Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | Programs and Certification

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | Programs and Certification | Our TOP Recommendations
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Mental health assistants or psychiatric nursing assistants, also known as psychiatric aides, care for emotionally disturbed or mentally impaired individuals. They work under a team that may be comprised of social workers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses.

• Nature of the Work - While assisting patients eating, bathing, dressing and grooming psychiatric aides also socialize with patients and help them with recreational and educational activities. They watch patients and report any behavioral or physical signs that should be brought to the attention of the professional staff.
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - Psychiatric aide training is provided by some high schools, some nursing care facilities, vocational-technical centers, and some community colleges. Classes cover communication skills, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, body mechanics, infection control, and resident rights.
• Other Qualifications - Applicants should be tactful, dependable, understanding and patient, as well as emotionally stable, and should have the sincere desire to help people.
  
  
  

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | Programs and Certification

Psychiatric aides should be willing to care for patients whose illness may lead to violent episodes. Even though their work can be very demanding emotionally, many aides gain a personal satisfaction from helping out those in need.

Many employers offer training classes for aides that have newly joined their employment, while others depend upon a more informal on the job training provided through an experienced aide or licensed nurse. Training may last as long as several days to a few months.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - Graduate - Job Outlook

Psychiatric, nursing, and home health aides approximately 2.3 million jobs in 2006. Nursing aides held the majority of jobs—about 1.4 million. Psychiatric aides held roughly 62,000 jobs. About 47 percent of all psychiatric aides were employed by hospitals, mainly in substance abuse or psychiatric hospitals, though some were also employed by the psychiatric units of general surgical and medical hospitals. Others had jobs in residential mental retardation, mental health, and substance abuse facilities; State government agencies; and residential and nursing care facilities.

Great job opportunities for psychiatric, nursing, and home health aides will come about from a pattern of fast job growth and the need to replace workers who choose to leave the field any given year.

Few changes are expected in employment forecast of psychiatric aides—the smallest of the three occupations. Many psychiatric aides now work for hospitals, but industries most likely to see job growth potential will be residential facilities for people with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse problems. There is an industry-wide trend toward treating psychiatric patients out of hospital settings since it is more cost effective and gives patients the opportunity to live more independently. The need for psychiatric aides in residential facilities will increase in response to the rise in the aging population, many of whom may eventually need mental health services. Increasing demand for these workers also depends upon a growing number of mentally disabled adults who are currently cared for by elderly parents and who will continue to need care later in life. Employment growth could also be affected by changes in the status of government program funding for the mentally ill.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - Graduates - Earnings Statistics

The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics reports average hourly wages of psychiatric aides were $11.49 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent made between $9.20 and $14.46 an hour. The bottom 10 percent made less than $7.75, and the top 10 percent made more than $17.32 an hour.

Related Occupations: Psychiatric, nursing, and home health aides provide assistance to people who need routine treatment or care. So do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, child care workers, registered nurses, personal and home care aides, physical therapist assistants and aides, medical assistants, occupational therapist assistants and aides, and radiation therapists. Human and social service assistants, who often work with mental health patients, perform duties similar to those of psychiatric aides.


Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | Programs and Certification

There are an excellent number of choices if you want to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Online schools and colleges now provide the same curriculum as the traditional education. Learning online provides you with so much more flexibility to suit your lifestyle and current employment. We include our top recommendations for colleges and universities for training as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.


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