The Surge in Psychiatric Travel Nursing Jobs
By Debra Wood, RN
Demand for psychiatric travel nurses continues to grow, with hundreds of psych RN travel jobs available across the country. Psychiatric nurses care for patients with mental or behavioral health conditions and those with substance abuse disorders. Suicide and opioid addictions are on the increase. Yet the shortage of mental health providers creates barriers to access to care.
A 58 percent increase in psych RN jobs occurred from 2014 to 2015, according to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, which considers it one of the fastest growing specialties. See all of our open Psychiatric jobs.
A Looming Shortage of Psychiatric Nurses
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association reports a shortage of qualified professionals to treat patients with mental health or substance use disorders, calling it a growing threat to Americans’ mental health.
“Approximately 56 million American adults are struggling with a mental illness or substance use disorder, impacting just about every community and family in some significant way,” said APNA President Gail R. Stern, RN, MSN, PMHCNS-BC, in a statement. “Despite the urgent need, the supply of skilled, educated and trained mental health professionals has not been able to keep up with growing demand, adding an additional barrier to addressing these illnesses.”
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates one in five adults have experienced a mental health issue and one in 25 live with a serious mental illness. However, only 44 percent of adult and fewer than 20 percent of children and adults with a diagnosable psychiatric condition receive treatment. That lack of treatment can contribute to suicide or patients self-medicating.
“We know that mental health is absolutely foundational to overall health and wellness,” Stern said. “Mental health and substance use disorders are directly linked to community issues such as homelessness, lower educational achievement and legal problems.”
Psychiatric nurses care for patients of all ages in a variety of settings, including home health care and outpatient clinics. However, most travel assignments are on inpatient units.
Mental health nurses and advanced practice registered nurses make up the second largest group of behavioral health professionals. They may care for adult, child, adolescent or geriatric patients.
Compassion, communication and relationship building skills are hallmarks of quality psychiatric nursing. While that may be true for all nurses, when providing mental health care, nurses should not only strive to say the right things, but also monitor the tone of their voice and body language, so as not to upset or set off a patient. Psychiatric nurses often work with patients to help them learn coping and problem-solving methods or meditation or other self-care techniques.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (RN-BC). Certification shows a level of expertise and may increase a nurse’s pay.
Traveling as a psychiatric nurse
Psych travel nursing professionals must feel comfortable walking onto a unit and going to work. They assess patients, plan and implement nursing care and assess its effectiveness.
Most facilities want the psych travel nurse to have at least one year of experience. Many employers require psych RNs to have Crisis Prevention Institute training and certification.
When off duty, psych travel nurses are able to tour the area where they are assigned and live like a resident rather than a tourist. Travelers are able to scope out different facilities and do a “test run” before hiring on in a permanent position. In addition to a wage, determined by the facility, travel nurses receive housing or a housing allowance, and a stipend for meals and incidentals.
Travel nursing offers a great way to experience the country, while getting paid. It offers a wide variety of available assignments to choose from.