What is an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Job Description: Provide advanced nursing care for patients with psychiatric disorders. May provide psychotherapy under the direction of a psychiatrist.
Life As an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Teach classes in mental health topics such as stress reduction.
- Consult with psychiatrists or other professionals when unusual or complex cases are encountered.
- Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
- Monitor patients' medication usage and results.
- Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
- Assess patients' mental and physical status based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
Featured schools near , edit
Skills Needed to be an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
These are the skills Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses say are the most useful in their careers:
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Types of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMH Nurse)
- Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Deputy Director of Clinical Specialty Services
- Associate Chief Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
Job Demand for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
In the United States, there were 2,955,200 jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse by 2026. There will be an estimated 203,700 positions for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse per year.

The states with the most job growth for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses make between $50,800 and $106,530 a year.

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $59,470 |
Alaska | $89,310 |
Arizona | $77,000 |
Arkansas | $60,780 |
California | $106,950 |
Colorado | $74,240 |
Connecticut | $81,220 |
Delaware | $74,800 |
District of Columbia | $92,350 |
Florida | $66,210 |
Georgia | $68,950 |
Hawaii | $98,080 |
Idaho | $67,110 |
Illinois | $73,890 |
Indiana | $64,860 |
Iowa | $59,130 |
Kansas | $61,030 |
Kentucky | $63,100 |
Louisiana | $63,970 |
Maine | $67,610 |
Maryland | $76,820 |
Massachusetts | $92,140 |
Michigan | $71,330 |
Minnesota | $78,920 |
Mississippi | $58,490 |
Missouri | $65,130 |
Montana | $67,450 |
Nebraska | $64,470 |
Nevada | $85,620 |
New Hampshire | $72,760 |
New Jersey | $82,750 |
New Mexico | $71,730 |
New York | $85,610 |
North Carolina | $64,850 |
North Dakota | $65,740 |
Ohio | $66,820 |
Oklahoma | $63,080 |
Oregon | $91,080 |
Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
Rhode Island | $78,420 |
South Carolina | $64,940 |
South Dakota | $58,340 |
Tennessee | $61,320 |
Texas | $72,890 |
Utah | $65,670 |
Vermont | $69,160 |
Virginia | $69,790 |
Washington | $82,670 |
West Virginia | $61,780 |
Wisconsin | $71,470 |
Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools & Technology do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- SAS
- Invivo Data EPX ePRO Management System
How do I Become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Are there Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Work

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses work in the following industries:

Related Careers
Those interested in being an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |