A psychiatric nurse practitioner, also known as a mental health nurse practitioner, is a registered nurse with a master’s degree or, in some cases, a doctorate in this field. This qualifies these professionals to work with people who have psychiatric illnesses and, in most cases, to diagnose and prescribe medication. Those considering a career in advanced mental health nursing should be aware that psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs come in a variety of forms. The majority of these are focused on direct patient care, but a few are focused on public education or teaching.
Some psychiatric nurse practitioner positions are available in private practice. These nurses can diagnose and prescribe in most states, and they can work independently and without supervision. They may run their own practice and work with patients who have mental illnesses and need to be diagnosed as well as managed with medication. The individual nurse can choose whether or not to include counseling in his or her services, and may hold regular sessions that include medication management if necessary. In states or countries where mental health nurse practitioners are required to be supervised, these nurses can still work in private practice, assisting psychiatrists or other physicians and seeing patients.
A psychiatric nurse practitioner is occasionally employed large or small primary care clinics to see patients with mental health issues. This can be beneficial because it allows patients to receive care and diagnoses in a more direct manner. It can also easily coordinate with any other care a patient receives from their primary care physician on a regular basis.
Other psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs include those in mental health institutions, where nurse practitioners could work with patients and make treatment and care decisions with or without the supervision of a psychiatrist. In most mental health facilities, the goal is to keep patients stable. Patients can return home once they are stable and receive outpatient treatment from a psychiatric nurse or psychiatrist.
Other large facilities may have one or more psychiatric nurse practitioner positions available. Nurse practitioners who specialize in mental health could work in correctional facilities, assisting mentally ill inmates. They may also work in drug treatment centers with dual diagnosis patients, physical rehabilitation hospitals, or long-term care facilities. Psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs may also be available in traditional hospitals.
Psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs are sometimes aimed at public health and education. Jobs could include contributing to the creation of educational materials about mental health issues or working with specific groups to educate them about mental illness in which they may be especially vulnerable. After earning their PhDs, these nurse practitioners may decide to teach others about their profession joining the faculty of a college that offers a psychiatric nurse practitioner training program.