Psychiatric Nurses

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in the United States and mental disorders affect one in five Americans, including children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. The need for psychiatric and other nursing specialties will be in great demand in the future. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that employment for registered nurses, in general, will grow by 12 percent through 2028, or much faster than the average for all occupations. Psychiatric nurses will find good employment opportunities at outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers. Opportunities will also arise from the need to replace nurses retiring from the field or who transfer to other specialties.