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A Rewarding Career in Mental Health Nursing

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According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, out of over 222,000 certified nurse practitioners, 11,988 specialize in mental health. This figure represents only a small portion of the total number of nurse practitioners registered in the United States. The psychiatric nursing industry is already witnessing this expected growth in demand. If you are interested to pursue a career in psychiatric nursing, here are things you need to know.

Responsibilities of A Mental Health Nurse

Mental health nurses are in charge of developing treatment plans and delivering medical and nursing care to patients. Mental health nurses help clients with a variety of problems, including anxiety and depression. As well as those with personality disorders, and eating disorders.

Work In Various Settings

Hospitals, outpatient care facilities, and community mental health clinics are common work settings. Schedules, employment responsibilities, and pay are all affected by where they work. Registered nurses who work in hospitals or the public sector, for example, earn more on average. Many nurses also work in ambulatory health services and residential care facilities. Some in educational services too. These facilities often pay well.

Nurses in hospitals and in-patient settings may perform a variety of shifts, including night and weekend shifts. Regular business hours are common in doctor's offices and outpatient care facilities. Those who run their private practices have the freedom to determine their hours.

High In Demand

The influence of the PPACA of 2010, made mental health care more available to millions of Americans. It is one of the reasons mental health nurses are high in demand. There has been a huge increase in the number of patients who have received quality health care as a result of the reform since it was signed.

Skills Required

Positions as a mental health nurse require a great level of compassion and understanding. To aid patients in dealing with challenging situations, excellent communication skills are required. As a mental health nurse, you may be requested to give verbal instructions to patients. This helps them feel more empowered in situations where they feel powerless.

Knowing what to say isn't the only thing that matters. It is also important to know the appropriate tone of voice, loudness, and body language to care for patients in a range of scenarios. Many mental health nursing activities include therapeutic communication. These skills must be maintained in a constantly changing environment.

Financial Security

Psychiatric nursing is a demanding profession. In some ways, it's even more important than general practice nursing. Nonetheless, many nurses find it to be an excellent match for their abilities and interests.

Nursing can also be a lucrative profession. The typical hourly rate for psychiatric nurses in the United States is $32.05 per hour. This is according to Payscale data. Career length and geographic region also influence this figure. Total salary ranges from $53,000 to slightly over $90,000 per year on an annual basis.

The demand for mental health nurses has skyrocketed in recent years. This reflects the profession's growing relevance in the United States' healthcare system.

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