Career outlook for psychiatric nurses?

[LilaDavis]

I would love to one day have a career in psych nursing, but I've heard recently that the perceived nursing shortage is not as dramatic as I thought. In my state particularly (New York), I think they're projecting a surplus by 2025. I'm a little worried about job prospects and wondering whether I would be making a bad long-term decision by going into this field.

Can anyone share their experience or expectations? Ideally I'd be working in an acute psych setting but I'm a little nervous about opportunity!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I would love to one day have a career in psych nursing, but I've heard recently that the perceived nursing shortage is not as dramatic as I thought. In my state particularly (New York), I think they're projecting a surplus by 2025. I'm a little worried about job prospects and wondering whether I would be making a bad long-term decision by going into this field.

Can anyone share their experience or expectations? Ideally I'd be working in an acute psych setting but I'm a little nervous about opportunity!

The projected 2025 NP surplus (Too Many Nurse Practitioners?) is most likely going to be mitigated by a physician shortage.

I believe behavioral health nurses and behavioral health NPs in particular are going to be in demand. Best wishes.

[brianodonohue]

As a psychiatric RN for the last 11 years of my career as a Nurse, I'd have to say that there is no end in sight for nurses in this specialty area. BSN prepared RN's and PMHNP's are needed all of the time. Political attention has been given to this discipline in recent years, and there is a huge need for solutions to the drug epidemic in the country. Addictions Nursing is also a behavioral/sub specialty within psychiatric nursing that needs better staffing.

[LilaDavis]

Thank you both for the replies! Here's hoping. I hadn't considered addiction nursing, I'll have to look a little more into that!