Psychiatric Nurse Jobs
Psychiatric Nurse jobs are open across hospitals, inpatient behavioral health units, community mental health centers, and correctional facilities, at every level from new-grad RN to advanced practice, with specializations in child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic nursing, and addiction treatment. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
Find Psychiatric Nurse JobsLooking for remote work? View remote psychiatric nurse jobs →Overview
Showing 5 of 2,038+ Psychiatric Nurse jobs
Description
DSHS WSH Licensed Practical Nurse – Psychiatric Security Nurse
We are expanding our team of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) with experience in caring for individuals with behavioral health conditions. As a Psychiatric Security Nurse at Western State Hospital, you will provide LPN care and safety oversight within our forensics unit. Our patients, who have serious or long-term behavioral health conditions, rely on us for their healing and growth. Your excellent communication skills will enable you to develop long-term therapeutic relationships with patients. In challenging situations, you will safely and therapeutically intervene with the support of your dedicated team.
We offer a variety of scheduling opportunities, including day, swing, and night shifts, available on a full-time and on-call basis. Applicants will be prompted to select their preferred schedules before submitting their application. Additionally, roles performed on site at this location for at least three days a week may qualify for an additional 5% premium pay on top of the advertised salary. Evening and night shifts include a shift differential in addition to the standard compensation rate.
If you are ready to make a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply today!
What you will do in this role:
- Under the direction of a Registered Nurse, you'll provide direct skilled nursing care to adults experiencing behavioral health issues
- Participate in the treatment planning, administer medication, as well as implement and chart treatment interventions
- Be a patient advocate for health maintenance and clinical care by monitoring conditions that may be detrimental to the care and treatment of your patients
Who should apply?
- Applicants must possess a current Washington State license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
- Additionally, completion of safety training within 30 days of hire is a condition of employment.
Want to know more about Western State Hospital? Click on the videos below to meet staff, take a tour, and explore your career. To learn more about DSHS, go to www.dshs.wa.gov.
Questions?
Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at ricky.luna@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number #06350.
The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.
Supplemental Information
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
Relationship and Reporting Structure (Nepotism) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here (Download PDF reader). Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.
E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Description
DSHS WSH Licensed Practical Nurse – Psychiatric Security Nurse
We are expanding our team of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) with experience in caring for individuals with behavioral health conditions. As a Psychiatric Security Nurse at Western State Hospital, you will provide LPN care and safety oversight within our forensics unit. Our patients, who have serious or long-term behavioral health conditions, rely on us for their healing and growth. Your excellent communication skills will enable you to develop long-term therapeutic relationships with patients. In challenging situations, you will safely and therapeutically intervene with the support of your dedicated team.
We offer a variety of scheduling opportunities, including day, swing, and night shifts, available on a full-time and on-call basis. Applicants will be prompted to select their preferred schedules before submitting their application. Additionally, roles performed on site at this location for at least three days a week may qualify for an additional 5% premium pay on top of the advertised salary. Evening and night shifts include a shift differential in addition to the standard compensation rate.
If you are ready to make a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply today!
What you will do in this role:
- Under the direction of a Registered Nurse, you'll provide direct skilled nursing care to adults experiencing behavioral health issues
- Participate in the treatment planning, administer medication, as well as implement and chart treatment interventions
- Be a patient advocate for health maintenance and clinical care by monitoring conditions that may be detrimental to the care and treatment of your patients
Who should apply?
- Applicants must possess a current Washington State license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
- Additionally, completion of safety training within 30 days of hire is a condition of employment.
Want to know more about Western State Hospital? Click on the videos below to meet staff, take a tour, and explore your career. To learn more about DSHS, go to www.dshs.wa.gov.
Questions?
Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at ricky.luna@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number #06350.
The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.
Supplemental Information
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
Relationship and Reporting Structure (Nepotism) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here (Download PDF reader). Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.
E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Psychiatric Nurse Jobs by Experience Level
Top Cities Hiring Psychiatric Nurses
Explore psychiatric nurse openings in the cities hiring most right now.
