Psychiatric Nursing

A psychiatric nurse is a registered nurse that provides care and support to patients with mental disabilities

. Although this is typical for most nurses, a psychiatric nurse is expected to provide an additional level of support. Nurses working with patients who suffer from mental disabilities must analyze the needs of each patient and develop a unique plan to care for each one. By working with doctors and other nurses, a psychiatric nurse can develop a custom plan to care for each one, as well as provide comfort for the patient.

Psychiatric nurses can administer medication to patients, however; this is typically only under order from a doctor. If the mental state of a patient changes, a nurse must be able work quickly and determine the best course of action. Psychiatric nursing also includes informing nursing students, doctors, other patients, and family members of different mental illnesses, and their associated care plan. This is an important role for nurses, as it is important to ensure accuracy when describing how to treat a patient.

To get into the field of psychiatric nursing, typically a nurse will have a bachelor's degree from a college or nursing school. General courses relating to nursing can prepare a person to become a psychiatric nurse, but additional courses may have to be taken at a later time. Psychiatric nurses must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the state that they are working in. It is also important for nurses to stay up to date on their training by attending regular training.

Although it is important for a psychiatric nurse to be skilled in all areas that are required of registered nurses, psychiatric nurses must be able to show a greater degree of understanding of many different mental disabilities. One way for nurses to gain valuable experience is to serve on a rotation assignment. This can expose a nurse to different disorders, as well as provide valuable experience.

Typically a psychiatric nurse will work in either a hospital, long term care facility, or other medical facility. More facilites are beginning to offer support for patients with mental disabilites, leading to more places for nurses to work. Nurses should expect to work an average number of shifts, even though some of them may be longer than normal. A psychiatric nurse must also be able to work in an environment that is stressful from the number of patients that need more care than a typical patient.

The demand for Psychiatric Nursing Jobs is growing, and since the nursing is included by the health care industry, it is expected to grow even more. Many hospitals and other medical care facilities offer some level of mental support leading to even more job openings. Psychiatric nurses also have room to grow their career. They can choose to stay in their role for the entirety of their career, and survive comfortably. They may also be promoted to a supervisor, or continue their education and get a higher degree. This can lead to a transition into a specialist role.

Psychiatric Nursing

By: Michael Ekman

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