What is a psychiatric nurse? A mental health nurse conducts intake screening, assesses patients, and provides treatment related to patients’ mental health disorders. When planning how to become a psychiatric nurse, you will first need to earn a BSN and pass the NCLEX. You may later pursue psychiatric nursing certifications.
Over one in five U.S. adults live with a mental health disorder. Ranging from mild to debilitating, mental health disorders negatively affect quality of life and, sometimes, the individual’s ability to function. Psychiatric nurses, a type of registered nurse (RN), assess and treat patients with mental illness to help improve their lives. If you are curious about how to become a psychiatric nurse, you are likely passionate about helping those with mental health issues work toward recovery.
How long does it take to become a psychiatric nurse? It does not take as long as you might think if you qualify for Mercer University’s Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track, which can be completed in as few as 12 months. Mercer’s ABSN is a generalist nursing degree, which equips students with a comprehensive foundation in the fundamentals of nursing. Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of settings and specialties, including pursuing psychiatric and mental health nursing.
As you plan for a career in mental health nursing, consider learning more about what mental health nurses do and the education requirements for psychiatric nurses.
What Is a Psychiatric Nurse?
Psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing requires in-depth expertise in nursing, psychosocial aspects of health, and neurobiological processes. A PMH nurse promotes well-being through patient education and preventive wellness while assessing and treating patients with mental health disorders.
A PMH nurse may work with pediatric, adult, or geriatric patients. They treat patients suffering from a wide range of disorders, including:
- Anxiety and depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Substance use disorder and addiction
- Suicidal ideation
- Trauma
What Does a Psychiatric Nurse Do?
Before learning how to become a mental health nurse, you will want to learn more about what PMH nurses do. A PMH nurse may perform a wide range of tasks, including:
- Conducting intake screening, triage, and evaluation
- Handling case management tasks and coordinating care
- Providing crisis intervention and patient stabilization
- Providing psychiatric rehabilitation services
- Teaching self-care activities
A PMH nurse also provides patient education and advocacy. In this role, you might help the patient’s loved ones understand what the patient is going through and inform them on how best to support them.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychiatric Nurse?
The time it takes to become a mental health nurse can vary. If you lack prior college education, you will likely need to enroll in a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) track. Another option is an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) track, but this option does not allow you to pursue graduate-level education later, and your career opportunities may be limited.
If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you may be eligible for Mercer University’s ABSN track. After completing any required prerequisites, you can graduate from the track in as few as 12 months. Most nurse candidates take the NCLEX within a couple of months of graduating. Once you pass the exam and obtain your nursing license, you will be able to apply for mental health nursing jobs.
How to Become a Mental Health Nurse
If you have a strong desire to empower others through psychiatric nursing, you can follow these steps to pursue PMH nursing:
1. Earn Your BSN
First, you will need to earn a nursing degree. If you have a previous bachelor’s degree, Mercer University’s, ABSN track provides an accelerated pathway to a BSN. The ABSN track has a curriculum that includes:
- Online coursework: Nursing coursework is delivered online, and your nursing instructors are available to help via text, email, phone, or an in-person meeting.
- Nursing skills labs: Onsite nursing skills labs will teach you how to perform fundamental nursing tasks, such as placing IV lines, in a mock clinical environment.
- Nursing simulation labs: These in-person labs will teach you to apply the nursing process and work through various patient care scenarios. Mercer University has high-fidelity manikins that simulate realistic patient responses.
- Clinical rotations: You will practice providing patient care under the supervision of your nursing instructors at nearby healthcare facilities during clinicals. You will gain experience across a variety of nursing specialties, including mental health nursing.
Learn what to expect from online nursing coursework.
2. Pass the NCLEX and Obtain a License
After earning your BSN from Mercer University, you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam. Mercer University graduates are well-prepared to tackle the exam thanks to our comprehensive curriculum. In 2024, Mercer BSN graduates achieved a 95% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)—higher than the national average and state average in Georgia for baccalaureate programs. Once you pass the exam, you can obtain a state-issued nursing license.
3. Gain Clinical Experience as an RN
As a licensed RN, you can apply to nursing jobs in a variety of settings. You might decide to pursue mental health nursing positions right away, or you might first gain clinical experience in other areas, such as medical-surgical nursing. If the latter applies, keep notes about the patients you cared for who had mental health issues and how you addressed their needs. Those notes could prove useful during interviews for mental health nursing jobs you apply for later.
4. Work in Mental Health Nursing
If your first nursing job was in a specialty other than mental health, your next career move would be to look for a job in psychiatric nursing. PMH nurses can work in a variety of settings, including the psychiatric floors of regional hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation centers, and substance abuse treatment centers. You might also look for work in:
- Community centers
- Correctional facilities
- Private provider offices
- State or federal agencies
5. Obtain Nursing Specialty Certifications
As you gain clinical experience in PMH nursing, you may consider obtaining certifications. Two options include the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the certifications from the Addictions Nursing Certification Board (ANCB).
6. Consider Pursuing Career Advancement as a PMHNP
career advancement. For example, you might decide to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Mercer University supports your goals by offering both the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) PMHNP tracks, giving you flexible pathways to grow in your profession.
The minimum academic qualification for any type of nurse practitioner (NP) is currently the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN); however, there is a growing a shift toward the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as the preferred standard for NPs. After earning your degree and completing at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours in PMH nursing, you will be eligible to sit for the board certification exam to become a PMHNP. Upon passing it, you can apply for a state-issued APRN license.
Nurse practitioner vs. registered nurse: What are the key differences to be aware of?
Psychiatric Nurse Salary and Career Outlook
Before pursuing a psychiatric nursing career, you may be curious about the job outlook and salary potential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not track data for this specialty; however, all types of RNs made a median annual salary of $86,070 as of May 2023. The BLS estimates the job growth rate for RNs to be 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average.
If you decide to become a PMHNP, you can look forward to even more robust job prospects and salary potential. According to the BLS, most APRNs made a median annual salary of $129,480 as of May 2023. The estimated job growth rate is 40% from 2023 through 2033, much faster than average due to high demand for APRN roles.
Why Choose a Career in Psychiatric Nursing?
Mental health disorders can negatively affect many aspects of a person’s life. They can contribute to physical health problems, compromise familial and social relationships, harm self-confidence, and lead to problems in the workplace. Furthermore, mental health patients often wrestle with the social stigma associated with their disorders.
PMH nurses fulfill a vital role in the healthcare system, serving as advocates who help patients regain control of their lives. You may discover a deep purpose in working with those in need.
A career in psychiatric nursing could be a great fit if you:
- Stay calm in high-pressure situations
- Show emotional resilience and patience
- Communicate clearly and connect well with others
- Are a strong advocate who is passionate about supporting others
Build a Strong Foundation for Mental Healthcare
At Mercer University, you can build a strong foundation for your future in psychiatric-mental health nursing or any other nursing specialty. With a longstanding tradition of academic excellence, Mercer University focuses on fostering a supportive learning environment that cultivates a culture of compassion, social responsibility, and service to others.
Contact an enrollment counselor today to learn if you could be eligible to graduate with your BSN in as few as 12 months upon completion of prerequisites.