With Nurses Week officially underway, we thought it was important to highlight some of the most popular or most unique nursing specialties available. While we know that all types of nurses deserve to be honored, we’re here to provide some information and highlight some great nursing specialties. This tribute to psych nurses will provide a general overview of the specialty, as well as why becoming a psych nurse is so rewarding. So what is a psych nurse? Let’s take a deep dive into what you can expect as a psych nurse and why it’s such a great specialty.
What is a Psych Nurse?
According to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, psychiatric nurses are experts in crisis intervention, mental health, medications, and therapies to assist patients in mastering mental illnesses. They work closely with them so that they can live as productive and fulfilling lives as possible. Psych nurses will typically work in mental health facilities or hospitals.
Psychiatric-mental health nurses are licensed nurses with a psychiatric specialty and like most nurses, they do not prescribe medication. (There is one exception. An advanced practice registered nurse can in some states prescribe medication and provide more advanced treatment to patients, including psychotherapy. An advanced practice registered nurse holds a master’s degree.) PMHNs examine, assess, educate, and support patients, but do not counsel them. They are not psychiatrists or psychologists, but they’re often taught similar counseling tactics to help treat patients to the best of his or her ability. So, what is a psych nurse? Well, they’re someone who has the patience and determination to help others battle with mental health issues.
What Does a Psych Nurse Do?
What is a psych nurse? Well, we’ve answered that as best we can. Next, let’s take a look at some of the duties that a psych nurse can expect. Psych nurses will work with individuals, families, or other groups to assess their mental health needs. They can help to develop a plan of care to ensure that patients are getting the proper treatment and given the proper resources they need to manage his or her mental issue. If a nurse decides to become licensed in psychiatry nursing, they can also diagnose patients as well as write prescriptions.
A psych nurse can usually be found in a hospital or some type of mental health facility. They’re usually tasked with monitoring patients, providing counseling, and distributing medication. “What is a psych nurse?” And “What does a psych nurse do?” Go hand in hand, so it’s important that nursing students and current nurses know what they’re getting into.
How Do I Become a Psych Nurse?
Well, the route to becoming a psych nurse actually isn’t very complicated. First, you’ll want to become a licensed registered nurse. You can get your BSN or ASN through a two or four-year program. Next, you’ll need to pass the NCLEX, which will allow you to work in almost any facility that you desire. Finally, you can either choose to start working in a mental health facility or, you can go back to school to specialize in mental health in a certain age group or illness.
Salary and Job Availability
Psych nurse salaries depend on your level of education, years of experience, size of employer, and where you live and work. In May 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the range for RN salaries as $47,120 to $102,990. The mean annual income for a nurse working in the psychiatric or substance abuse hospital setting was $69,460. With a nurse shortage in full effect, this also means that you should have no trouble finding your ideal psych nursing job. Luckily, we have plenty of psych nurse jobs available, so why not start today!
A Psych Nurse Tribute
So, what is a psych nurse? Well, they’re one of the most compassionate, caring, and understanding groups of nurses out there. They’re tasked with helping people fight the grueling battle that is mental illness. They’re able to treat patients not just with physical medicine, but emotional medicine as well. It takes a special person to become a psych nurse, and we just want to take this moment to thank you for everything you do.
We hope you’re having a fantastic National Nurses Week and as always, if you’re looking for an awesome travel nurse assignment, check out the thousands of jobs we have available.
