Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – Career and Education Profile

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Psychiatric nurse practitioners have advanced nursing training, so they can work in leadership positions in the field of mental health.

Job Responsibilities

Your training as a nurse practitioner means that you can complete advanced tasks when working with psychiatric patients. Nurse practitioners can develop treatment plans, assess patients, prescribe medications, and more without direct supervision from physicians. Your exact tasks as a psychiatric nurse practitioner will depend on factors like your specializations and the type of facility where you work. Along with working with patients, you could also take on administrative tasks as a nurse practitioner, and you also have the option to work in research or education on top of doing clinical work.

Salary and Career Options

According to Payscale.com, psychiatric nurse practitioners make an average of $84,897 annually. Factors that can affect the salary you receive include your experience in the field, the location where you live and work, your employer, the type of certifications you have, and whether or not you work in a management position. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you can earn more money by choosing to specialize even farther, working with a specific type of patient such as senior citizens or those suffering from a specific illness, like autism or depression. You can also decide to go back to school to take counseling classes, working toward earning an addition certification or license in your state so you can better help mental health patients.

Educational Requirements

To become a nurse practitioner, you need at least a master’s degree, which will allow you to take classes in both general nursing and psychiatric care. In the future, all states will require you to go on to get a doctorate degree in order to qualify for certification as a nurse practitioner.

LPN to RN College Programs

With some additional schooling, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can become a registered nurse (RN), opening doors to more job opportunities and higher salaries. The following is a list of schools with the best online LPN to RN degree programs offered by accredited colleges. You can request information by clicking the college's logo.

LPN to RN (BSN)	Indiana State University—ISU’s LPN to BSN degree program is the only online LPN to RN training program in the United States. LPNs and LVNs who complete this program can earn their NLNAC-approved Bachelor of Science degree in nursing entirely online. Upon completion, graduates should meet all of the prerequisites for becoming an RN. Read an in-depth review of Indiana State University.
LPN to RN LPN to ADN LPN to BSN	The College Network—Earn your LPN to RN (ADN) degree completely online with no campus attendance and no wait list. Learn from the convenience of home at your own pace, and earn an NLNAC-accredited associate’s degree in less time and for less money than traditional campus programs. Read an in-depth review of The College Network.
	Select a subject and degree level, then click "Find My Degree" to browse 100+ online nursing schools offering relevant accredited programs.
BS in Nursing RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Education MSN in Nurse Informatics MSN in Nurse Management	Walden University—Founded in 1970, Walden University is dedicated to providing education for a higher purpose. The Nursing School confers degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level, which provides further study in health informatics, nursing education, and nursing leadership/management. Walden is one of the biggest providers of online master and doctorate programs with over a hundred degrees offered at each level.
RN to BSN MS in Nursing (MSN) MSN in Adult Health RN to MSN in Nurse Education Accelerated RN to MSN	South University—South University’s College of Nursing offers numerous degree programs for aspiring nurses. Those looking for a BSN degree can enter into the RN to BSN and complete it within 18 months. South also offers the following master’s degree-level programs: MS in Nursing (MSN), MSN in adult health nurse practitioning, MSN in nurse education, and an accelerated RN to MSN.
RN to BSN RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Administration MSN in Nurse Education	Kaplan University—Kaplan University’s RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs feature curriculums that provide registered nurses with the tools to graduate with BSN and MSN degrees. The MSNs in Nurse Administration or Nurse Education feature curriculums that teach methods in management and education in order to prepare students for leadership and educator positions with in the nursing field.