Occupation · SOC 29-1141.02
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
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.
Median wage
$93,600
$66,030–$135,320
Projected growth
+4.9%
Average growth
Annual openings
16,610
per year
Employed (US)
3,282,010
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,737 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessSpeakingWritingTime ManagementReading ComprehensionMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningService OrientationLearning StrategiesInstructingCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationScienceManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingOperations AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
PsychologyTherapy and CounselingEnglish LanguageMedicine and DentistryBiologySociology and AnthropologyEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceLaw and GovernmentChemistryMathematicsComputers and ElectronicsTelecommunicationsPublic Safety and SecurityCommunications and MediaAdministration and ManagementAdministrativePhilosophy and TheologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingGeographyHistory and ArcheologyProduction and ProcessingTransportationEngineering and TechnologyForeign LanguageDesignFood ProductionPhysicsMechanicalBuilding and ConstructionFine Arts
Technology & tools
AUDIT-CBeck Anxiety InventoryBeck Depression InventoryBrief Psychiatric Rating Scale BPRS Nursing ModificationCalifornia Verbal Learning TestCategory Fluency TestChildren's Depression InventoryControlled Oral Word Association TaskElectroconvulsive therapy equipmentEpic HERGeriatric Depression ScaleHendrich Falls Risk ModelInvivo Data EPX ePRO Management SystemMedical condition coding softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordMillon Behavioral Medicine DiagnosticMinnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 MMPI-2Myers Briggs Type IndicatorNEO PI-RPatient Health QuestionairePatient management softwareSASWeb browser softwareYoung Mania Rating ScaleZung Depression Rating Scale
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersDocumenting/Recording InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsProcessing InformationGetting InformationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesWorking with ComputersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationThinking CreativelyTraining and Teaching OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCoaching and Developing OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Psychiatric patient assessments — conduct structured mental and physical status examinations under direct clinical supervision in inpatient or outpatient behavioral health settings.Presenting symptoms and complaints — recognize and document patterns using standardized intake protocols within a supervised psychiatric practice environment.Psychiatric histories and physical assessment results — gather and record in electronic health records under attending APRN or physician oversight.DSM diagnostic criteria — apply foundational knowledge to formulate preliminary differential diagnoses for common psychiatric disorders under supervisory review.Psychotropic medication classes and mechanisms — identify and describe appropriately within collaborative practice agreement boundaries during supervised clinical rotations.Patient education materials on mental health conditions — deliver using prepared resources to patients and family members under guidance from a supervising clinician.Behavioral observation data — collect and report systematically to support the supervising provider's treatment formulation in structured clinical environments.Physiological versus psychological symptom presentations — distinguish at a basic level by applying learned screening frameworks during supervised patient encounters.Electronic medical software platforms — navigate to enter progress notes, assessment findings, and preliminary orders under direct preceptor instruction.Time management and clinical scheduling protocols — follow to prioritize patient caseloads within a supervised advanced practice psychiatric training program.
developing
Comprehensive mental and physical status assessments — perform independently and document accurately for a diverse psychiatric caseload in community mental health or outpatient clinic settings.DSM-5 and ICD psychiatric diagnoses — formulate with reduced oversight by integrating biopsychosocial data gathered during patient interviews and collateral contacts.Medical and psychological histories, diagnoses, and treatment plans — maintain in electronic health records in compliance with regulatory and institutional documentation standards.Patients and family members — educate routinely on psychiatric conditions, medication side effects, and wellness strategies using evidence-based health literacy approaches.Psychotropic medication prescriptions — write and manage within state scope-of-practice regulations and collaborative practice agreements for stable to moderately complex patients.Medication response, adherence, and adverse effects — monitor across a panel of psychiatric patients using structured follow-up protocols and pharmacokinetic knowledge.Patient behavioral patterns across encounters — evaluate to refine diagnoses and adjust treatment plans using structured clinical reasoning in an outpatient behavioral health setting.Co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions — differentiate by integrating laboratory findings, medical records, and clinical presentation data with growing clinical confidence.Analytical and database software tools — use to track patient outcomes, retrieve clinical decision-support resources, and maintain accurate medication logs.Interdisciplinary care team members — coordinate with routinely to align psychiatric treatment plans with primary care, social work, and pharmacy services.
