Behavioral Health Registered Nurses: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health registered nurses about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for behavioral health registered nurses to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of behavioral health registered nurses expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for behavioral health registered nurses.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses?
Do behavioral health registered nurses need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health registered nurses typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for behavioral health registered nurses to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses By Education
- No Education Listed: 124 (33%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 77 (20%)
- Bachelor's degree: 71 (19%)
- Master's degree: 71 (19%)
- High School or GED: 36 (9%)
No education was listed by most employers of behavioral health registered nurses. According to job data, no education was required for 33% of positions. In 20% of job listings a ph.d. or professional degree was required and in 19% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 23 (22%)
- 2-3 Years: 36 (35%)
- 4-6 Years: 23 (22%)
- 7-9 Years: 8 (8%)
- 10+ Years: 14 (13%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for behavioral health registered nurses. In 35% of job postings for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 22% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 22% of job postings for behavioral health registered nurses.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Registered Nurses Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for behavioral health registered nurses, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 3 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health registered nurses, and in 2023 a total of 151,107 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective behavioral health registered nurses.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology. | 2,670 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Understand what’s behind the structure, behavior and environment of your organization.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Strengthen your grasp of brain science and personality styles, individual and organizational intelligence and innovation and change management and become a transformational leader, with Franklin’s online accredited MBA with a Specialization in Business Psychology.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Create a high-performance culture by broadening your knowledge of leadership theory, change management and managerial psychology through Franklin’s online accredited MBA with a Specialization in Organizational Leadership.
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Behavioral Health Registered Nurses Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health registered nurses to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health registered nurses, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
Based on 306 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 129 | 42% |
| Psychiatry | 98 | 32% |
| Nursing | 65 | 21% |
| Industrial And Organizational Psychology | 63 | 21% |
| Project Management | 46 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Registered Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 87 | 28% |
| Research | 81 | 26% |
| Communication | 65 | 21% |
| Management | 64 | 21% |
| Planning | 47 | 15% |
Based on 306 job postings related to behavioral health registered nurses, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 42% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for psychiatry, nursing, industrial and organizational psychology, project management and data analysis were also highly sought.
As for common skills, leadership was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health registered nurses, followed by research, communication, management, planning and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 129 | 42% |
| Psychiatry | 98 | 32% |
| Nursing | 65 | 21% |
| Industrial And Organizational Psychology | 63 | 21% |
| Project Management | 46 | 15% |
| Data Analysis | 35 | 11% |
| Direct Patient Care | 34 | 11% |
| Patient Assistance | 32 | 10% |
| Behavioral Health | 31 | 10% |
| Emergency Departments | 31 | 10% |
| Change Management | 30 | 10% |
| Medical Surgical Nursing | 30 | 10% |
| Critical Care | 28 | 9% |
| Intensive Care Unit | 28 | 9% |
| Cath Lab | 27 | 9% |
| Dialysis | 27 | 9% |
| Intravenous Therapy | 27 | 9% |
| Pediatrics | 27 | 9% |
| Infectious Diseases | 26 | 8% |
| Medical Terminology | 26 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 87 | 28% |
| Research | 81 | 26% |
| Communication | 65 | 21% |
| Management | 64 | 21% |
| Planning | 47 | 15% |
| Writing | 45 | 15% |
| English Language | 44 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 41 | 13% |
| Consulting | 33 | 11% |
| Mentorship | 32 | 10% |
| Quality Control | 32 | 10% |
| Teaching | 31 | 10% |
| Coordinating | 30 | 10% |
| Multilingualism | 28 | 9% |
| Presentations | 28 | 9% |
| Knowledge Transfer | 27 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 27 | 9% |
| Innovation | 26 | 8% |
| Operations | 26 | 8% |
| Computer Terminals | 25 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health registered nurses? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health registered nurses.
What do behavioral health registered nurses do?
How much do behavioral health registered nurses make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.