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What does a psychiatric nursing assistant do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

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.

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Psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real psychiatric nursing assistant resumes:

  • Prioritize and utilize therapeutic communication and CPI skills to diffuse and manage difficult situations.
  • Assist with therapeutic rehabilitation while implementing proper PMAB.
  • Make sure the client is bathing, eating, and other ADL's properly.
  • Hold EMT and CPR certifications.
  • Keep compliance of client rights and HIPPA privacy laws.
  • Maintain certification of CPR, mandatory reporting of patent abuse.
  • Assist with medical procedures including EKG, EEG and ECT.
  • Assume responsibility to have full access to a limit set of records in accordance with HIPPA regulations.
  • Utilize approve PMAB techniques to intervene at any time a patient is exhibiting aggressive or self abusive behavior.
  • Encourage residents to participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs inside facility as well as outside.
  • Monitor activities including daily oral and personal hygiene, taking medications, and taking patients to schedule doctor appointments.
  • Promote continuity of care by accurately and completely communicating to other caregivers the status of patients for which care is provided.
  • Learned and train others how to use EKG and blood pressure monitoring equipment.
  • Assess post-operative care such as catheters and intravenous feedings.
  • Dispense daily psychotropic medications to youth to decrease their psychosis.

Psychiatric nursing assistant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 17% of Psychiatric Nursing Assistants are proficient in Patients, Mental Health, and Vital Signs. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Patience.

We break down the percentage of Psychiatric Nursing Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 17%

    Monitored activities including daily oral and personal hygiene, taking medications, and taking patients to scheduled doctor appointments.

  • Mental Health, 12%

    Counseled patients with their health and life benefits regarding occupational and recreational therapy in an emergency mental health facility.

  • Vital Signs, 8%

    Obtained/recorded patient physical vital signs per designated daily schedule.

  • CPR, 7%

    Certified to administer CPR, Heimlich maneuver, and Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behavior (PMAB) as appropriate.

  • Direct Supervision, 7%

    Job Description: Psychiatric Nursing Asst II The Psychiatric Nursing Assistant II works under that direct supervision of the Shift Supervision.

  • Patient Care, 6%

    Interacted in patient care activities, provided crisis intervention and escorted patients around campus whenever needed.

Common skills that a psychiatric nursing assistant uses to do their job include "patients," "mental health," and "vital signs." You can find details on the most important psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities below.

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a psychiatric nursing assistant to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what psychiatric nursing assistants do because "nursing assistants and orderlies must communicate effectively to address patients’ or residents’ concerns." Additionally, a psychiatric nursing assistant resume shows how psychiatric nursing assistants use communication skills: "create therapeutic relationships with patients as well as communication, deescalate uprising arguments using pmab and calming one down. "

Compassion. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling psychiatric nursing assistant duties is compassion. The role rewards competence in this skill because "nursing assistants and orderlies assist and care for the sick, injured, and elderly." According to a psychiatric nursing assistant resume, here's how psychiatric nursing assistants can utilize compassion in their job responsibilities: "learned to give compassion, dignity and to respect. "

Patience. psychiatric nursing assistants are also known for patience, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities, because "the routine tasks of cleaning, feeding, and bathing patients or residents can be stressful." A psychiatric nursing assistant resume example shows how patience is used in the workplace: "required compassion and patience in delivering quality health care and living assistance. "

Physical stamina. A big part of what psychiatric nursing assistants do relies on "physical stamina." You can see how essential it is to psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities because "nursing assistants and orderlies spend much of their time on their feet." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical psychiatric nursing assistant tasks: "utilized therapeutic communication skills, provided physical care and assistance as needed, and documented patient behavior. "

See the full list of psychiatric nursing assistant skills

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Compare different psychiatric nursing assistants

Psychiatric nursing assistant vs. Prn

A PRN or a "pro re nata" employee is responsible for covering a shift or a specific situation, especially during short-staffing or the need to complete a particular task. The PRNs often work for a medical industry without a regular or full-time commitment, having the freedom to manage their time and take multiple assignments from different organizations. A PRN must have excellent communication and organization skills, providing quality healthcare services to the patients and the organization.

