Careers in the Mental Health Field for Nurses

Nurses work in a variety of medical fields, including the field of psychology or mental health. They work with patients with a wide range of psychological disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders and chemical dependency problems. They work with patients of all ages and from all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Inpatient Psychiatric Unit

Nurses work on inpatient psychiatric units where they supervise patients, administer medications, assess patients' physical and mental conditions and perform skilled nursing procedures when necessary. Nurses are largely responsible for patients' safety on the unit and monitor suicidal patients closely. On some units, nurses lead educational sessions or support groups for patients. They educate patients about their conditions and their medications individually as well as in groups. They also provide education and support to patients' families.

Outpatient Psychiatric Program

Nurses also work in outpatient psychiatric programs like partial hospitalization programs (where patients attend the program for several hours per day, five days per week) and intensive outpatient programs (where patients attend the program for several hours per week but not every day). They perform duties similar to those performed by nurses on inpatient psychiatric units. Nurses that work in outpatient psychiatric programs may also help patients coordinate their outpatient treatment plans, such as support groups they will attend, job training programs in which they will participate and visits to doctors.

Counselor

Nurse practitioners sometimes work as counselors, providing support for patients with emotional problems. They provide individual, groups and family counseling sessions. Nurses need special training in order to provide counseling services and usually work under the supervision of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Nurses need advanced degrees to work as counselors.

Doctor's Office

Nurses may work in doctors' offices where doctors, including psychiatrists, treat patients with psychological disorders. Not all psychiatrists employ nurses to work in their offices but some do. They check patients' vital signs, take histories, assess patients' physical and mental conditions and educate patients about their prescribed medications. They may assist physicians in other ways.

Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Nurses work in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. They monitor patients closely, administer prescribed medications including Methadone, administer drug tests and breathalyzer tests and provide education and emotional support to patients. Their work is similar to that of nurses that work on inpatient psychiatric units or in outpatient psychiatric programs but they specialize in substance abuse and chemical dependency. They must be able to recognize signs that patients are under the influence of illegal substances when they come to their programs and respond appropriately.

Sources:

Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm . Registered Nurses.

American Psychiatric Nurses Association. http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292 . About Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses.