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The differences between psychiatric nursing assistants and geriatric nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a psychiatric nursing assistant and a geriatric nursing assistant. Additionally, a geriatric nursing assistant has an average salary of $34,595, which is higher than the $30,184 average annual salary of a psychiatric nursing assistant.
The top three skills for a psychiatric nursing assistant include patients, mental health and vital signs. The most important skills for a geriatric nursing assistant are patients, rehabilitation, and vital signs.
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Geriatric Nursing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,184 | $34,595 |
| Hourly rate | $14.51 | $16.63 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 181,338 | 137,681 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 23% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
Psychiatric Nursing Assistants require the ability to carry out individual patient treatment programs, as well as verbalization of patients' needs, clear and concise communication of information, and ensuring patient safety and well-being. Paying out at around $26K per year, this position requires no formal education outside of a diploma or GED, but postsecondary courses in psychology may help. Those who choose this career will be called on to assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients under nursing or medical staff direction, assist patients with their daily living activities, lead them to and from examinations and treatment, and restrain patients who become violent.
A geriatric nursing assistant is responsible for assisting elderly patients with their daily activities in a health care institution or private household setting. Geriatric nursing assistants monitor the patients' conditions, maintain an organized record of medical charts, administer medications, and update the attending physician for any health concerns. They also guide the patients with their doctor appointments, process medical documents, and coordinate with medical staff for medical procedures and payments. A geriatric nursing assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills to ensure high-quality care services for the patients and help them improve their lifestyle.
Psychiatric nursing assistants and geriatric nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Geriatric Nursing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,184 | $34,595 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric nursing assistant and a geriatric nursing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Geriatric Nursing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 23% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between psychiatric nursing assistants' and geriatric nursing assistants' demographics:
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Geriatric Nursing Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.7% Female, 58.3% | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 7.3% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 20.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |