According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year, and 1 in 20 adults experience a serious mental illness each year that could pose a danger to themselves or others.
Although awareness surrounding mental health issues has increased in recent years, much work remains to be done in the field. Most notably, the healthcare industry requires additional resources to meet the rising demand for care within this patient demographic.
This means promoting the value of psychiatric nursing to current and future clinicians and boosting the number of mental health nurses through education and specialized training. With the appropriate resources in place, mental health professionals can better address chronic depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other conditions that can hinder patients’ quality of life and relationships.
Those who are interested in how to become a mental health nurse are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the role’s responsibilities and the certification and degree requirements.
What Is a Mental Health Nurse?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the broad term “mental health” is used to describe anything that pertains to a person’s social, cognitive, psychological, or emotional well-being. More than 200 conditions are classified as mental health disorders or illnesses.
A mental health nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who specializes in treating patients with mental health conditions. Typically, they work within a team of psychiatric doctors, nurse practitioners (NPs), and other medical professionals in hospitals, mental health facilities, private practices, retirement homes, and other healthcare environments.
One of the biggest challenges in mental health nursing is getting patients the help they need quickly. According to NAMI, the average length of time between a person demonstrating symptoms of a mental illness and receiving treatment is 11 years. To help close this gap, psychiatric healthcare professionals promote awareness to educate the public on signs and symptoms and to remove stigmas surrounding mental health issues.
Mental Health Nurse Job Duties and Responsibilities
As clinicians who specialize in psychiatric care, mental health nurses deliver an array of services to a broad demographic. Mental health conditions affect men and women of all ages and backgrounds. For example, NAMI reports that about 17% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 experience mental health disorders. Additionally, the lesbian, gay, or bisexual category is statistically high risk, with approximately half the demographic reporting a mental illness.
Mental health nurses perform numerous duties to support and treat their patients, including the following:
- Conducting patient assessments to determine mental health status
- Updating patient records with symptoms and observations
- Collaborating with other psychiatric healthcare professionals to develop and administer a treatment plan
- Assisting patients with prescribed therapies, coping exercises, and other treatments
- Assisting patients with basic self-care and hygiene
- Overseeing environments to ensure that patients feel safe
- Providing assistance to NPs and physicians during patient counseling and treatment
- Providing crisis intervention support
- Serving as an educational resource to patients, families, and communities
Steps to Become a Mental Health Nurse
When evaluating how to become a mental health nurse, it’s important to note that no set path exists. However, a nurse should meet specific educational and certification benchmarks on this career path to maximize their capabilities and professional development.
Step 1: Earn a Nursing Degree
An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically the minimum level of education that an individual must complete to secure a role as an RN. However, the standards of nursing education are elevating, and many healthcare facilities want their nurses to possess at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). RN to BSN programs are available for RNs with an ADN who wish to advance to the BSN level.
Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-RN and Secure Nursing Licensure
After earning a nursing degree, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before they can practice. The exam tests candidates on the nursing skills, knowledge, and competencies that are essential to working in a healthcare environment as an RN. After passing the exam, graduates can apply for nursing licensure in their state of practice.
Step 3: Gain RN Experience
Before entering the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing, RNs typically must first gain experience working as a generalist clinician in a hospital or healthcare facility. RNs often practice full time for at least two years before transitioning to another branch of medicine.
Step 4: Earn a Certification
While professional nursing certifications are optional, some employers prefer that candidates hold specific credentials. Mental health nurses may choose to pursue the psychiatric mental health nurse – board certified (PMH-BC) certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). To earn the PMH-BC certification, nurses must first pass the board certification exam, and they must accrue at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience and at least 30 hours of continuing education in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Certifications show that clinicians have the skills and clinical knowledge necessary to work in a psychiatric-mental health capacity.
Mental Health Nurse Job Outlook
Nurses remain one of the most in-demand healthcare professionals in the medical field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RN roles will grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032, twice as fast as the average growth rate for all occupations combined. Although the BLS doesn’t specifically detail the growth rate for mental health nurses, the prevalence of mental health issues combined with patient demand indicates that the field of psychiatric nursing is a stable career choice with plenty of growth potential.
Pursue a Career in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Mental health disorders are chronic conditions that can compromise personal relationships, career goals, and overall quality of life. Providing support as a mental health nurse affords the opportunity to help countless individuals and increase awareness in communities. Working as a mental health nurse can also be a personally rewarding job with long-term career stability.
Those who are interested in how to become a mental health nurse should explore their educational options to pursue an RN career, such as the ADN and BSN programs offered at the Denver College of Nursing. The ADN program is offered at the school’s Denver campus, while the BSN is available at both the Denver and Houston campuses. During the programs, students will learn core competencies, such as:
- Pharmacology
- Pathophysiology
- Health assessment
- Medical-surgical nursing concepts
- Mental health concepts
DCN also offers online RN to BSN and online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs for nurses looking to advance their careers. Learn more about the Denver College of Nursing programs to discover how they can serve your career aspirations today.
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