I would guess the overwhelming response you'll receive will be to get the CNA certification and work as a CNA for awhile to at least experience the field. It's like any field --- working at the 'bottom' gives you a broader perspective on the field as a whole. It also will give you one-on-one patient interaction experience.
Having said that, you of course, do not have to become a CNA to be a good psychiatric nurse --- but it sure can't hurt. A lot of medical nurses find out, a bit late, that they really do not want to deal with bodily fluids. They go into the field to 'help' people only to find they are really grossed out with the reality of LTC or a hospital. So, again, can't hurt to get some 'quality time' with real patients.
I started (going back 35 years) to do the same kind of thing. I was going to teach sociology at a university level. I became a caseworker while in grad school. Working with AFCD (aid to families with dependent children) and visiting people who were in various states of poverty, hopelessness, fustration, etc. gives you an entirely different perspective than simply doing research and studying statistics while in a nice comfy library. 'Street realities' are much different than book learnin'.
Yes, there are a lot of fustrated, hardworking, unappreciated CNA's out there. Unless you're in an area with little demand, I think you'll find most people get jobs right away. I started applying as soon as I took the state test. Prior to that, I had my long list of places to apply, my resume completed, and was ready to hit the job search. I had a job, in an ambulatory clinic, within the first two weeks of sending out resumes and going, in person, to fill out applications.
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