What Do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Do?
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Definition Provide advanced nursing care for patients with psychiatric disorders. May provide psychotherapy under the direction of a psychiatrist.
Life As an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Direct or provide home health services.
- Participate in activities aimed at professional growth and development including conferences or continuing education activities.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, or nursing staff, to develop, implement, or evaluate treatment plans.
- Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
- Document patients’ medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
- Write prescriptions for psychotropic medications as allowed by state regulations and collaborative practice agreements.
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Things an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Should Know How to Do
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Related Job Titles
- Deputy Director of Clinical Specialty Services
- Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Coordinator of the Psychiatric Liaison Service
- Advanced Practice Nurse Psychotherapist (APN Psychotherapist)
Are There Job Opportunities for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses?
In the United States, there were 2,955,200 jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse in 2016. 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.
What is the Average Salary of an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
The average yearly salary of an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse ranges between $50,800 and $106,530.

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 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Work

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse might also be interested in the following careers:
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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