Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Career

Job Description: 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.


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Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Career

What Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses do:

  • Assess patients' mental and physical status, based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, or nursing staff, to develop, implement, or evaluate treatment plans.
  • Develop and implement treatment plans.
  • Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
  • Evaluate patients' behavior to formulate diagnoses or assess treatments.
  • Participate in activities aimed at professional growth and development, including conferences or continuing education activities.
  • Conduct individual, group, or family psychotherapy for those with chronic or acute mental disorders.
  • Consult with psychiatrists or other professionals when unusual or complex cases are encountered.
  • Develop practice protocols for mental health problems, based on review and evaluation of published research.
  • Diagnose psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions.
  • Distinguish between physiologically- and psychologically-based disorders, and diagnose appropriately.
  • Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
  • Monitor patients' medication usage and results.
  • Participate in treatment team conferences regarding diagnosis or treatment of difficult cases.
  • Refer patients requiring more specialized or complex treatment to psychiatrists, primary care physicians, or other medical specialists.
  • Teach classes in mental health topics, such as stress reduction.
  • Administer medications, including those administered by injection.
  • Develop, implement, or evaluate programs such as outreach activities, community mental health programs, and crisis situation response activities.
  • Interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs) and renal functioning tests.
  • Monitor the use and status of medical and pharmaceutical supplies.
  • Write prescriptions for psychotropic medications as allowed by state regulations and collaborative practice agreements.
  • Provide routine physical health screenings to detect or monitor problems such as heart disease and diabetes.
  • Direct or provide home health services.
  • Treat patients for routine physical health problems.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Holland Code Chart for an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse