How to become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
Official title: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
Also called: Adult Psychiatric Mental Health APRN (Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse), Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse, APN (Advanced Practice Nurse), Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (BC PMH-CNS), PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner), Psychiatric APN (Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse), Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (Psychiatric CNS), Psychiatric NP (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner), Psychiatric Provider, Psychiatry APRN (Psychiatry Advanced Practice Registered Nurse)
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
How to become one
Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Nursing & Midwifery degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US
- Licence: A licence is required in 34 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $97,550 a year The middle half earn $80,330 to $112,350.
- About 3,465,400 people work in this job now, and about 3,660,100 are projected by 2035. (+5.6%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
How much does an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $97,550 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $80,330 to $112,350.
Is an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 3,465,400 to about 3,660,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Usually. 70% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.