Behavioral / Psychiatric Nurse Jobs

Behavioral health nurse jobs are positions in which nurses provide care to patients with mental health disorders and conditions. Psychiatric nurses understand the research supporting the treatment of those who have mental health disorders and are specialized in how to manage these patients medically and how to therapeutically communicate with them.

Psychiatric travel nurse jobs are specifically designed to provide temporary staffing support to hospitals that have specific needs for psychiatric patients. Travel psychiatric nurses will provide care in multiple different environments and should be able to quickly adjust to the workflow of new facilities.

Psychiatric Nurse Responsibilities

Psychiatric nurse duties focus on not just the physical care of patients, but also their mental and emotional care. Psychiatric nurses will perform routine assessments of their patient’s physical and emotional well-being, bringing any changes in condition to the attention of the medical team to allow for early intervention.

Psychiatric nurses will also be responsible for providing treatments to their patients. This may include giving medications or other physical treatments but also includes helping their emotional well-being. This could include leading group therapy, having one-on-one conversations, and other therapeutic communication-based interventions.

Psychiatric Nurse Certification

Psychiatric nurse requirements are the same as most other types of nursing, with an RN or LPN/LVN license being necessary to practice in this area. Psychiatric nurses are typically required to have an RN license. Psychiatric nurses may be in higher demand in correctional facilities than many other types of nurses. However, informal correctional nursing education may be necessary. RNs specialized in psychiatric nursing will likely have a behavioral health nurse certification, but this certification is not necessary to work as a psychiatric nurse.

Psychiatric Nurse Salary & Job Outlook

The psychiatric nurse job outlook is very good, with nursing jobs in general projected to grow by at least 9% per year by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average psychiatric nurse salary is over $78,000 per year according to salary.com. However, travel psychiatric nurses will likely be compensated with an above-average salary.

Sunbelt is committed to helping nurses improve their careers and increase their earning potential. We pride ourselves in providing personalized career support that focuses on supporting you in taking the next steps of your career. Please apply to one of our current travel nurse jobs or call us to learn more about how we can help you advance your nursing career!

Behavioral / Psychiatric Nurse Jobs Available Now