ascx-begin clientid=ctl73 path=/Career/CareerProfile/CareerProfile.ascx
What They Do
About This Career
Cares for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitors patients' physical and emotional well-being and reports to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
This career is part of the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.
A person in this career:
- Provides nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourages patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrains violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Leads prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitors patients' physical and emotional well-being and reports unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Observes and influences patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Takes and records measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
- Aids patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
- Collaborates with or assists doctors, psychologists, or rehabilitation therapists in working with patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to treat, rehabilitate, and return patients to the community.
- Develops or teaches strategies to promote client wellness and independence.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
- Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Seeing clearly at a distance
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
- Rotating shift work
- Weekend work
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- BHT (Behavioral Health Technician)
- Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) — Performs basic nursing care duties and other assistance services outside of direct care.
- LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician)
- MHA (Mental Health Assistant)
- Mental Health Associate
- Mental Health Specialist — Performs an assessment of the patient's mental state and then may recommend a treatment or refer the patient to a psychiatrist who can also prescribe medicine.
- Mental Health Technician (MHT)
- MHW (Mental Health Worker)
- Residential Aide (RA)
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
ascx-end /Career/CareerProfile/CareerProfile.ascx