Psychiatric Nurse Job Description - Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming a Psychiatric Nurse

Psychiatric nurses and psychiatric nurse practitioners are specialists in the field of mental health. They may be employed in hospitals or in community settings.

Job Description

Psychiatric nurse careers are of interest to people interested in psychiatry, psychology or nursing. You may be wondering, "What do psychiatric nurses do?"
 
A psychiatric nurse can work on one of two levels: the basic level or the advanced level. On the basic level, psychiatric nurses work directly with communities, families and individuals to treat psychiatric disorders. Their work involves educating psychiatric patients on continuing wellness, administering routine medical treatments and maintaining a healthy environment for the patient. They may communicate with families to educate them about psychiatric disorders.
 
A psychiatric nurse with a Master’s degree (or higher) can become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Psychiatric nurse practitioners carry out the same duties as those at the basic level, but also diagnose and prescribe treatments for their patients.
 
Some psychiatric nurse careers involve further training for specialization. For example, you may choose to focus your advanced studies towards becoming a child psychiatric nurse.

Salary Guide

The psychiatric nurse salary or psychiatric nurse practitioner salary depends on job duties, the employing institution and the geographic location. The range for a psychiatric nurse salary is from $25,000 to $47,000. Because the position requires greater education, a psychiatric nurse practitioner salary is higher, ranging from $50,000 to $70,000 annually.

Education and Training

To become a psychiatric nurse at the basic level, you can choose:
  • a four-year program to receive a bachelor’s degree
  • a three-year program to receive a diploma in nursing
  • a two-year program to receive an associate’s degree.
 

To become a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner, you must hold the following:

  • an advanced practice license (as awarded by the state in which you practice)
  • a certificate from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  • a master’s or doctoral degree.
 

Prior Work Experience

To help gain experience to enter the field of psychiatric nursing, begin by volunteering at hospitals to assist nurses and nurse practitioners. If you are in school, internships in the field of psychiatric nursing will probably be available to you. Any work experience in the field of nursing or psychiatry helps prepare you for a role as a psychiatric nurse.
 
If you are interested in becoming a child psychiatric nurse, working with children and families helps to prepare you for this role.

Career Advancement

If you are successful in the psychiatric nursing field, you will eventually incur increased responsibility, oversee a greater number of patients and earn a larger salary over time. If you would like to advance your career after working as a psychiatric nurse, you can go back to school to become a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a therapist.

Related Associations and Groups

For more information about psychiatric nurse careers, contact:
  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
  • American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  • National Council of State Boards of Nursing
  • National League for Nursing.
 
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