What is an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Job Description: Provide advanced nursing care for patients with psychiatric disorders. May provide psychotherapy under the direction of a psychiatrist.
A Day in the Life of an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Evaluate patients’ behavior to formulate diagnoses or assess treatments.
- Monitor the use and status of medical and pharmaceutical supplies.
- Monitor patients’ medication usage and results.
- Distinguish between physiologically and psychologically based disorders and diagnose appropriately.
- Refer patients requiring more specialized or complex treatment to psychiatrists, primary care physicians, or other medical specialists.
- Teach classes in mental health topics such as stress reduction.
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Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses say are important on the job.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Types of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Jobs
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Advanced Practice Nurse Psychotherapist (APN Psychotherapist)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Job Outlook for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,955,200 jobs in the United States for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 203,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
The salary for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses ranges between about $50,800 and $106,530 a year.

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $59,470 |
Alaska | $89,310 |
Arizona | $77,000 |
Arkansas | $60,780 |
California | $106,950 |
Colorado | $74,240 |
Connecticut | $81,220 |
Delaware | $74,800 |
District of Columbia | $92,350 |
Florida | $66,210 |
Georgia | $68,950 |
Hawaii | $98,080 |
Idaho | $67,110 |
Illinois | $73,890 |
Indiana | $64,860 |
Iowa | $59,130 |
Kansas | $61,030 |
Kentucky | $63,100 |
Louisiana | $63,970 |
Maine | $67,610 |
Maryland | $76,820 |
Massachusetts | $92,140 |
Michigan | $71,330 |
Minnesota | $78,920 |
Mississippi | $58,490 |
Missouri | $65,130 |
Montana | $67,450 |
Nebraska | $64,470 |
Nevada | $85,620 |
New Hampshire | $72,760 |
New Jersey | $82,750 |
New Mexico | $71,730 |
New York | $85,610 |
North Carolina | $64,850 |
North Dakota | $65,740 |
Ohio | $66,820 |
Oklahoma | $63,080 |
Oregon | $91,080 |
Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
Rhode Island | $78,420 |
South Carolina | $64,940 |
South Dakota | $58,340 |
Tennessee | $61,320 |
Texas | $72,890 |
Utah | $65,670 |
Vermont | $69,160 |
Virginia | $69,790 |
Washington | $82,670 |
West Virginia | $61,780 |
Wisconsin | $71,470 |
Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- SAS
- Invivo Data EPX ePRO Management System
How do I Become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Are there Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?

Where do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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