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Psychiatric Nursing Job Description

Psychiatric Nurses are Nurses who specifically care for patients of all ages who suffer from any type of mental illness or mental distress. These illnesses include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis, dementia, depression, and much more.

Patients require direct care from Psychiatric Nurses, as well as a hefty amount of social interaction and other specific care during both temporary and long-term hospitalization. For this reason, Psychiatric Nurses must be adequately prepared to handle rigorous caring procedures that are unique to this specific field of Nursing.

Typical duties of a Psychiatric Nurse include many of the following:

• Keep patient’s morale up by providing a positive therapeutic relationship
• Help build patient’s confidence
• Conduct spiritual interventions
• Help patient work through self-doubts and despair
• Organize events with fellow Nurses and associates to help build patient’s social skills
• Keep patient’s family educated and up to date on illness
• Consult with patient the importance of well-being and physical needs
• Identify risk factors
• Be prepared for potential violent episodes

It takes an extreme amount of patience and understanding to be a successful Psychiatric Nurse. This profession is obviously much different than many other traditional Nursing professions, but is still a vital role in the medical field. Empowering patients through encouragement and positive personal relationships is paramount to ensuring great mental health.

Being a Psychiatric Nurse requires either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Nursing, with which a prospective Nurse is able to use to become eligible for on the job training in a mental health facility. In order to become a Psychiatric Nurse specialist or practitioner, it is required that the Nurse obtain a master’s degree.