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What is a psychiatric registered nurse and how to become one
A psychiatric registered nurse works with patients suffering from mental health issues. They assess, plan, and implement care plans for patients, as well as administering medication and providing therapy. They work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices, and may work with patients of all ages. A psychiatric registered nurse is also responsible for monitoring patients' progress, educating patients about mental health, and collaborating with healthcare professionals. They must be compassionate, patient, and have excellent communication skills.
What general advice would you give to a Psychiatric Registered Nurse?
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University
Avg. Salary $73,053
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%
Asian 8.89%
Black or African American 11.36%
Hispanic or Latino 9.47%
Unknown 4.30%
White 65.54%
Genderfemale 83.33%
male 16.67%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a Psychiatric Registered Nurse?
Pros
High demand for psychiatric nurses
Competitive salary
Possibility of career advancement
Chance to develop specialized skills
Flexibility in scheduling and shift options
Cons
High stress levels
Exposure to potentially dangerous situations with patients
Long hours and physically demanding work
Potential for verbal and physical abuse from patients
Risk of occupational exposure to infectious diseases
Psychiatric Registered Nurse career paths
Key steps to become a psychiatric registered nurse
Explore psychiatric registered nurse education requirements
Start to develop specific psychiatric registered nurse skills
Skills Percentages Patients 33.26% Home Health 6.54% Patient Safety 4.12% Substance Abuse 3.83% Triage 3.72% Complete relevant psychiatric registered nurse training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New psychiatric registered nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a psychiatric registered nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real psychiatric registered nurse resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed psychiatric registered nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed psychiatric registered nurse in most of states. 43 states require psychiatric registered nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License Url Alabama Degree required State exam required Registered Nurse (RN) Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse (RN) California Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Colorado Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse Gain additional psychiatric registered nurse certifications
More About CertificationsPsychiatric registered nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific psychiatric registered nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for psychiatric registered nurses include Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (RN-BC) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).
Research psychiatric registered nurse duties and responsibilities
- Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
- Collaborate with psychiatrists and therapists to coordinate detoxification protocol, medical and psychiatric care for mental health and substance abuse patients.
- Perform psychiatric nursing assessments and medication management for patients in a residential detox and rehab for alcohol and substance abuse.
- Certify CPR instructor and conduct CPR training sessions.
Prepare your psychiatric registered nurse resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your psychiatric registered nurse resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a psychiatric registered nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Psychiatric Registered Nurse Resume templates
Build a professional Psychiatric Registered Nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Psychiatric Registered Nurse resume.
Apply for psychiatric registered nurse jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a psychiatric registered nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Psychiatric Registered Nurse Job
Are you a Psychiatric Registered Nurse?
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Average psychiatric registered nurse salary
The average Psychiatric Registered Nurse salary in the United States is $73,053 per year or $35 per hour. Psychiatric registered nurse salaries range between $45,000 and $117,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do psychiatric registered nurses rate their job?
Psychiatric Registered Nurse reviews
What is there not to like? It's such a rewarding job!
Caring for patients
Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees
The feeling I get when helping people.
Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.
Updated January 8, 2025
