Ask a Nurse

Type your question here:

What Does a Behavioral Health Nurse Do?

Behavioral health nurses, also known as psychiatric or mental health nurses, care for patients who have psychiatric issues. The duties of a behavioral health nurse may include:

• Helping to diagnose mental or behavioral issues
• Teaching coping mechanisms
• Administering medications
• Educating families and patients about illness management
• Providing therapy
• Promoting patient health

If you want to gain more knowledge and work more independently in behavioral health nursing, degree programs that lead to a master's or doctoral degree enable you to provide primary care to patients with mental illnesses as a nurse practitioner.

Education & Training Required to Become a Behavioral Health Nurse

Behavioral health nurses are typically registered nurses (RNs). All registered nurses must complete an associate's degree or a hospital diploma program and pass the NCLEX-RN, a national licensing exam. If you want wider job and promotion opportunities, a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) qualifies you for more advanced positions.

Registered nurses may be able to take advantage of online degree programs and possibly even employer reimbursement to earn their BSN. While there are no specific associate's or bachelor's degree programs in behavioral health nursing, it is possible to earn certification in psychiatric and mental health nursing.

Typical Characteristics of a Behavioral Health Nurse

Besides the typical attention to detail and responsibility required by nursing jobs, behavioral health nurses should have good communication and relationship skills. Because of the nature of their jobs, behavioral health nurses should also be emotionally stable and able to cope with the stresses of their jobs. Behavioral health nursing requires a great deal of psychiatric and pharmacological knowledge, so behavioral health nurses must expect to be lifelong learners and stay on top of developments in their field.

High Demand for Behavioral Health Nurse

The job outlook for behavioral health nurses should be good over the next few years, according to both the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Nursing as a profession is expected to grow 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. Nurses make a median annual salary of $62,450, though starting salaries are often lower.