proficient
Complex and ambiguous psychiatric presentations — assess autonomously across the full diagnostic spectrum, integrating neurobiological, psychological, and social determinants in acute and community care environments.Psychiatric diagnoses for treatment-resistant and comorbid conditions — formulate independently, applying advanced clinical reasoning to distinguish overlapping mood, psychotic, personality, and neurodevelopmental disorders.Comprehensive clinical documentation including treatment outcomes and prescriptive decisions — produce to medico-legal standards within electronic health systems, supporting continuity of care across multidisciplinary teams.Individualized psychoeducation for patients with chronic psychiatric illness — design and deliver to patients and families, adapting communication style to cultural context and health literacy level.Complex psychotropic medication regimens — prescribe, titrate, and manage autonomously for high-acuity patients, applying pharmacogenomic and drug-interaction knowledge within full scope-of-practice authority.Medication efficacy, tolerability, and patient safety signals — monitor proactively across a large panel by analyzing clinical data trends and collaborating with pharmacy and primary care providers.Non-routine behavioral presentations including first-episode psychosis, acute suicidality, and dual-diagnosis cases — evaluate and formulate using advanced assessment instruments and evidence-based frameworks.Differential diagnosis between neurological, endocrine, and primary psychiatric etiologies — perform skillfully by integrating physical examination, laboratory, and imaging data in integrated behavioral health settings.Critical clinical decisions under time pressure and uncertainty — execute using structured judgment frameworks, balancing patient autonomy, risk stratification, and ethical obligations in crisis settings.Learning strategies and active inquiry — apply continuously to integrate emerging psychiatric evidence into clinical practice, adapting treatment protocols based on published research and clinical guidelines.
advanced
Organizational psychiatric care models and clinical protocols — design and implement at system scale, aligning advanced practice nursing scope with institutional, regulatory, and population health priorities.Diagnostic standards and best-practice assessment frameworks — establish across a psychiatric service line, ensuring fidelity to evidence-based tools and equitable care delivery for diverse patient populations.Clinical documentation and quality-assurance systems — lead development and continuous improvement of, ensuring regulatory compliance, risk management, and outcome measurement across a large behavioral health organization.Staff education programs on mental health conditions, psychopharmacology, and therapeutic communication — develop and oversee for APRN and nursing teams to elevate competency standards across the practice.Prescriptive authority policies and collaborative practice agreements — shape at organizational and legislative levels, advocating for full-practice authority expansion and safe prescribing standards in psychiatric care.Psychotropic medication safety and outcomes data — analyze at population level to guide formulary decisions, reduce adverse events, and inform institutional prescribing guidelines across multiple care sites.Advanced clinical supervisors and emerging APRNs — mentor and evaluate in complex behavioral assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and treatment planning to build the next generation of psychiatric practitioners.Physiological and psychiatric comorbidity management protocols — author and champion across integrated health systems, bridging gaps between primary care, neurology, and behavioral health specialty services.Strategic clinical decision-making frameworks — model and teach to clinical leadership teams, embedding evidence-based psychiatric judgment processes into quality improvement and accreditation initiatives.Interdisciplinary and community partnerships — cultivate at executive level to expand behavioral health access, reduce disparities, and position the organization as a regional leader in advanced psychiatric care delivery.
Also known as
24 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adult PMHNP (Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)Adult Psychiatric Mental Health APRN (Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse)Advanced Practice Provider (APP)Advanced Practice Psychiatric NurseAPN (Advanced Practice Nurse)Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (BC PMH-CNS)Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Family Psychiatric Mental Health NP)Mental Health NurseMental Health PhysicianMental Health ProviderPMH-APRN (Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse)PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)Psychiatric APN (Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse)Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (Psychiatric CNS)Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMH Nurse)Psychiatric NP (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner)Psychiatric NursePsychiatric PhysicianPsychiatric Primary Care Nurse PractitionerPsychiatric ProviderPsychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse)Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMH-CNS)Psychiatry APRN (Psychiatry Advanced Practice Registered Nurse)Travel Psychiatric RN (Travel Psychiatric Registered Nurse)