View Alert

Statewide occupation search

Sort your search results or select and compare details of two occupations. Find out if an occupation is in demand or not in demand in your local area, at Learn about an occupation.

Print

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses

Assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families with mental health or substance use disorders or the potential for such disorders. Apply therapeutic activities, including the prescription of medication, per state regulations, and the administration of psychotherapy.
  • Summary

  • Details

  • Work Activities

    • Teach classes in mental health topics, such as stress reduction.
    • Monitor patients' medication usage and results.
    • Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, or nursing staff, to develop, implement, or evaluate treatment plans.
    • Interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs) and renal functioning tests.
    • Direct or provide home health services.
    • Consult with psychiatrists or other professionals when unusual or complex cases are encountered.
    • Develop, implement, or evaluate programs such as outreach activities, community mental health programs, and crisis situation response activities.
    • Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
    • Develop practice protocols for mental health problems, based on review and evaluation of published research.
    • Assess patients' mental and physical status, based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
    • Distinguish between physiologically- and psychologically-based disorders, and diagnose appropriately.
    • Monitor the use and status of medical and pharmaceutical supplies.
    • Distinguish between physiologically- and psychologically-based disorders, and diagnose appropriately.
    • Participate in treatment team conferences regarding diagnosis or treatment of difficult cases.
    • Treat patients for routine physical health problems.
    • Refer patients requiring more specialized or complex treatment to psychiatrists, primary care physicians, or other medical specialists.
    • Administer medications, including those administered by injection.
    • Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
    • Develop and implement treatment plans.
    • Evaluate patients' behavior to formulate diagnoses or assess treatments.
    • Participate in activities aimed at professional growth and development, including conferences or continuing education activities.
    • Provide routine physical health screenings to detect or monitor problems such as heart disease and diabetes.
    • Diagnose psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions.
    • Write prescriptions for psychotropic medications as allowed by state regulations and collaborative practice agreements.
    • Conduct individual, group, or family psychotherapy for those with chronic or acute mental disorders.
    • Direct or provide home health services.

    Skills

    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    Education

    Education
    Bachelor's degree
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    No on-the-job training

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    112180/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    53.93/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    69,180
    Yearly Projected Openings
    5150

    Personality

    Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Integrity
    • Concern for Others
    • Dependability
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Attention to Detail
    • Adaptability/Flexibility

    Tools

    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Blood pressure cuff kits
    • Handheld thermometer
    • Holter or wearable EKG monitoring systems or accessories
    • Hypodermic needle
    • Intravenous infusion pumps for general use
    • Laser fax machine
    • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
    • Medication or pill dispensers
    • Nebulizers
    • Peripherally inserted central catheters PICC
    • Personal computers
    • Photocopiers
    • Restraints
    • Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation units

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software