Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses

What the job really is

Assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families with mental health or substance use disorders or the potential for such disorders. Apply therapeutic activities, including the prescription of medication, per state regulations, and the administration of psychotherapy.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1141
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Assess patients' mental and physical status, based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
• Diagnose psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions.
• Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
• Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
• Write prescriptions for psychotropic medications as allowed by state regulations and collaborative practice agreements.
• Monitor patients' medication usage and results.
• Evaluate patients' behavior to formulate diagnoses or assess treatments.
• Distinguish between physiologically- and psychologically-based disorders, and diagnose appropriately.
• Develop and implement treatment plans.
• Conduct individual, group, or family psychotherapy for those with chronic or acute mental disorders.
• 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.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, SAS, AUDIT-C, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Binocular light compound microscopes, Blood pressure cuffs, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale BPRS Nursing Modification

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Nurse Practitioners
• Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Psychiatrists
• Psychiatric Technicians
• Family Medicine Physicians
• Acute Care Nurses
• Registered Nurses
• Critical Care Nurses

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.