Psychiatric / Mental Health Nurse Practitioner / CNS Programs
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Lorry Schoenly, PhD, RN is a nurse writer and educator with over 25 years of experience. She has been certified in five different clinical specialties including critical care and emergency nursing. Starting as an associate degree registered nurse, she continued her schooling in traditional and distance-learning settings to obtain a BSN, MSN, and PhD in nursing while working full-time and raising a family. Lorry teaches nursing in a variety of settings including webinars and online nursing courses.

Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMH) nurses provide nursing care to individuals with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. They also care for those with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. PMH nurse positions are found in care settings across the age continuum including pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric populations. Positions can be found in inpatient and outpatient settings, mental health agencies, primary care offices and correctional settings such as jails and juvenile detention centers.

What to Expect

Psychiatric-Mental Health nurses perform comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, including family histories, to assist in treatment determinations. Psychiatric medications are administered and side effects are monitored. These nurses are an active part of the multidisciplinary treatment team, collaborating with psychiatric social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists on treatment goals. They may also assist in coordinating community resources for patients and their families.

What You Will Need

A key component of psychiatric-mental health nursing is the development of a therapeutic relationship with the patient and family. PMH nurses positively engage the patient in the care plan and work to empower the patient to take actions that will move him or her toward improved mental health. This work may involve explaining medication, managing side-effects, easing the patient’s adjustment to a chronic psychiatric condition, and helping a patient moderate lifestyle and habits to overcome a debilitating condition.

PMH nurses also assist family members and significant others in understanding and supporting the treatment plan created for the affected individual. Strong communication and leadership skills are required to accomplish this objective.

For example, a PMH nurse may work with an adolescent and her family to deal with an eating disorder. Under the direction of a psychiatrist or psychologist, a nurse may approach the family to evaluate possible family stressors and develop action steps to overcome them. In addition, the nurse may work with the adolescent to set eating goals and explore control issues.

How to Get Started

Psychiatric-mental health nurses work in a variety of settings including acute care, day care and mental health specialty hospitals. In addition, PMH positions are available at drug rehab facilities or community centers. Many nurses experience psychiatric mental health through clinical rotations during initial training. Since this can be a limited experience based on availability, you may wish to volunteer at a PMH setting to see if this is a good fit for your skills and interests.Many psychiatric facilities or units will hire nurses without experience in the specialty. If you choose this route, be sure to select a position that has a comprehensive orientation program, which focuses on the types of patients for whom you will be caring.

Useful Resources

• New York Presbyterian Hospital - Psychiatry and Mental Health - Health Library
• The Mental Health Minute
• Mindspective
• Nurses for a Healthier Tomorrow: Psychiartic Mental Health Nurse Career Info