What Can You Do as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?
With rising demand for mental health care services across the country, the role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an essential part of serving people in need. But what does a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner do?
A PMHNP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specializing in psychiatric mental health. Delivering holistic care in diagnosing and treating patients, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners advocate, heal, and lead.
If you choose a psychiatric nurse practitioner career, there are significant opportunities for you to make a difference in current and future health care environments.
Today’s Mental Health Crisis
Statistics reported by the National Institute of Mental Health show that more than one in five adults in the United States is experiencing some type of mental illness, often concurrent with substance abuse. Cases of mental illness vary in intensity and effective treatment approaches.
The National Institutes of Health recognizes the following conditions as mental disorders:
- Anxiety Disorders
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Schizophrenia
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Further, COVID-19 and Mental Health, as well as HIV/AIDS and Mental Health, are recognized as areas of focus in the range of mental health disorders.
The Gap in Mental Health Services
As mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent in the United States, the needs far outpace the resources currently available. According to research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), on average, people experiencing mental illness do not begin treatment for 11 years.
More than 122 million people across the country are in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) for mental health care, according to the federal Health Resources & Services Administration. This number includes geographic areas, populations, or facilities with a shortage of practitioners. Comparatively, approximately 77 million people in the United States are in an HPSA for primary care.
The ratio of individuals to mental health care providers nationally is 340:1. Looking toward future needs, the “State of the Behavioral Health Workforce, 2024” report projects “substantial shortages” for behavioral health services in 2037. Affected areas include:
- Addiction counselors
- Marriage and family therapists
- Mental health counselors
- Psychologists
- Psychiatric physician assistants/associates
- Psychiatrists
- School counselors
The federal workforce data shows that approximately half of the people who need care for mental health struggles cannot attain services because of provider shortages, high costs, limitations in coverage, and other factors. PMHNPs are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to help fill these gaps.
The PMHNP’s Impact on the Workforce Shortage
Across the country, NPs are rising to the occasion to serve communities in need through primary care, acute care, pediatric or gerontological specialization, psychiatric care, and other areas of focus. For more than 60 years, the role of nurse practitioner has continued to develop and expand to meet critical needs.
Because nurse practitioners (NP) are trained to provide a full range of services, they bring competent, practical solutions for shortages across the health care landscape. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an area of specialization with increasing prominence.
What Are PMHNPs?
A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, sometimes referred to as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, is an advanced practice nurse licensed to provide specialized care. PMHNPs have completed graduate-level nursing education and license requirements for advanced practice.
Since the launch of the first nurse practitioner programs in the 1960s, the role has grown to include specializations such as psychiatric mental health. The area of psychiatry became a focus for clinical nurse specialists in the 1970s, and in the year 2000, the PMHNP exam was launched. Since this time, the role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner has evolved to a workforce of nearly 40,000—almost as many as the number of psychiatrists.
What Do Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Do?
Nurse practitioners specializing in psychiatric mental health diagnose and treat patients across the lifespan with mental health illness or substance use disorders. PMHNPs are licensed to provide a range of services, including:
- Urgent psychiatric care
- Psychotherapy
- Crisis counseling
- Mental health promotion
- Community education
A PMHNP’s responsibilities in diagnosis and treatment may include:
- Conducting comprehensive psychiatric evaluations
- Teaching practical skills for responding to stress
- Assessing patients through diagnostic testing
- Recommending nutrition and physical fitness interventions
- Prescribing psychiatric medications and evaluate effectiveness
PMHNPs work in a wide variety of clinical, community, and institutional settings. Here are the most common practice settings:
Outpatient Mental Health Clinics
- Community mental health centers
- Private practices or group practices
- Integrated primary care/behavioral health settings
Inpatient Psychiatric Units
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Behavioral health units in general hospitals
- Residential treatment centers
- Primary Care Settings
- Family practice clinics
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- School-based health clinics
Telepsychiatry / Virtual Care
- Remote care through digital platforms
- Often used by health systems, private practices, or telehealth companies
- Correctional Facilities
- Jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers
- Providing care to underserved populations
- Substance Use Treatment Programs
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinics
- Inpatient or outpatient addiction recovery programs
- Academic and Research Institutions
- Teaching future NPs or conducting mental health research
- Veterans Affairs (VA) and Military Facilities
- Specialized care for veterans and active-duty service members
- Crisis Centers and Emergency Departments
- Psychiatric emergency services
- Mobile crisis response teams
What Is the PMHNP Scope of Practice?
The American Nurses Association defines “scope of practice” as “the services that a qualified health professional is deemed competent to perform, and permitted to undertake — in keeping with the terms of their professional license.” The scope of practice for PMHNPs includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation of psychiatric mental health disorders. State laws regulate limitations in practice.
Practice contexts vary by state, with many states allowing a “full practice” model for nurse practitioners in evaluating and diagnosing patients, managing treatments, and prescribing medications. The National Academy of Medicine and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing support full practice.
Some states, including New Jersey, have a “reduced practice” model in which an NP works collaboratively with another provider or works within some degree of limitation in practice. Only 11 states now operate under a “restricted practice” model requiring supervision or management of nurse practitioners.
Organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) actively advocate for “championing the NP role and amplifying the NP voice.” Advocacy efforts have led to increased opportunities for nurse practitioners to provide needed care.
How Does the PMHNP Impact Underserved Areas?
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports particular concerns related to patient access to care in specific underserved populations.
- Rural areas: Though individuals in rural areas experience mental illness at similar rates to those in suburban and urban locations, more than 25 million people in rural populations live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. Also, people in these areas often lack access to nearby hospitals and technology for telehealth.
- Youth and young adults: COVID-19 disproportionately affected teens, resulting in rising rates of mental illness and thoughts of suicide.
- Prison populations: Two in five persons who are incarcerated have experienced mental illness, representing double the rates of mental illness compared to the general population.
Nurse practitioners offer practical, cost-effective solutions to deliver high-quality care for underserved populations. Nurse practitioners are often drawn to the profession for the opportunity to provide compassionate care, a vital quality for reaching populations and communities with high needs.
The Outlook for a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Career
Psychiatric nurse practitioners work in a variety of settings in urban, suburban, and rural areas. They often practice in cooperation with physicians, and sometimes independently, where state practice laws allow. PMHNPs are found in hospitals, mental health centers, physicians’ offices, public health clinics, and private practices.
The role of the nurse practitioner is one of today’s fastest-growing professions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, aspiring nurse practitioners can expect a 46% increase in jobs from 2023 to 2033.
The median annual salary for a nurse practitioner in 2024 was $129,210. The job search site Indeed reports an average annual salary of $156,969 for PMHNPs.
Becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Felician University
Now that you’ve found answers to the question “What does a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner do?” you may be considering your potential in this highly impactful field.
Felician’s online PMHNP program offers flexibility and a fast completion time to pursue your career goals in a format that works with your schedule. Clinical placement support help to make the process manageable.
At Felician University, our way of education—The Felician Way—is all about combining experiential learning, dedicated faculty, advanced resources, and affordability into one unforgettable experience. Through our innovative curriculum, student-centered design, and close-knit nursing community, you'll gain the clinical skills and confidence to support mental wellness while treating every individual with dignity, empathy, and respect.
Felician PMHNP online programs include the master’s-level MSN-PMHNP degree and the Post-Master’s PMHNP certification. Our MSN program is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as number two in New Jersey for Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs (2025).