Do Mental Health Hospitals hire CNAs?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I am starting my CNA class next month and am very curious as to whether I might be able to get a job in a Pyschiatric hospital when I finish the program. I know I have seen openings for the job title "Mental Health Technician" but I'm wondering if they would accept a CNA for this position. Have you or anyone you know worked in a Psych hospital with only a CNA certification?

Every inpatient psych setting I've worked in over the years has used some form of aide/technician, and CNAs were usually considered qualified for those positions. California has a Psychiatric Technician role (or some title like that, I may not be remembering it correctly) that is a specific occupation with a specific education and credential, but, other than that, AFAIK, psych units seems to employ both CNAs and non-CNA people with undergraduate degrees in psychology (or psychology major college students) as techs.

In Pa they do

Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

Here they are called Mental Health Techs, and they have additional training in managing aggressive behavior. CNAs are qualified for this position at the hospital I work at.

Here they are called Mental Health Techs and they have additional training in managing aggressive behavior. CNAs are qualified for this position at the hospital I work at.[/quote']

(The additional training in managing aggressive behavior is typically provided by the employer after someone is hired, it's not an expectation in order to get hired.)

Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

(The additional training in managing aggressive behavior is typically provided by the employer after someone is hired, it's not an expectation in order to get hired.)

Yes. I should have mentioned this.

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

I was actually looking into this yesterday. I did a search for Mental Health Technician on Indeed and a lot of them do not have specific education requirements except high school diploma. Quite a few of them prefer or will consider CNA and some prefer those with BS in psych or human services. So my guess is that CNA is sufficient. But unfortunately there don't seem to be many jobs out there in this area.

Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

I would search the HR site of hospitals with psych/behavioral health units. In my area, they tend to hire CNAs for that position. I couldn't see myself working as a MHT with a bachelors in psych. Like I said earlier, it's CNA work with some additional training to handle the specific needs of behavioral health patients.

I couldn't see myself working as a MHT with a bachelors in psych.

(Actually, working as a psych tech is a pretty standard and "traditional" thing for individuals with a BA/BS in psych to do while working on getting into grad school, or to do part-time while they're in school, to get some additional "real life" experience with the psych client population.)

Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
(Actually, working as a psych tech is a pretty standard and "traditional" thing for individuals with a BA/BS in psych to do while working on getting into grad school, or to do part-time while they're in school, to get some additional "real life" experience with the psych client population.)

I'm quite aware of that. I just meant that I couldn't see myself doing that.

I'm quite aware of that. I just meant that I couldn't see myself doing that.

Sorry, I misunderstood you.

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