Description:
Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff.
Tasks
- Monitor patients in order to detect unusual behavior, and report observations to professional staff.
- Provide mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients with routine physical, emotional, psychological or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing and medical staff.
- Record and maintain records of patient condition and activity, including vital signs, eating habits, and behavior.
- Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses and social workers.
- Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routine.
- Organize, supervise, and encourage patient participation in social, educational, and recreational activities.
- Perform nursing duties such as administering medications, measuring vital signs, collecting specimens and drawing blood samples.
- Serve meals, and feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
- Interview patients upon admission and record information.
Knowledge
- Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
Abilities
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Information Ordering
- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
- Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Developing and Building Teams
- Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Work Context
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People
- How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
- How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Frequency of Conflict Situations
- How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Physical Proximity
- To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Interests
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Style
- Self Control
- Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Concern for Others
- Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Social Orientation
- Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Value
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Related Occupations
- Physical Therapists
- Recreational Therapists
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Home Health Aides
- Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
- Personal and Home Care Aides
- Residential Advisors
Common Lay Titles
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Charge Aide
- Charge Attendant
- Developmental Aide
- Health Service Worker
- Mental Health Aide
- Mental Health Assistant
- Mental Health Technician
- Mental Health Worker
- Mental Retardation Aide
- Neuropsychiatric Aide
- Nursing Assistant
- Psychiatric Aide
- Psychiatric Assistant
- Psychiatric Attendant
- Psychiatric Nursing Aide
- Psychiatric Orderly
- Psychiatric Technician
- Residential Counselor
- Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)