What does a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner do

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Overview

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan)-Lifespan (PMHNP) is a Registered Nurse prepared at the master’s degree level as a nurse practitioner specializing in psychiatric-mental health care across the lifespan. You will practice in a variety of settings as an interdependent member of the health care team, collaborating with other health professionals to provide mental health care services across the lifespan. The PMHNP acquires advanced health assessment skills to perform screening history and physical exams as well as episodic exams, formulate initial physical diagnosis and refer when indicated for primary medical care. The PMHNP acquires advanced knowledge and clinical skills in psychiatric-mental health diagnosis and treatment which includes prescriptive practice of psychotropic medications; individual, group and family psychotherapy; crisis intervention; case management; and consultation.

The PMHNP is uniquely prepared to provide holistic care for clients, which bridges the common gap between physical and mental health care. A PMHNP practicing in a community mental health clinic, for example, is able to deliver targeted psychiatric care while screening, identifying and monitoring co-morbid medical problems such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus being treated by a primary medical care provider. It is often the PMHNP who has developed an ongoing relationship with a client with a severe mental illness that first identifies and differentiates underlying medical problems. The PMHNP is particularly effective in eliciting the client’s cooperation to seek further medical treatment and collaborates with the primary medical care provider in the client’s treatment.

In rural areas the PMHNP in collaboration with a community psychiatrist follows patients both in the clinic, office and on inpatient psychiatric units to provide continuity of care and reduce unnecessary psychiatric admissions. In areas where there is limited availability of psychiatrists, the PMHNP extends the availability of cost-effective mental health care. In large urban and/or teaching hospitals, the PMHNP functions on inpatient psychiatric units, or in the Emergency Room to provide 24 hour/day psychiatric assessment and treatment services. As a team member/leader of the Psychiatric Consultation Service.

Credentials and Certification

The PMHNP specialty prepares graduates to diagnose and treat common psychiatric disorders for patients across the lifespan. Graduates of the PMHNP specialty are eligible to sit for the American Nurses Association Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan)  Exam. Upon completion of the exam, the PMHNP is eligible for third party reimbursement and entitled to apply for prescriptive privileges as an advanced practice nurse according to state licensure laws. Visit: www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification/NurseSpecialties/FamilyPsychMentalHealthNP

Functions Performed by the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

In addition to general functions performed by the Advanced Practice Nurse, the PMHNP may provide these specific functions:

• Diagnose and treat common acute psychiatric problems, illness, and crises
• Psychopharmacologic management in collaboration with psychiatrist
• Provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy
• Care for and counsel clients with common identified chronic psychiatric conditions
• Coordinate and integrate multidisciplinary services for clients with complex psychiatric problems
• Monitor common health care problems and refer for specialized medical treatment as needed
• Provide comprehensive family psychiatric-mental health education
• Work with clients and their families in anticipation of developmental milestones, life cycle events
• Perform or recommend age-appropriate screening procedures
• Promote wellness oriented self-care
• Advocate for family psychiatric-mental health clients and their families

“Every day that you bring your skills, your knowledge, your empathy, and an open mind, you will make a difference in a patient’s life.”
– Kristen Kichefski, MSN, MBA, RN-BC

Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMH) registered nurses (RN) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) represent the second largest group of behavioral health professionals in the U.S. They work in a variety of settings and provide comprehensive care to individuals, families, groups, and communities. PMH nurses form strong therapeutic relationships with individuals across the lifespan – becoming familiar with their stories and challenges – to transform lives in a positive way.

Psychiatric-mental health nursing requires a wide range of nursing, psychosocial, and neurobiological expertise. PMH nurses promote well-being through prevention and education, in addition to the assessment, diagnosis, care, and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.

PMH Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) are well-educated and practice according to high quality licensing and credentialing standards. They enjoy strong compensation and career flexibility due to high demand for their services.

Nurses in psychiatric-mental health:

• Partner with individuals to achieve their recovery goals
• Provide health promotion and maintenance
• Conduct intake screening, evaluation, and triage
• Provide Case management
• Teach self-care activities
• Administer and monitor psychobiological treatment regimens
• Practice crisis intervention and stabilization
• Engage in psychiatric rehabilitation and intervention
• Educate patients, families, and communities
• Coordinate care
• Work within interdisciplinary teams

PMH advanced practice nurses also*:

• Provide individual, group, couples, and/or family psychotherapy
• Prescribe medication for acute and chronic illnesses
• Conduct comprehensive assessments
• Provide clinical supervision
• Diagnose, treat, and manage chronic or acute illness
• Provide integrative therapy interventions
• Order, perform, and interpret lab tests and other diagnostic studies
• Provide preventative care including screening and immunizations
• Develop policies for programs and systems
• Make referrals for health problems outside your scope of practice
• Perform procedures

At The Forefront of Mental Health Care

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses promote mental health in a variety of ways, including:

• Helping children exposed to traumatic and adverse events.
• Working with soldiers returning from combat operations.
• Helping older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia.
• Supporting teens and adults living with serious mental illness.
• Treating and counseling those working to recover from opioid, alcohol, and other substance use disorders.
• Creating and researching new interventions for persons experiencing suicidal thoughts

Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurses

PMH-APRNs are licensed as Nurse Practitioners (NP) or Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs). They provide the full range of psychiatric-mental health care across the lifespan and can prescribe and administer psychotherapy. PMH-APRNs work in urban and rural settings across the country, such as private practices, hospitals, community mental health centers, primary care offices, state and federal facilities.

PMH-APRNs make a proven difference in mental health and wellness with:

• Excellent patient outcomes
• High consumer satisfaction
• Cost-effective care

Find out more about how you can become a PMH-APRN and what the role entails: Learn about PMH-APRNs

What Makes a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse?

Being a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse requires compassion, sensitivity, and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. It requires someone who can see the human being in everyone and know that a person isn’t defined by their mental health condition.

Those who are passionate about working in behavioral science or nursing and find inspiration in helping patients access healing and recovery will thrive in a psychiatric-mental health nursing career.

Learn more about how to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse

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