The Role of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric nurse practitioners—also known as psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs), psychiatric NPs, and mental health nurse practitioners—are a crucial part of the healthcare community. These advanced-practice nurses take on many similar responsibilities to psychiatrists.

 Psychiatric nurse practitioners focus their work on helping patients with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, mood disorders, postpartum depression, and more. Psychiatric nurses hold licensure that allows them to work directly with these kinds of patients, diagnosing and treating their mental health illnesses and problems.

Psychiatric nurses focus their work on medical and psychiatric diagnosing. These nurse practitioners have a variety of general responsibilities, including:

• Assessing physical health
• Assessing mental health
• Administering psychotherapy
• Designing treatment plans
• Prescribing psychopharmaceuticals and other medication
• Working with patients and families to explain treatment plans
• Educating communities on mental health
• Adjusting medication and treatment for patients
• Learning about new medicines and treatment options for mental health

Psychiatric nurses have different job responsibilities based on their unique specialty, individual patients, and work environment. Some examples of mental illnesses that nurse practitioners may work with include:

• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
  
• Bipolar disorder
  
• ADHD
  
• ADD
  
• Depression
  
• Alcoholism
  
• Drug use
  
• Schizophrenia
  
• PTSD
  
• Trauma
  
• Postpartum depression
  

As valuable members of the healthcare community, nurse practitioners with a psychiatric specialty are vital in helping patients and communities overcome mental health obstacles.

Mental health has an important place in healthcare. The following points help convey why it’s essential for psychiatric nurse practitioners to address issues of mental health. 

• More than just mental. Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being—all necessary for a healthy and happy lifestyle. 
  
• Holistic healthcare. Holistic healthcare considers both the physical and mental well-being of an individual. 
  
• Quality of life. Addressing a person’s mental health concerns can drastically impove their quality of life. 
  
• Impact on physical health. Mental health conditions affect physical health. For example, untreated anxiety may lead to cardiovascular disease, immune system dysfunction, or gastrointestinal issues. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary in May 2021 for PMHNPs was around $125,000. During the same period, the bottom 10% of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners earned about $80,000, while the top 10% earned more than $200,000. The amount you can earn as a PMHNP varies based on where you work. Larger cities and hospitals will likely pay PMHNPs more than smaller areas. Your experience level can also impact how much you earn.

The careers of nurse practitioners with a psychiatric specialty are expected to grow by about 40% from 2021 to 2031. This is largely due to the ever-increasing nationwide demand for healthcare professionals. Healthcare is an industry that’s constantly growing as populations age and life expectancy rises. Increased mental health awareness has also contributed to the need for psychiatric nurse practitioners and other mental health professionals. If you’re looking for a stable career, then becoming a PMHNP is a great option.

Daily responsibilities of psychiatric nurse practitioners can vary depending on their work setting, patient demographic, and individual working style. Such duties may involve the following:

• Morning preparation. The beginning of the day typically entails reviewing patient charts, lab results, and any leftover work from the previous day. The PMHNP might also review their calendar for the day, including a detailed schedule with patient appointments and any required prep for consultations.
• Patient assessments. The PMHNP conducts extensive psychiatric evaluations and assessments with patients. These assessments involve collecting detailed information about a patient’s mental health history, symptoms, socialization, and overall function. These factors aid a PMHNP in reaching a diagnosis.
• Medication management. PMHNPs may prescribe medication and review or change medication regimens for patients as an adjustment to overall treatment plans.
• Psychotherapy sessions. PMHNPs often provide psychotherapy and counseling. This could be in an individual, group, or family format, leveraging different therapeutic techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
• Crisis management. PMHNPs must be ready to handle psychiatric emergencies should they arise.
• Collaborative care. PMHNPs usually work alongside other healthcare providers such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and primary care physicians.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners should gain a number of skills to be successful at their jobs. These include:

• Clinical assessment. PMHNPs need to gather information on patients’ mental health, symptoms, and psychological factors.
• Diagnoses. PMHNPs should be able to effectively diagnose patients upon performance of a clinical evaluation or assessment.
• Therapeutic practices. Effective communication is essential to successfully conduct therapeutic practices such as DBT, CBT, and other counseling services.
• Pharmacology. PMHNPs should understand psychopharmacology, including the specifics of psychotropic medications, side effects, and drug interactions to ensure safe prescription of medication regimens to patients.
• Cultural awareness. PMHNPs, especially those with a diverse patient demographic, should demonstrate cultural awareness of those from differing cultural, ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds. This way, the practitioner can provide individualized treatment specific to the patient’s experience.
• Ethical and legal knowledge. PMHNPs should strive to maintain an ethical and legally sound practice, keeping government regulations in mind.

 If a nurse practitioner is lacking in these areas, they might consider obtaining more education, clinical practice, or ongoing professional development. 

A number of steps are involved in becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. It’s important to know what your education path may look like before committing to this career.

 The first step is to become a registered nurse (RN). In order to become an RN, you’ll need to have the proper education, which usually means earning a bachelor’s in nursing. A bachelor’s degree program teaches nursing students fundamental anatomy, physiology, nursing skills, and more. You’ll also need to pass the NCLEX exam, which tests critical thinking skills related to nursing.

 After you become an RN, you’ll have to gain relevant work experience. During this time, you may also choose to pursue the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Certification, which instills specialized knowledge and can help set you apart in the field.

 To become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you’ll need to complete a master’s program in psychiatric mental health nursing. Such a program imparts higher-level knowledge of nursing principles and can prepare you for further nurse practitioner certification.

WGU offers a post-master’s certification program (PMC PMHNP) designed to prepare you to sit for the ANCC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam. Keep in mind that WGU offers this program in some states but not in others, depending on the state’s specific certification requirements.

 Finally, you’ll need to become licensed as a nurse practitioner. Every state has its own requirements for licensing, so it’s important to learn what your state requires.

If the idea of a career as a psychiatric nurse practitioner is exciting to you, then a bachelor’s degree in nursing is where you’ll need to start. WGU’s nursing programs are flexible, allowing you to complete online coursework any time, day or night. Plus, our competency-based education model lets you progress as quickly as you master the material. There’s no better time than now to begin—or continue—your path to becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner.