Psychiatric Nurse Jobs in Massachusetts
Psychiatric nurse jobs in Massachusetts sit in one of the most active behavioral health markets in the country, with demand concentrated in hospital-based inpatient psychiatry, community mental health centers, and substance use treatment programs at every level from new graduate to senior clinical lead. Boston, Worcester, and Springfield anchor the hiring activity, with major employers such as McLean Hospital, UMass Memorial Health, and Mass General Brigham running some of the largest psychiatric programs in New England. The most consistently sought specialties are child and adolescent psychiatry, crisis stabilization, and dual-diagnosis care. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Hiring Range:
$135,283.20 - $170,414.40Please note that the final offer may vary within this range based on a candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations .
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At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.
The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, in consultation with the designated supervising psychiatrist, is primarily responsible for providing evaluation, brief treatment and medication prescription to the young adulthood through advanced age, and at any point along a physical continuum of the designated population. The need for psychiatric services may be generated by a primary mental health problem or secondary to co-existing health care problems.
- Provide psychiatric consultation as requested on medical / surgical units and in the Emergency Department
- Evaluate medical patients for psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, risk assessments, decision-making capacity, behavior management, level of care assessments, provide medication and overall management recommendations.
- Work collaboratively with medical team to determine consultation questions and review findings to develop appropriate treatment plans.
- Provide support to Psychiatric Emergency Services team by assisting in evaluation of select patients and determination of appropriate disposition
- Supervision by Medical Director of Inpatient Psychiatry and Emergency Services; review cases
- Coordination with collateral contacts (family, police, state agencies, etc.) as needed
- Complete consultations within 24 hours; complete documentation and submit for billing
Major Responsibilities:
1. Provides diagnostic and assessment services. Secures a health history from patient and/or family, records findings, and evaluates them. Performs a complete in-depth physical examination. Orders/performs pertinent diagnostic tests based on age and history.
2. Analyzes data collected to determine health status and identify differential diagnoses based on history, physical exam, and clinical findings.
3. Partners with physicians regarding proposed plan of care. Formulates this plan of care with the patient.
4. Manages therapeutic regime as outlined by established protocols for patients with acute illnesses. (Protocols are guidelines concerning patient care that are established between the physician and nurse practitioner. The guidelines outline subjective and objective findings, treatment plan and follow-up). Reassesses and modifies plan as necessary to achieve medical and health goals. Confers with physician for clinical direction as outlined by protocols.
5. Documents patient care outcomes to determine effectiveness of plan of care. Communicates outcomes with physician.
6. Signed delineation of privileges at hire between NP and collaborating physician. Must renew delineation of privileges each credentialing cycle including:
- scope of departmental practice
- treatment of emergencies
- physician consultation
- writing orders/prescription
7. Prescribes medications from Schedules II-VI. The form of prescription may be written or verbal via telephone order. Written prescriptions may be initiated by the nurse practitioner after obtaining proper registration numbers from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Drug Enforcement Agency.
8. Provides patient education. Acts as coordinator for admitting and discharging assigned patients. Works collaboratively with other health agencies and families of patients in the transition from admission to discharge. Confers with other health care providers including consultations and referrals to prepare a comprehensive patient care plan.
9. Within established protocols, under the supervision of the physician, nurse practitioners will assist with procedures in the operating room and with endoscopic procedures.
10. Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meeting and workshops.
11. Participates in department driven practices including on call scheduling, rotating weekends, etc.
Ambulatory Care Nurse Practitioners:
Completion of accredited program pertinent to the departmental needs (OB/GYN, Pediatrics, etc.) and has passed the appropriate certification exam.
Partners with collaborating physician or designee as necessary with complexity of problems or plan of care
Formulates plan of care with patient and multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary healthcare team
Maintains department specific competencies that are degree specific, age specific to the discipline and license specific per certifying authority.
Participates in department driven practices including on call scheduling, rotating weekends, etc.
Acute Care Nurse Practitioners :
Graduate of an approved Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (ACNP) and has passed the ACNP board certification.
Under the supervision of designated collaborating physicians, conduct comprehensive health assessments, analyze date and formulate clinical decisions to manage acute and chronic illnesses.
Responds to sick calls of patients and treats them according to the acuity of illness.
Participates in department driven practices including on call scheduling, rotating weekends, etc.
Critical Care Nurse Practitioners:
Graduates of an approved Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (ACNP) and has passed the ACNP board certification.
Under the supervision of designated collaborating physicians, conduct comprehensive health assessments, analyze date and formulate clinical decisions to manage acute and chronic illnesses.
Performs procedures such as central line placement, insertion of arterial catheters, lumbar punctures, paracentesis and thoracentesis.
Provides patient education and therapeutic management of the family in crisis related to critical illness.
Maintains competencies as directed by the division.
Rotation in the telemedicine intensive care unit (EICU-Hahnemann Campus)
Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:
1. Complies with established departmental policies, procedures and objectives.
2. Attends variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
3. Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
4. Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
5. Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.
6. Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
7. Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.
All responsibilities are essential job functions.
Position Qualifications:
License/Certification/Education:
Required:
1. Master's or doctoral degree.
2. Graduate of approved Nurse Practitioner program with certification.
3. Current Massachusetts license.
Experience/Skills:
Preferred:
1. 3-5 years of experience.
Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.
As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.
See All 78 Psychiatric Nurse Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Psychiatric Nurse JobsPsychiatric Nurse Jobs by City in Massachusetts
Where Massachusetts roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Psychiatric Nurse Job Market in Massachusetts
A snapshot from current Massachusetts openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Transformations Care Network13

