Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs in Kentucky
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner jobs in Kentucky are in strong demand, concentrated in behavioral health systems, community mental health centers, and integrated primary care settings, with openings at both early-career and senior levels. The heaviest hiring is in Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling Green, where employers such as Baptist Health, Norton Healthcare, and Centerstone maintain lasting psychiatric workforce needs. The most consistently recruited specialties are child and adolescent psychiatry, substance use disorder treatment, and general adult outpatient care. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 20+ Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner jobs
Job Description:
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Provides psychiatric clinical services to children, including evaluation, follow-up, medication, emergency/crisis intervention, telephone consultation, etc. Provides clinical consultation and collaboration with SCS mental health, CD, and/or DD staff. Oversees the quality of psychiatric care administered to children through direct observation of clinicians, case review, interdepartmental communication, consultation with health care professionals outside the organization, etc. Attends and participates in staff meetings, treatment planning sessions, case conferences, supervisory meetings, including weekly formal clinical supervision with the collaborating psychiatrist, and clinical seminars, providing information relating to program development and administration. Provides consultation services for families, network agencies, and community practitioners. Assists Chief Advanced Nurse Practice Administrator in developing system-wide policies and procedures. Develops and implements clinical programs and policies to improve the facility’s quality of services. Facilitates efforts to obtain and maintain Joint Commission accreditation by ensuring accurate documentation is recorded and maintained. Provides staff training on relevant medical topics. Engages in consultation with the collaborating psychiatrist on the medical/pharmacologic management of clients. Completes and maintains accurate documentation, according to prescribed standards, relating to treatment services, case management services, and advocacy including staff notes, case reviews, staff transfers, letters, reports, time cards, etc. Conducts case reviews and determines current and future treatment and treatment planning, including after-care plans for clients completing treatment, based on quantitative results and professional opinion of client progress.
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
EDUCATION
- Master’s degree in nursing or related field with advanced national certification in Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensure from the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Kentucky Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license or permit. Federal narcotics license.
EXPERIENCE
- At least two (2) years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner in behavioral health.
- Thorough knowledge of assigned population (e.g., mental and physical characteristics, growth and development, and range of treatment needed), and applicable regulations and standards.
- Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills.
- Knowledge of available community sources and SCS services.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS
- Position has some unusual physical demands, including occasional exposure to threat of bodily harm from clients and their families.
- Normal tasks involve frequent exposure to blood, body fluids or tissue.
- Scheduling demands may require employee to be on “24-hour call” on a rotating basis.
Within the bounds of their respective job descriptions, all staff are expected to exercise principle-centered leadership, focused on customer service responsiveness, with a continuous quality improvement orientation. Additionally, all staff are expected to develop a working knowledge of and follow all policies and procedures related to safety management and other Joint Commission standards.
Time Type:
Part timeJob Description:
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Provides psychiatric clinical services to children, including evaluation, follow-up, medication, emergency/crisis intervention, telephone consultation, etc. Provides clinical consultation and collaboration with SCS mental health, CD, and/or DD staff. Oversees the quality of psychiatric care administered to children through direct observation of clinicians, case review, interdepartmental communication, consultation with health care professionals outside the organization, etc. Attends and participates in staff meetings, treatment planning sessions, case conferences, supervisory meetings, including weekly formal clinical supervision with the collaborating psychiatrist, and clinical seminars, providing information relating to program development and administration. Provides consultation services for families, network agencies, and community practitioners. Assists Chief Advanced Nurse Practice Administrator in developing system-wide policies and procedures. Develops and implements clinical programs and policies to improve the facility’s quality of services. Facilitates efforts to obtain and maintain Joint Commission accreditation by ensuring accurate documentation is recorded and maintained. Provides staff training on relevant medical topics. Engages in consultation with the collaborating psychiatrist on the medical/pharmacologic management of clients. Completes and maintains accurate documentation, according to prescribed standards, relating to treatment services, case management services, and advocacy including staff notes, case reviews, staff transfers, letters, reports, time cards, etc. Conducts case reviews and determines current and future treatment and treatment planning, including after-care plans for clients completing treatment, based on quantitative results and professional opinion of client progress.
