by A psychiatric nursing resume is essential for standing out in the competitive healthcare field.
Your application should highlight your clinical skills and patient-centered approach. Employers look for candidates who can demonstrate strong assessment abilities, crisis intervention, and a deep understanding of psychiatric disorders.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to write a resume that showcases your qualifications, experience, and dedication to mental health care.
Psychiatric nursing resume examples
Psychiatric nursing resume sample
Psychiatric nursing resume template
Resume for psychiatric nursing | Plain text
Emma Richardson
New York, NY | emma.richardson@email.com | (212) 555-7890 | LinkedIn: /in/emmarichardsonSummary
Compassionate and detail-oriented Psychiatric RN with experience providing mental health care in inpatient and outpatient settings. Skilled in crisis intervention, medication administration, and patient advocacy. Passionate about delivering patient-centered care and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to improve mental health outcomes.
Skills
- Crisis intervention and de-escalation
- Psychotropic medication administration
- Patient assessment and care planning
- Cognitive behavioral therapy support
- Suicide risk evaluation
- Electronic Health Records (EHR) management
- Trauma-informed care
- Group therapy facilitation
- Case management
- Patient and family education
Experience
Psychiatric Registered Nurse | June 2020 – Present
Mount Sinai Hospital | New York, NY
- Provide direct psychiatric nursing care to patients with mood disorders, schizophrenia, and substance abuse issues.
- Monitor and administer psychotropic medications, ensuring proper dosage and minimizing side effects.
- Assist in crisis intervention, de-escalating high-risk situations using therapeutic communication.
- Coordinate with psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists to develop individualized treatment plans.
- Educate patients and families on mental health conditions and coping strategies.
Psychiatric Nurse | September 2017 – May 2020
New York-Presbyterian Hospital | New York, NY
- Conducted comprehensive patient assessments and developed care plans in collaboration with mental health teams.
- Managed a caseload of 15+ patients per shift, monitoring symptoms and adjusting care plans as needed.
- Led group therapy sessions focusing on coping skills and stress management.
- Ensured patient safety by implementing suicide prevention protocols and behavioral monitoring.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
New York University, NY | 2017
Certifications
- Registered Nurse (RN) | New York State Board of Nursing | Issued 2017
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification | American Heart Association | Issued 2017, Expires 2027
- Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Certification | Issued 2019, Expires 2026
Professional Development
- Attended the Annual Psychiatric Nursing Conference | American Psychiatric Nurses Association | 2024
- Completed Advanced Trauma-Informed Care Training | 2022
Strong sides of this psychiatric nurse resume example:
- Clearly structured with a strong focus on hands-on patient care, crisis intervention, and teamwork skills with interdisciplinary teams.
- Includes a professional development section, showcasing continuous learning and commitment to psychiatric nursing.
- Well-balanced experience that highlights both inpatient and outpatient mental health care settings.
How to properly format a psych nurse resume?
- Choose a classic font like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman, size 10-12.
- Keep the length of the resume to one page if you have under 10 years of experience, or two pages for extensive careers.
- Set margins to 1 inch on all sides to maintain a clean layout.
- Employ single or 1.15 line spacing for readability.
- Bold job titles and headings to make them stand out.
- Keep resume section headers clear and simple, such as "Experience" or "Education."
- Save the document as a PDF to preserve the layout across devices.
- Use bullet points for job duties instead of large paragraphs.
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Psychiatric nursing practitioner resume example
Sample psychiatric nursing practitioner resume
Sarah Mitchell, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Chicago, IL | sarah.mitchell@email.com | (312) 555-1234 | LinkedIn: /in/sarahmitchellSummary
Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with experience in mental health care, including outpatient, inpatient, and telehealth settings. Skilled in diagnosing mental health conditions, prescribing medications, and developing treatment plans for diverse populations. Passionate about patient education and holistic mental health care.
Skills
- Psychiatric evaluations and diagnosis
- Psychotropic medication management
- Individual and group therapy
- Telepsychiatry and virtual consultations
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques
- Crisis intervention and risk assessment
- Motivational interviewing
- Substance abuse treatment and MAT
- Patient and family counseling
- EMR/EHR documentation
Experience
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | August 2019 – Present
Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health | Chicago, IL
- Conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations for patients with mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.
- Prescribe and adjust psychotropic medications while monitoring side effects and effectiveness.
- Provide psychotherapy and patient education on coping mechanisms and medication adherence.
- Collaborate with psychologists, social workers, and primary care providers to ensure holistic treatment.
- Supervise and mentor nursing staff and psychiatric residents.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | May 2015 – July 2019
Chicago Behavioral Health Clinic | Chicago, IL
- Managed caseloads of up to 25 patients per day, providing psychiatric evaluations and treatment plans.
- Led group therapy sessions for patients struggling with depression and PTSD.
- Implemented telepsychiatry services, increasing accessibility for rural patients.
- Conducted medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder.
Education
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Psychiatric-Mental Health
University of Illinois at Chicago, IL | 2015
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
University of Illinois at Chicago, IL | 2012
Certifications
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) | American Nurses Credentialing Center | Issued 2015, Expires 2025
- DEA Controlled Substance Registration | Issued 2016, Expires 2026
- CPR and BLS Certification | American Heart Association | Issued 2012, Expires 2024
Research & Publications
- Co-authored "Innovations in Telepsychiatry for Rural Communities" | Published in Journal of Psychiatric Nursing | 2025
- Conducted a study on "The Impact of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Opioid Use Disorder Recovery" | 2023
This example of a psychiatric nurse resume is great and this is why:
- Effectively highlights advanced clinical skills, like diagnosis, medication management, and psychotherapy.
