Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses

investigative patient treatment diagnosis psychological mental health psychiatric disorders family member progress

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse, PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner), Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (Psychiatric CNS), Psychiatric NP (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner)

What they do:
Assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families with mental health or substance use disorders or the potential for such disorders. Apply therapeutic activities, including the prescription of medication, per state regulations, and the administration of psychotherapy.
On the job, you would:
  • Assess patients' mental and physical status, based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
  • Diagnose psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions.
  • Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.

Knowledge

Math and Science

  • psychology
  • biology

Health

  • therapy and counseling
  • medicine and dentistry

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Social

  • understanding people's reactions
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Concern for Others
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software

  • Invivo Data EPX ePRO Management System
  • Microsoft Access Hot Technology

Medical software

  • Medical condition coding software
  • Zung Depression Rating Scale

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology

Education

master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training
Find Certifications
Find Licenses
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

Salary:

$93,600
$66,030
$135,320
Check out my state
Local Salary Info
Find Jobs

Explore More

You might like a career in one of these industries:

See more details at O*NET OnLine about advanced practice psychiatric nurses.