I am a psychiatric nurse in Ohio with a BSN. I am presently working in a mental health agency doing individual therapy and facilitating various mental health groups. I would like very much to re-locate to the New Orleans. Would I would be able to do individual therapy in a mental health agency there as I am doing now in Ohio?
This is a difficult question to answer as it tries to anticipate work in a specific field. There is no question that mental health or psychiatric nurses are in demand around the nation. Psychiatric services are historically one of the more under-served and under-funded areas of health care in the United States. If you have years of experience in the field, working with various populations and facilitating different group meetings, you should be valued as a veteran in the field of potential employment.
I would start by checking out the American Psychiatric Nurses Association – Louisiana Chapter. Contacting them and inquiring about potential job outlooks in different regions of LA might be helpful to your search. They might have leads on the New Orleans region or at least some contact information for individuals who might be able to help. Also, make sure to check out Medi-smart’s Nursing Careers directory for more information and guidance on jobs in nursing. There are links and you can search for various fields of employment in nursing.