Psychiatry-mental health (PMH) nursing is a specialty focused on providing direct care to individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing their mental health (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2018).
What do psychiatric-mental health nurses do?
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- PMH nurses develop individualized plans for each patient, provide counseling, assist with activities of daily living and administer medications.
- Advanced practice PMH nurses assess, diagnose, and treat mental health problems by conducting psychotherapy sessions and prescribing psychiatric drugs.
Where do psychiatric-mental health nurses work?
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PMH nurses may work in a variety of settings including hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, home health agencies, correctional facilities, outpatient mental health organizations, and schools.
What do psychiatric-mental health nurses need to know?
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A profession in psychiatric/mental health nursing requires:
- an understanding of behavioral science and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety (panic attacks, phobias), mood disorders (depression, bipolar), substance abuse, and dementia.
- keen assessment and monitoring skills.
- vast knowledge of psychiatric medications and therapeutic techniques.
- experience in crisis intervention.
More psychiatric-mental health nursing resources
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- Nursing Pocket Cards, including delirium, dementia, and depression
- Guideline Summaries, including suicide risk assessment
- Blog posts, with infographics, mnemonics, tips, and more
- Journal
- Articles and nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) activities
- Headlines and news stories
- Society partners
Reference:
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (2018). About APNA: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. Retrieved from https://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292#1