Nursing
Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse
Psychiatric mental health nursing is a specialty within nursing. Psychiatric mental health registered nurses work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing their mental health needs. The PMH nurse develops a nursing diagnosis and plan of care, implements the nursing process, and evaluates it for effectiveness.
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Intake screening, evaluation and triage
- Case management
- Teaching self-care activities
- Administration and monitoring of psychobiological treatment regimens
- Crisis intervention and stabilization efforts
- Psychiatric rehabilitation and intervention
- Educating patients, families and communities
- Coordinating care
- Become a Registered Nurse: Associate’s Degree, Diploma in Nursing, Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (all qualify to take the RN licensing examination after graduation)
- Obtain a Master’s degree in Psychiatric mental health nursing
The range of salaries reported for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses was $50,209 – $86,794 (Payscale, 2019).
American Psychiatric Nurses Association https://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292#1
Payscale. (2019). Average Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Retrieved at https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Registered_Psychiatric_Nurse_(RPN)/Hourly_Rate
Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (PMH-APRN’s) provide a full range of psychiatric and mental health care services. These advanced degree holders can assess, diagnose, prescribe medication and provide therapeutic intervention. Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses practice using various titles including Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) or Nurse Practitioners (NP). (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2019).
These advanced degree holders can assess, diagnose, and prescribe medication; provide integrative therapy interventions, psychotherapy, consultation, and liaison services; oversee case management; undertake policy development for programs and service offerings; and actively engage in comprehensive advocacy education and research efforts.
Obtain an Advanced degree in nursing (i.e. MSN (master of science in nursing) or DNP (doctor of nursing practice) *Additional certification requirements must be met. Additional information about Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse certification can be found at: https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner/
Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses must: – Hold a current, active RN license – Hold a master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree* from a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation
Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) – Complete A minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours in your psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program – Pass the certification examination * PMH-APRN scope of practice is determined by each state’s nurse practice act and there is therefore variability from state to state. * Additional information about Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse certification can be found at: https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner/
The average salary for Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses for 2019 is $103,438. The range for salaries reported was $82,000-$137,000 (Payscale, 2019).
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (2019). Expanding Mental Health Care Services in America: The Pivotal Role of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse. Retrieved from https://www.apna.org/files/public/Resources/Workforce_Development_Report_Final_Draft_6_25.pdf
Payscale. (2019). Average Psychiatric Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) Salary https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Psychiatric_Advanced_Registered_Nurse_Practitioner_ARNP)/Salary
