Psychiatric Technicians
Overview
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Introduction
Psychiatric technicians work with people with mental illness, emotional disturbances, or developmental disabilities. Their duties vary considerably depending on place of work, but may include helping patients with hygiene and housekeeping and recording patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration rates. Psychiatric technicians participate in treatment programs by having one-on-one sessions with patients, under a nurse's or counselor's direction.
Another prime aspect of the psychiatric technician's work is reporting observati...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Salaries for psychiatric technicians vary according to geographical area and work setting: technicians in California generally receive substantially higher wages than those in other areas of the country, and technicians in community settings generally receive higher salaries than those in institutional settings. Psychiatric technicians earned median salaries of $33,780 in May 2019, according to...
Work Environment
Psychiatric technicians work in a variety of settings, and their working conditions vary accordingly. Typically they work 40 hours a week, five days a week, although one may be a weekend day. Some psychiatric technicians work evening or night shifts, and all technicians may sometimes be asked to work holidays.
For the most part, the physical surroundings are pleasant. Most institutions, ...
Outlook
Employment for psychiatric technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Demand for technicians is expected to continue in large part because of a well-established trend of returning patients to their communities after shorter and shorter periods of hospitalization. This trend has encouraged development of c...