Choosing a helping vocation by becoming a nurse practitioner can be a fulfilling career path for many passionate individuals. Tasked with providing quality care to patients every day, nurses play a vital role in our healthcare system and have the opportunity to change the lives of patients.

For many nurses, becoming a registered nurse is only the beginning; they may go on to pursue an advanced specialty, such as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) or family nurse practitioner (FNP). Specialties that center on mental health and family-focused healthcare services allow nurses to more fully participate in patient care.

Specializing allows nurse practitioners to elevate their careers, compete for leadership roles, and help bridge the gap between doctors and advanced practice nurses. By pursuing an advanced degree, such as an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), future nursing leaders can discover the differences between a PMHNP and an FNP and which is right for them, building the knowledge and skills required to take on a nuanced role in healthcare.

What Does a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Do?

Professionals trained to provide quality mental healthcare are in high demand across the country. Not only are mental illnesses among the most common diseases in the United States, but also more than half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder in their lifetime, and approximately one in five may experience mental illness in any given year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mental illness isn’t confined to one age group or demographic, making the role of PMHNP a comprehensive care field. Because of what a mental health nurse practitioner does, professionals in the role are at the forefront of a crucial area of medicine; they’re tasked with not only providing quality patient care but also working to fight the stigma against seeking mental health care.