If necessary, they help restrain unruly patients and accompany patients to and from wards for examination and treatment. Because they have the closest contact with patients, psychiatric aides have a great deal of influence on patients' outlook and treatment. One-half of nursing aides work in nursing homes. Most full-time aides work about 40 hours a week, but because patients need care 24 hours a day, some aides work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Many work part time.
Aides spend many hours standing.
Since they may have to move partially paralyzed patients in and out of bed or help them stand or walk, aides must guard against back injury. Psychiatric aides are often confronted with violent patients. While their work can be emotionally draining, many aides gain satisfaction from assisting those in need. Employment Nursing aides held about 1,308,000 jobs in 1992, and psychiatric aides held about 81,000 jobs. Some worked in residential care facilities, such as halfway houses and homes for the aged or disabled, or in private households.