their patients' emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Attentiveness is a very important characteristic because a PMHNP needs to be able to clearly and fully listen to what their patient is saying and what their report is showing. Along with attentiveness, a PMHNP should not make any assumptions, for it may tunnel their vision when it is crucial to have an open mind with different diagnoses that may be possible. An undervalued characteristic that is vital for a PMHNP to have is optimism. The PMHNP needs to stay optimistic because it will improve the relationship with the patient and the patient's attitude about improving their health. A characteristic that all PMHNPs must have is emotional stability. Times may get stressful, but staying composed for the health and safety of both the PMHNP and the patient is consequential. a PMHNP must possess these skills for their patients best interest, as well as their own. Practice Settings Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners can choose between a variety of practice settings to work in. Some PMHNP's chose to specialize in a certain area within the field that causes them to reside in certain practice settings. Another deciding factor for where a PMHNP chooses to reside may depend on if they are following a specific Psychiatrist to improve their education. Such settings include hospitals, detoxification clinics, outpatient offices, recovery centers, correctional facilities, court hospitals, private practices, or veterans affairs hospitals. Sub-Specialties Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners have many options as far as sub-specialties go. PMHNP's can specialize in specific areas within the field to work with a specific age of patients, a specific type of disorder, or in specific conditions. Addiction medicine is a sub-specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of individuals struggling with any type of addiction, whether it be drugs, nicotine, alcohol, prescription medicine, gambling, etc. Forensics Psychiatry sub-specialty is the interconnection between mental health and criminology, where a PMHNP can anticipate to deal with individuals with mental illness in a court case or a prison. The military sub-specialty deals with the diagnosis and treatment of many military related mental health issues such as PTSD. Child and adolescent psychiatry sub-specialty deals with diagnosing and treating many behavioral mental disorders found in children such as ADHD. The geriatric psychiatry sub-specialty focuses on dealing with mental illness found in older adults in the late adulthood period. Psychosomatic medicine sub-specialty deals with the interconnections between mental