| Montana | $27,280 |
| Nebraska | $30,220 |
| Nevada | $33,090 |
| New Jersey | $45,870 |
| New Mexico | $28,790 |
| New York | $44,100 |
| North Carolina | $33,460 |
| North Dakota | $31,590 |
| Ohio | $34,990 |
| Oklahoma | $26,510 |
| Oregon | $47,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,340 |
| Rhode Island | $39,380 |
| South Carolina | $34,980 |
| Tennessee | $26,730 |
| Texas | $32,500 |
| Utah | $27,660 |
| Vermont | $40,000 |
| Virginia | $30,650 |
| Washington | $40,990 |
| West Virginia | $23,440 |
| Wisconsin | $33,990 |
What Tools do Psychiatric Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Psychiatric Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Allscripts Sunrise Clinical Manager
- ICANotes
- Cerner ProFile
- Epic EpicCare Inpatient Clinical System
- ADL Data Systems OptimumClinicals Electronic Health Record
- MEDITECH Behavioral Health Clinicals
- Netsmart Technologies Avatar Clinical Workstation CWS
How to Become a Psychiatric Technician
What education is needed to be a Psychiatric Technician?
What work experience do I need to become a Psychiatric Technician?
Who Employs Psychiatric Technicians?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Psychiatric Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Psychiatric Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Katie Spencer via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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