- Includes a dedicated research and publications section, demonstrating expertise and contributions to the field.
- Strong use of measurable impact, such as patient caseload and implementation of telepsychiatry services.
Should I choose a psychiatric nursing resume objective or summary?
- Opt for this if you have experience in psychiatric nursing.
- It provides a brief overview of your skills and accomplishments in resume in 3-4 sentences.
Psychiatric nursing resume summary sample:
Compassionate Psychiatric Nurse with 6+ years of experience providing mental health care in clinical and inpatient settings. Skilled in crisis intervention, medication management, and patient advocacy. Seeking to bring expertise to a progressive healthcare facility.
- Choose this if you are a recent graduate or changing careers.
- It highlights your goals and relevant abilities in 2-3 sentences.
Psychiatric nursing resume objective example:
Dedicated nursing graduate with clinical experience in psychiatric care. Passionate about providing patient-centered mental health support and eager to apply strong communication and assessment skills in a psychiatric nursing role.
How to showcase your psychiatric nursing resume skills?
The skills section highlights your qualifications, showing hiring managers you have the right expertise
- Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities gained through education, training, and experience.
- Soft skills are personality traits and communication competence developed through interaction.
Psychiatric nursing hard skills:
- Medication administration
- Patient assessment
- Crisis intervention
- Suicide risk evaluation
- Mental health treatment planning
- Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques
- Electronic health records (EHR)
- De-escalation strategies
- Psychotropic medication knowledge
- Case management
- Trauma-informed care
- Patient safety monitoring
- Substance abuse intervention
- Behavioral therapy support
- Group therapy facilitation
Soft skills for psychiatric nursing:
- Empathy
- Communication
- Active listening
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
- Patience
- Conflict resolution
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Leadership
- Emotional intelligence
- Stress management
- Decision-making
- Cultural competence
- Compassion
Forensic psychiatric nursing resume template
Forensic mental health nurse resume sample
Forensic psych nurse resume | Text version
James Carter, RN, CFMHN
Los Angeles, CA | james.carter@email.com | (213) 555-6789 | LinkedIn: /in/jamescarterSummary
Experienced Forensic Psychiatric Nurse with experience working in correctional facilities and forensic psychiatric hospitals. Skilled in risk assessment, crisis intervention, and psychiatric care for individuals in the criminal justice system. Passionate about balancing mental health treatment with legal and security considerations.
Skills
- Forensic psychiatric evaluations
- Risk assessment and violence prevention
- Crisis intervention and de-escalation
- Suicide risk and self-harm prevention
- Medication administration and monitoring
- Trauma-informed care
- Legal documentation and court testimony
- Substance abuse treatment in forensic settings
- Collaboration with law enforcement and legal teams
- Security and safety compliance
Experience
Forensic Psychiatric Nurse | October 2018 – Present
California Department of State Hospitals – Patton | San Bernardino, CA
- Conduct psychiatric assessments for individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial.
- Provide psychiatric treatment for patients with severe mental illnesses in a secured facility.
- Collaborate with legal teams to provide expert opinions on psychiatric conditions and treatment needs.
- Manage patients with high-risk behaviors, ensuring safety protocols are followed.
- Train staff on crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
Forensic Psychiatric Nurse | June 2015 – September 2018
Los Angeles County Jail – Twin Towers Correctional Facility | Los Angeles, CA
- Provided psychiatric care for inmates with mental health disorders, ensuring compliance with treatment plans.
- Conducted suicide risk evaluations and implemented safety precautions.
- Assisted in court-mandated psychiatric evaluations and treatment planning.
- Educated correctional officers on mental health crisis management.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CA | 2015
Certifications
- Registered Nurse (RN) | California Board of Nursing | Issued 2015
- Certified Forensic Mental Health Nurse (CFMHN) | Issued 2017, Expires 2027
- Advanced Crisis Intervention Certification | Issued 2019, Expires 2026
Legal Expertise
- Provided expert testimony in over 15 forensic psychiatric cases
- Consulted on policy development for mental health programs in correctional facilities
This sample psychiatric nurse resume is effective for several reasons:
- Focuses on the unique combination of psychiatric nursing and legal expertise, making it highly specialized.
- Highlights collaboration with law enforcement, legal teams, and correctional facilities, showing interdisciplinary experience.
- Includes a legal expertise, reinforcing credibility for roles that require forensic mental health assessments and court testimony.
What academic credentials should I add to my psych nurse resume?
The education resume section verifies your qualifications and ensures you meet job requirements.
Structure:
- Degree earned (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
- University and its location
- Graduation year
- Relevant coursework (optional for recent graduates)
- Licenses and certifications (if not in a separate section)
How to organize the experience section in a psychiatric nurse resume?
- List positions in reverse chronological order (most recent first).
- Include job title, company name, location, and employment dates.
- Use bullet points to describe responsibilities and achievements.
- Start each bullet with an action verb for resume like "assessed," "administered," or "developed."
- Quantify results where possible (e.g., "Managed care for 20+ patients per shift").
- Focus on accomplishments rather than generic duties.
Conclusion
Your psych nurse resume should effectively communicate your skills, experience, and passion for mental health care.
By focusing on key qualifications, using a clear format, and tailoring your content to each job application, you increase your chances of landing interviews.
Take the time to refine your application, and you’ll be one step closer to advancing your career in psychiatric nursing.
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