Opportunities for nurses, both new and experienced, in a variety of care settings are being created by unmet requirements for mental health treatment. There are many lucrative and remarkably diverse career options available because there is a high demand for mental health nurses in the US.
A surprising variety of care settings are available to you, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, emergency rooms, schools, long-term care facilities, and even prisons. Adults, geriatric patients, children, and students can all be treated by you. You may opt for specific specialisation, such as addiction, trauma, disaster recovery or mood disorders.
In all these settings, there is a huge demand for mental health nurses and psychiatric nurse practitioners. In addition, there are considerable hurdles to care for Americans due to a nationwide shortage of competent healthcare professionals and a behavioural health labour shortfall.
The void is being filled by nurses
According to a Behavioural Health Workforce report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there is a “stark contrast” between the number of behavioural health practitioners that are now available and the number that is truly required to manage mental health issues (SAMHSA).
It opens up a world of possibilities for new roles for nurses. According to the report, there is a need for an additional 304,541 psychiatric or behavioural health nurses in the US to care for patients with major emotional disturbance or serious mental illness. At present, there is a great need for mental health nurses.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are capable of evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients in the following contexts (including psychopharmacological therapies, psychotherapy, and crisis intervention):
- Outpatient private practices
- Outpatient community mental health centres
- Veterans Administration Psychiatric Facilities (both inpatient and outpatient)
- Skilled nursing and long-term care facilities
- Substance use disorder rehabilitation facilities
- Schools
- Integrated care clinics with both primary care services and mental health services
- Home health agencies
- Domestic violence shelters
- Inpatient psychiatric hospitals
- Inpatient hospital units
- Corrections facilities
Demand for mental health nurses
Among new nurse practitioners, psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing is one of the specialties with the quickest growth. Over the past eight years, the number of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs has nearly doubled (with 208 programmes in 2021, up from 114 programmes in 2015). All PMH nursing professions, from RN to APRN, are in higher demand than before across settings.
The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is becoming a more important part of the mental health system. According to a recent study, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner’s supplied over one-third of Medicare patients' consultations with mental health prescribers in 2019.
You would be a fantastic candidate for PMH nursing if you are a registered nurse currently employed in another field of healthcare. It is advised to become an APNA member in order to learn more about the industry, receive free training opportunities, interact with colleagues already working in the sector, and enrol in the 16-hour APNA Transitions in Practice Certificate Program.
Students pursuing master's degrees in nursing, as well as those with undergraduate degrees in science, liberal arts, or nursing, ought to think about a career in mental health nursing.
Mental health nursing provides flexibility
Some of the highest paid advanced practice nurses are Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. This makes the career enticing for nurses looking to improve their studies. While other applicants to the program come from a range of various nursing backgrounds, some already have experience working as PMH-RNs. Many say they are going back to school because there is such a big demand for mental health treatment, which they witness in all healthcare settings.
Several Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students began their nursing careers in the ICU setting at the height of the pandemic. These new nurses understood the significance of attending to patients' and families' mental health. That sparked their curiosity and passion to learn more about and pursue a career as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners also contribute value by writing prescriptions for drugs and offering psychotherapy. To meet the steadily increasing demand for skilled mental health practitioners, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are required in several contexts.
Conclusion
A master's or doctoral degree in nursing is a fantastic place to start with if you've decided to pursue certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. With a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification, you can work with patients in a range of settings, including inpatient (in both medical and psychiatric institutions), outpatient (in multiple settings like private practice or community mental health), drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities and ERs. This allows for flexibility in a field where demand is high.
Are you looking to take up a career as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner? Talk to our experts in MWT Education Consultancy who will help you in taking up the right course from the best institutions to bolster your career!