The annual salary of prns is $9,458 higher than the average salary of psychiatric nursing assistants.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between psychiatric nursing assistants and prns are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like patients, vital signs, and cpr.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities require skills like "mental health," "direct supervision," "patient care," and "crisis intervention." Meanwhile a typical prn has skills in areas such as "healthcare," "occupational therapy," "customer service," and "physical therapy." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Prns tend to make the most money working in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $49,871. In contrast, psychiatric nursing assistants make the biggest average salary, $31,911, in the health care industry.prns tend to reach higher levels of education than psychiatric nursing assistants. In fact, prns are 6.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.4% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Psychiatric nursing assistant vs. Mental health worker

A mental health worker is an individual who provides basic care and therapy to patients who are inflicted with mental disabilities or developmental disabilities. Mental health workers assist patients with their daily activities, monitor their conditions, and administer therapeutic care. They may be directly supervised by a registered nurse and can work in facilities such as psychiatric hospitals and residential mental health facilities. They may also help develop treatment plans and strategies with other staff members to best meet patient needs.

On average, mental health workers earn a $10,897 higher salary than psychiatric nursing assistants a year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Psychiatric nursing assistants and mental health workers both require similar skills like "patients," "mental health," and "vital signs" to carry out their responsibilities.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real psychiatric nursing assistant resumes. While psychiatric nursing assistant responsibilities can utilize skills like "patient care," "verbal de-escalation," "state hospital," and "therapeutic communication," mental health workers use skills like "social work," "substance abuse," "mental health issues," and "excellent interpersonal."

Mental health workers earn a higher average salary than psychiatric nursing assistants. But mental health workers earn the highest pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $39,268. Additionally, psychiatric nursing assistants earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $31,911 annually.In general, mental health workers achieve higher levels of education than psychiatric nursing assistants. They're 7.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Psychiatric nursing assistant vs. Behavioral health technician

A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.

On average, behavioral health technicians earn higher salaries than psychiatric nursing assistants, with a $4,427 difference per year.psychiatric nursing assistants and behavioral health technicians both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "patients," "vital signs," and "cpr," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from psychiatric nursing assistant resumes include skills like "mental health," "direct supervision," "patient care," and "verbal de-escalation," whereas a behavioral health technician is more likely to list skills in "behavioral health," "social work," "substance abuse," and "bht. "

Behavioral health technicians make a very good living in the non profits industry with an average annual salary of $36,944. On the other hand, psychiatric nursing assistants are paid the highest salary in the health care industry, with average annual pay of $31,911.behavioral health technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to psychiatric nursing assistants. Specifically, they're 3.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Psychiatric nursing assistant vs. Mental health technician

A mental health technician's primary responsibility is to provide care and assistance to patients with mental health issues. Their tasks mainly revolve around administering scheduled and prescribed medication, monitoring vital signs, assisting during therapy sessions, and assessing patients' progress and behavior. They may also have administrative support tasks such as processing necessary documentation, preparing reports, managing schedules, and even reaching out to patients' guardians and families. A mental health technician may also build a healthy rapport with patients, giving them guidance and positive influence.

Mental health technicians tend to earn a higher pay than psychiatric nursing assistants by an average of $1,934 per year.According to resumes from psychiatric nursing assistants and mental health technicians, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "patients," "mental health," and "vital signs. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A psychiatric nursing assistant uses "patient care," "verbal de-escalation," "state hospital," and "therapeutic communication." Mental health technicians are more likely to have duties that require skills in "social work," "therapeutic milieu," "substance abuse," and "phone calls. "mental health technicians enjoy the best pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $31,278. For comparison, psychiatric nursing assistants earn the highest salary in the health care industry.The average resume of mental health technicians showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to psychiatric nursing assistants. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of psychiatric nursing assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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