See All 2,038+ Psychiatric Nurse Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Psychiatric Nurse JobsPsychiatric Nurse Job Market
Who's Hiring
- LifeStance Health173
- Thriveworks96T
- Cordial health49C
- Supportive Care41S
- Serenity Healthcare39S
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services96
- Education14
- Government & Public Sector4
- Science & Research2
- Technology & Software2
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in psychiatric nurse jobs.
- Active RN license in the state of employment with no restrictions
- One to three years of inpatient or outpatient psychiatric nursing experience
- Proficiency in de-escalation techniques such as CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention
- Experience conducting mental health assessments and documenting in an EHR system
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) preferred or required for senior roles
- BLS and ACLS certification current at time of hire
Tips for Your Psychiatric Nurse Job Search
Tailor your resume to care settings
Psychiatric nursing covers wildly different environments, from locked inpatient units to outpatient clinics to crisis stabilization. Customize your resume for each setting by naming the specific patient populations you treated, the acuity levels you managed, and any de-escalation frameworks you used.
Highlight your psychiatric certifications prominently
The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification from ANCC is a real differentiator. If you hold it, put it directly after your name in the header. If you don't, note any completed CEUs in behavioral health, because hiring managers do read that section on psychiatric nursing resumes.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists psychiatric nurse openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by patient population served
Your experience with geriatric psychiatry doesn't automatically translate to adolescent or forensic work in a hiring manager's eyes. When searching, filter or scan job descriptions for the population explicitly named and apply to the ones that match your clinical background first.
Prepare a clinical scenario for behavioral interviews
Most psychiatric nurse interviews include a behavioral question about managing a patient in acute crisis or navigating a volatile unit situation. Have a specific, real example ready that walks through your assessment, your intervention, and the outcome, using the STAR format without using that word.
Negotiate shift differentials and sign-on structure
Inpatient psychiatric units often run overnight and weekend shifts, and sign-on bonuses in behavioral health are frequently tied to shift commitments. Before accepting an offer, clarify which shifts the bonus requires you to work and whether the differential is included in overtime calculations.
Psychiatric Nurse Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most psychiatric nurses?
The companies hiring the most psychiatric nurses right now include LifeStance Health, Thriveworks, and Cordial health, with the largest share of openings in New York, Virginia, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Demand is consistently highest in health systems that operate dedicated behavioral health service lines.
How many psychiatric nurse jobs are remote?
About 64% of psychiatric nurse openings are fully remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with the most remote-eligible roles concentrated in telepsychiatry, care coordination, and utilization review. Direct inpatient and crisis unit positions remain almost entirely on-site by nature of the clinical environment.
How do you become a psychiatric nurse?
You become a psychiatric nurse by first earning an ADN or BSN and passing the NCLEX-RN to become a licensed RN. From there, you gain experience in a behavioral health or psychiatric setting, which most employers require before hiring. Many psychiatric nurses then pursue the PMH-BC certification through ANCC to specialize formally and advance into higher-acuity or leadership roles.
How do you get hired as a psychiatric nurse with little experience?
Focus your applications on new-grad psychiatric nurse residency programs offered by health systems with behavioral health units, as these are specifically designed for RNs without psychiatric experience. If none are available, apply to medical-surgical or emergency roles and request psychiatric rotation opportunities. Volunteering or completing a practicum in a community mental health center also strengthens your candidacy when you're early in your career.
What does the psychiatric nurse interview process look like?
The interview process typically starts with a phone screen by a recruiter or nurse manager focused on your license status and clinical background. A panel interview follows, usually including a charge nurse or clinical director, with behavioral questions about managing aggressive patients, de-escalation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Some facilities also include a unit tour and a brief scenario exercise before extending an offer.
Where can I find and apply to psychiatric nurse jobs?
You can find and apply to psychiatric nurse jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Find roles that match your experience and the care setting you want to work in, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 2,038+ Psychiatric Nurse Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Psychiatric Nurse Jobs