Last Updated on December 20, 2022
Want to become a nurse psychologist? The first step is to become a registered nurse (RN) and earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This publication discusses the process of turning your nursing education into a career.
Are you interested in becoming a nurse psychologist ? If yes, then this article will give you all the information you need to secure your career as a nurse psychologist . If you are one, then it is good to know that you are in the right profession. A Nurse Psychologist can work with many patients who are directly or indirectly related to psychiatric problem. The pay scale of a nurse psychologist is also on the higher side.
Have you been looking through the internet for information on how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner? Do you often get confused by the conflicting information you see on it online? You need not search further as you will find the answer to this question in the article below. Take out time to surf through our catalog right here on Collegelearners for ample information on RN to masters in psychology, nursing and psychology double major, nurse psychotherapist programs, and so much more.
How To Become A Nurse Psychologist
mental health nurse
Mental health nursing, also known as psychiatric nursing, is a specialized field of nursing practice that involves the care of individuals with a mental health disorder to help them recover and improve their quality of life.
Mental health nurses have advanced knowledge of the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric disorders that helps them provide specialized care. They typically work alongside other health professionals in a medical team with the aim of providing the optimal clinical outcomes for the patient.
Mental illness can affect individuals of any age, ethnic origin, or socioeconomic status. For this reason, a mental health nurse may need to work with many different individuals from various backgrounds.
How To Become A Nurse Psychologist
Becoming a psychology nurse involves many of the same steps as any other type of nurse, but there are a few ways in which you can advance your career in psychology especially that are unique to this career path. The steps for becoming a psychiatric nurse are:
1. Get an education
Like any other type of nurse, a psychology nurse needs a degree. For many, that means getting a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN). This enables you to work as a nurse in a variety of settings, including in psychiatric clinics, hospitals and other related facilities. There are other nursing degrees that earn you other nursing titles that require less school, including associate degree programs. Some people who pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology may decide during college that you want instead to become a nurse to work in the psychology field.
For those in that situation, there are a few options for switching to a nursing degree. The first is that you may be early enough in your college career to switch majors and have some credits apply to the nursing program, although you may need to meet different requirements for entrance into the nursing program than you did for psychology. The other option is that you can graduate with your bachelor’s in psychology and then enter an accelerated BSN program that takes 11 to 18 months, for those who already have a bachelor’s degree.
Regardless of how you get your degree, to work as a nurse, a BSN is your best option if you are considering becoming a nurse practitioner eventually. Nurse practitioners need an advanced degree, such as a master’s or doctorate, so earning a bachelor’s is necessary to move forward with those degrees. Earning a BSN sets you up well for a career as a psychology nurse and can help you progress to other titles too.
2. Get licensed
Whether you earned an associate degree to become a LPN or you earned a bachelor’s degree to become a Registered Nurse (RN), both titles require licensing through your state. The requirements for licensing can vary depending on where you live, so it’s best to research what you’ll need to do based on local requirements. Many nursing programs also provide information on how to become licensed.
In many states, becoming licensed involves a set amount of supervised work experience and passing an exam. Additionally, to remain licensed, nurses must earn continuing education credits and renew licensing regularly.
3. Find work with psychiatric patients
Since there isn’t really a way to specialize in psychology nursing in your education, if you want to work with psychiatric patients, you’ll want to find a job specifically in that area. This might mean working as a nurse in a psychiatric ward in a hospital or getting a job as a nurse in a mental health clinic.
Depending on what types of positions are available at facilities near you, it may take time to find the right type of position. You might decide to work in an emergency room, as even though there are many other types of patients, there are also a fair number of psychiatric patients who come to emergency rooms for help. This can give you exposure to the field in case you can’t find a position working only with psychiatry patients at first.
4. Consider a certification
If you would like to show potential employers that you are specialized in psychology nursing, there are certificates you can earn to do so. One of these is through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which offers certifications for licensed RNs and nurse practitioners. One of the certification options is in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (PMH-BC) and is intended for RNs who want to specialize in psychiatry. This certification does require a certain amount of experience in a psychiatric setting, so it’s not for entry level nurses.
5. Pursue a post-graduate degree
If you want to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, which is a type of nurse that can take on some responsibilities normally reserved for doctors, you need to pursue a post-graduate degree. This might be a master’s or a doctorate, although it tends to be a master’s more frequently. At either level, you’d be studying specifically to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and would learn about how to treat mental health patients.
One role psychiatric nurse practitioners can fill is as a medication prescriber for patients who need regular mental health medications. This is a role commonly found at mental health clinics, but there are other facilities that use psychiatric nurse practitioners for this as well.
6. Obtain additional licensing and certification
If you earn your master’s or doctorate to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you also need to become licensed in your area in order to work in that role. Just as with most other licenses, the requirements vary depending on where you live and work. Additionally, you may find that there are certifications that can benefit you, including one from the American Nurses Credentialing Center that is like the one for RNs.
nurse psychologist salary
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners earn, on average, $111,572 per year, as of September 2021 according to Payscale. Psychiatric nurse practitioners typically work 40 hours per week, making their hourly wage approximately $53.60.
how to become a neuropsychologist in canada
To qualify for registration as a psychiatric nurse in Canada, an individual must first complete an approved post-secondary nursing education program and must pass the Registered Psychiatric Nurse of Canada Examination (RPNCE) or the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE).
accredited psychiatric nursing education institutions in Canada’s Western Provinces. These programs provide students with specialized knowledge about mental and physical health, mental and physical illness, psychopathology, pathophysiology, health promotion, disease prevention, and health care systems.
You can also qualify by first becoming a registered nurse (RN), and then pursuing career experience in the area of psychiatric-mental health nursing. With 2 years experience in the specialty area of Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMH) nursing, the RN is eligible to apply to write the Canadian Nurses Association specialty certification examination in PMH nursing leading to certification in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing CPMHN(C).
Canada:
To become a psychiatric nurse in Canada, you need to be a registered nurse (RN) with the nursing regulation body in your province or territory. To qualify for registration, you must complete the educational requirements, and pass the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination. This provides the nurse with the Registered Psychiatric Nurse credential (RPN).
The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) administers an annual national examination in the specialty of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Registered nurses who successfully complete the exam are considered certified in PMH Nursing and can use the credential CPMHN(C).