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
EDUCATION
- Master’s degree in nursing or related field with advanced national certification in Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensure from the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Kentucky Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license or permit. Federal narcotics license.
EXPERIENCE
- At least two (2) years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner in behavioral health.
- Thorough knowledge of assigned population (e.g., mental and physical characteristics, growth and development, and range of treatment needed), and applicable regulations and standards.
- Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills.
- Knowledge of available community sources and SCS services.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS
- Position has some unusual physical demands, including occasional exposure to threat of bodily harm from clients and their families.
- Normal tasks involve frequent exposure to blood, body fluids or tissue.
- Scheduling demands may require employee to be on “24-hour call” on a rotating basis.
Within the bounds of their respective job descriptions, all staff are expected to exercise principle-centered leadership, focused on customer service responsiveness, with a continuous quality improvement orientation. Additionally, all staff are expected to develop a working knowledge of and follow all policies and procedures related to safety management and other Joint Commission standards.
Time Type:
Part timeSee All 20 Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs in Kentucky
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Find JobsPsychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs by City in Kentucky
Where Kentucky roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Job Market in Kentucky
A snapshot from current Kentucky openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Kentucky Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs across Kentucky.
- Active psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner license issued by the Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice with PMHNP specialization
- Board certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through ANCC or AANP
- Current DEA registration allowing independent prescribing of controlled substances in Kentucky
- Minimum one to three years of direct psychiatric or behavioral health clinical experience
- Proficiency with electronic health records systems such as Epic, Cerner, or similar platforms
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Kentucky?
To become a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Kentucky, you must complete a graduate-level PMHNP program, pass the ANCC or AANP psychiatric-mental health certification exam, then apply for advanced practice registered nurse licensure through the Kentucky Board of Nursing. Kentucky grants APRNs independent prescriptive authority, so you will also need a separate DEA registration. Graduates with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree meet the educational standard now favored by most Kentucky hospital systems and large behavioral health employers.
How much do psychiatric nurse practitioners make in Kentucky?
Psychiatric nurse practitioners in Kentucky earn a median of about $122,870 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $95,710 for the lowest 10% to over $162,960 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire psychiatric nurse practitioners in Kentucky?
Kentucky psychiatric nurse practitioner roles are posted by Seven Counties Services, LifeStance Health, and RiverValley Behavioral Health and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Kentucky's mix of large integrated health systems, federally qualified health centers, and regional community mental health agencies creates diverse hiring across both urban markets and underserved rural counties.
Which Kentucky cities have the most psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs?
Lagrange, Richmond, and Owensboro hold the most psychiatric nurse practitioner openings in Kentucky. Louisville leads because of its concentration of major health systems and academic medical centers, Lexington draws on the University of Kentucky Health Care network and surrounding community providers, and smaller hubs like Bowling Green reflect growing regional behavioral health infrastructure serving south-central Kentucky populations.
Are there remote psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs in Kentucky?
Yes, but they're limited. About 60% of psychiatric nurse practitioner openings tied to Kentucky are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the hands-on and prescriptive nature of the role. Telepsychiatry is the area where remote arrangements are most viable, particularly for medication management follow-ups and outpatient therapy integration with primary care practices across Kentucky's rural regions.
How can I get hired as a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Kentucky with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a new-graduate PMHNP role through a structured residency or fellowship, such as those offered by Baptist Health and Norton Healthcare in Louisville or through the University of Kentucky HealthCare system in Lexington. Lateral moves from roles as a registered nurse in inpatient psychiatric units, substance use programs, or crisis stabilization centers are common stepping stones. A completed ANCC or AANP certification and a Kentucky APRN license are the credentials that open these doors, even without years of independent practice experience.
Where can I find and apply to psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs in Kentucky?
You can find and apply to psychiatric nurse practitioner jobs in Kentucky on Migrate Mate, which lists current Kentucky openings. Search the roles available, find the ones that match your credentials and preferred location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 20 Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs in Kentucky
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