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Psychiatric Technicians

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
  • 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.

Skills that matter

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

Also called

  • Mental Health Associate
  • Mental Health Technician (MHT)
  • MHW (Mental Health Worker)
  • Psychiatric Technician (PT)
  • BHT (Behavioral Health Technician)
  • Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech)

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