After you have practiced as an RN for 2 years or more, get certified as a psychiatric nurse or psychiatric nurse practitioner with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or equivalent organization in your country. In the U.S., certification is required in many states, and recommended in others.  To qualify for the certification, have the equivalent of 2 years full-time work as a licensed RN. Show that you have completed least 2,000 hours of clinical practice in psychiatric–mental health nursing in the last 3 years. Use your BSN, MSN, or continuing education transcripts to show that you have taken at least 30 hours of continuing education in psychiatric-mental health nursing in the last 3 years. In the United States, requirements for this certification will vary depending on your state. After you have your BSN and RN license, consider pursuing a graduate degree to become either a psychiatric nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist. You will be better paid and have more responsibilities. To get an MSN, apply to highly-ranked graduate programs. Then complete a practicum under supervision to earn certification as a specialist in child, adolescent, or adult psychiatric nursing. There are some MSN programs, often called "entry-level," that do not require you to have a BSN as long as you already have an undergraduate degree. These programs typically last 3 years rather than 2. Only 1% of U.S. nurses have a doctoral degree, but it only takes 2-4 years of further study, depending on your program, after you complete your MSN to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD.  With an advanced degree, you will study how diseases and mental illnesses progress from a clinical point of view. If you are interested in education and research, a doctoral degree will allow you to become a Nurse Educator or a Nurse Researcher.

Summary: Earn certification as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Consider pursuing a Masters of Science in Nursing degree. Get your doctorate if you are interested in research and education.


A chaser is a drink that you can use to decrease the taste of the shot. Get a soda, juice, or beer to take with your shot. You will take a sip of the chaser right after you down the shot to remove the taste of the liquor from your tongue. Make sure you have your chaser ready before you take your shot.  You can also take a small sip of the chaser before you take your shot and hold it in your mouth. Drink the shot, and then swallow the chaser and the shot at the same time. Once you have swallowed, take another sip of the chaser. Depending on the shot (i.e. tequila) you are taking, you may need to get your lemon, lime, or salt ready before you take the shot. Beer is the most commonly used chaser. Tequila can be chased with a light lager such as Tecate, Corona, or Pacifico. Bourbon pairs well with an imperial stout beer. Chase with any beer that you like or ask the bartender for a suggestion. If you are drinking whiskey, try using pickle juice as a chaser. Slightly tilt your head as you raise the shot glass to your mouth. Continue tilting your head and the shot glass at the same time as you drink the liquor. The shot glass should be upside-down when you are finished taking the shot. This motion will make it easier for you to get the shot down your throat.  Be careful not to tilt your head too far back. You do not want to choke on the liquor. Make sure you tilt both your head and the shot glass. Titling only one of these can result in a mess. For example, if you tilt the glass but do not tilt your head back, you may spill the shot on your clothes. Inhale right before you open your mouth to take the shot. Do not exhale before you drink the liquor. Exhaling before you take the shot may cause you to gag on the shot. Once you have finished the shot, exhale out of your mouth again.  Avoid breathing through your nose during the shot taking process. Breathing through your nose intensifies the taste of the shot. Remember to inhale before you take the shot. Inhaling while you take the shot will cause you to inhale fumes and cough. Shots are not meant to be sipped. Holding the liquor in your mouth will make it more difficult for you to swallow the shot or activate your gag reflex. You will also taste the liquor much more if you do not swallow it immediately.  Prolonging the shot can also cause the liquor to go down the wrong pipe. Keep your jaw and your throat relaxed as you swallow.
Summary: Get a chaser. Tilt your head back. Breathe through your mouth. Swallow the shot immediately.