PMHNPs help patients navigate high-pressure roles

Los Angeles is a great place to live, work and play. It is also a place with a strong focus on living a lifestyle that promotes better health and allows residents to stay in top shape. Although the physical side of living a healthier lifestyle is all the rage across the city, taking steps to foster better mental health is also something that people are concentrating on. This is especially true for those navigating high-pressure roles at work, which can often lead to poor mental health. From the dangers of performance anxiety in a high-pressure role to the sheer stress of working at such a level, there is no doubt that these kinds of jobs can negatively impact mental health at times.

Those in such roles need to seek professional guidance if they ever feel it affects their mind. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are a good option and a valuable source of help for stressed executives. The rising issue of mental health across the country also means this is a popular career choice for those who wish to help people tackle the pressures of high-level jobs.

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner qualifications 

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who focus on mental healthcare as a specialty. This role involves helping people from across society who are struggling with mental health problems and need professional assistance to move past them.

The psychiatric nurse practitioner job outlook is positive, thanks to the increasing volume of mental health problems nationally. This makes it not only a rewarding career, but also one with good employment opportunities. To move into this type of role, individuals must complete an advanced academic program focused on psychiatric nursing after qualifying as a registered nurse. The online Master of Science in Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at Rockhurst University is one of the most popular options for those seeking a career in the field, delivering high-quality training for graduates that will equip them with the necessary skills to care for patients well.

How PMHNPs help patients thrive in high-pressure roles 

Nurses in this role will see patients from a range of backgrounds. One example is people who work in high-pressure jobs, especially in busy cities like L.A., where the expectations in top jobs can prove challenging to manage. Here’s how PMHNPs help people thrive in their working life.

Comprehensive mental health assessment

Any good PMHNP starts first by conducting a thoughtful and comprehensive mental health assessment. This involves sitting down with the patient to talk about their situation and give them a chance to explain how work is making them feel. A comprehensive assessment enables the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner to assess the patient and create an effective treatment plan.

Stress management and coping strategies

One of the main components of any treatment plan for people in high-pressure roles who are experiencing mental health issues is finding ways for them to cope better at work. PMHNPs will use their knowledge to suggest effective stress management techniques.

By using both approaches, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners help patients deal better with stressful situations at work and equip them with effective coping mechanisms to use when they start to feel anxious. A good example of this in action might be a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner suggesting that an anxious executive use a stress ball to relieve tension when needed.

Psychoeducation and awareness 

Psychoeducation is an evidence-focused approach to mental health therapy that provides patients with information around their illness. By focusing on this with people who are struggling in high-pressure roles, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners can help patients better understand their issues and find effective ways to deal with them. This helps raise the patient’s general awareness related to what is driving any mental health issues they face when navigating high-pressure jobs. 

Crisis intervention 

Crisis intervention involves psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners offering practical, short-term support when someone is suffering from an intense mental health episode. For example, when helping senior executives deal with the pressures of their role, these specialist nurses can intervene when the patient’s behavior at work is causing them or those around them serious problems. This process will also involve a debriefing period after the crisis event has occurred so the patient can reflect on what has happened and try to find ways to stop it from occurring again.

Collaboration with employers 

By working with employers, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are able to highlight the issues someone is facing to foster positive change and find ways of changing their work environment to help them feel happier. For example, employers might agree to lighten the workload of an overworked staff member by redistributing some of their tasks to other people.

Medication management 

Prescribing medication is a key part of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner’s role, and medication management, where appropriate, also falls under their remit. This might apply when helping stressed high-flyers who may already be taking medication that negatively affects how they feel.

For example, if a factory owner is taking medication for depression that has low mood listed as a possible side effect, the nurse practitioner may well look at managing their intake of this in order to help them feel better at work.

Regular follow-up and support 

The last major way nurses in this specialist role help patients navigate high-pressure jobs is offering them ongoing support. This is usually achieved through regular follow-up sessions, which enable the psychiatric nurse practitioner to check that the patient is staying on track when it comes to their mental health.

PMHNPs provide effective support to professionals in high-pressure roles

Working in a high-pressure job can be busy, stressful, and full of expectations. Although a lot of people can handle this most of the time, some may find that it negatively affects their mental health. In these cases, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners provide effective support and help patients navigate their way successfully through the working world.