Psychiatric Aides — Tasks

Task statements

• Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
• Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
• Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
• Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
• Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
• Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
• Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
• Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
• Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
• Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines.
• Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
• Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
• Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information.
• Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.
• Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
• Perform nursing duties, such as administering medications, measuring vital signs, collecting specimens, or drawing blood samples.
• Interview patients upon admission and record information.