- LifeStance Health7

- Arbour Hospital6

- Supportive Care4

- Boston Medical Center3

Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What Massachusetts Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in psychiatric nurse jobs across Massachusetts.
- Active Massachusetts RN license issued by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited program
- Current BLS and CPI or equivalent de-escalation certification
- Minimum one year of clinical experience in a psychiatric or behavioral health setting
- Demonstrated ability to conduct psychiatric assessments and develop individualized care plans
- Familiarity with electronic health record systems used in Massachusetts health systems
Psychiatric Nurse Jobs in Massachusetts: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a psychiatric nurse in Massachusetts?
You become a psychiatric nurse in Massachusetts by earning an accredited nursing degree, passing the NCLEX-RN, and obtaining an active RN license through the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. Most Massachusetts psychiatric employers prefer or require a BSN, and many inpatient positions favor candidates with additional training in behavioral health. A voluntary psychiatric-mental health nursing certification through a recognized credentialing body strengthens applications for senior or specialized roles.
How much do psychiatric nurses make in Massachusetts?
Psychiatric nurses in Massachusetts earn a median of about $104,550 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,310 for the lowest 10% to over $174,510 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire psychiatric nurses in Massachusetts?
Employers hiring psychiatric nurses in Massachusetts right now include Transformations Care Network, LifeStance Health, and Arbour Hospital, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Massachusetts's concentration of academic medical centers and community mental health networks means hiring is spread across large integrated health systems and smaller specialty behavioral health organizations throughout the state.
Which Massachusetts cities have the most psychiatric nurse jobs?
Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Worcester have the most psychiatric nurse openings in Massachusetts. Boston leads because of its density of academic medical centers and large psychiatric hospitals, while Worcester and Springfield reflect the strong network of community mental health centers and regional hospital systems serving Central and Western Massachusetts populations.
Are there remote psychiatric nurse jobs in Massachusetts?
Yes, but they're rare. About 70% of psychiatric nurse openings tied to Massachusetts are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the hands-on, in-person nature of most clinical psychiatric nursing work. The roles most likely to carry a remote or hybrid component are telepsychiatry support positions and case management roles that do not require direct bedside care.
How can I get hired as a psychiatric nurse in Massachusetts with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to a nurse residency or new-graduate fellowship program at a large Massachusetts health system such as Mass General Brigham or UMass Memorial Health, which run structured behavioral health tracks for nurses without prior psychiatric experience. Candidates coming from medical-surgical or emergency nursing backgrounds are competitive for internal transfers into inpatient psychiatric units. Holding an active Massachusetts RN license and completing a crisis intervention training course before applying gives candidates a clear edge over those without it.
Where can I find and apply to psychiatric nurse jobs in Massachusetts?
You can find and apply to psychiatric nurse jobs in Massachusetts on Migrate Mate, which lists current Massachusetts openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 78 Psychiatric Nurse Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Psychiatric Nurse Jobs