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Esdena Lacina
Discussion on My Career Option to Become a PMHNP
Since the inception of nursing, few envisioned that nursing care needs would have grown exponentially and diversified to where they are currently. The field of mental health nursing has always fascinated me and has quickly become my passion over the years. My motivation to join this nursing field is driven by the burden of mental health and substance abuse disorders that have grown in the last decades. According to Rehm and Shield (2019), approximately one billion individuals have been affected by these disorders globally since 2016. In my professional experience thus far, I have witnessed how individuals with mental health disorders are among the most under-served patient population, partly due to an understaffed workforce to meet the rising mental health burden (Delaney and Vanderhoef., 2019). The world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein once famously remarked that a life spent in service to others is the only life worth living. I have used this as my guiding maxim to always help me remember why mental health issues are important to me.
While serving as a registered nurse in psychiatric inpatient units has enabled equipped me with skills and knowledge to care for the needs of patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders, I feel that in order for me to take on more responsibilities and better serve my patients, I need to pursue an advance practice role. In addition to the professional values of altruism, competency, and human dignity, I intend to be fully committed to my patients and practice self-awareness when dealing with patients and their families. These values will enable me to incorporate evidence-based practice to ensure that my patients receive the best care. In order to gain the requisite skills, knowledge, and competencies for an advanced practice role, I intend to complete my psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) program and get PMHNP-BC certified. I will be relentlessly determined to always learn and add to my skills, knowledge, and attitudes to become a holistic mental healthcare professional.
References
Delaney, K. R., & Vanderhoef, D. (2019). The psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurse workforce: Charting the future. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 25(1), 11-18.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390318806571
Rehm, J., & Shield, K. D. (2019). Global burden of disease and the impact of mental and addictive disorders. Current psychiatry reports, 21(2), 1-7.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-0997-0
Elizabeth Gonzalez
The PMHNP Role
I have decided to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) to help those suffering from mental health issues and to improve the overall health of individuals, families, and communities (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2019). Mental health is a critical issue in the modern world, and I believe that PMHNP’s have a unique role to play in its treatment and prevention. I plan to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for advanced practice by pursuing a graduate degree in nursing, focusing on psychiatric mental health, and completing an accredited PMHNP program. I will also take advantage of the many professional development and continuing education opportunities available to PMHNPs, such as conferences, seminars, and workshops, to stay up-to-date on the latest research and developments
in the field.
The PMHNP role is rooted in the values of compassion, respect, empathy, and dedication to improving the lives of those affected by mental illness (Kamdem-Sango, 2022). I believe that these values will help guide the development of my role and inform the decisions I make in providing care. I will strive to create a safe and supportive environment for my patients, free of judgement or stigma, and I will devote myself to providing evidence-based interventions that are tailored to the individual needs of each patient. I will take a holistic approach to treatment, considering social, biological, and psychological factors, and I will strive to foster collaboration between mental health providers and primary care providers to ensure that my patients receive the best possible care.
I am passionate about the potential to positively impact the lives of individuals, families, and communities through the PMHNP role, and I am committed to continuing my education and professional development to ensure that I am providing the best care possible. I believe that effective mental health care is essential to improving the overall health and wellbeing of individuals, and I am excited to be a part of this important work.
References
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) (2019). Expanding Mental Health Care Services in America: The Pivotol Role of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. An
Informational Report Prepared by The American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Retrieved from
https://www.apna.org/files/public/Resources/Workforce_Development_Report_Final_Draft_6_25
Kamdem-Sango, E. (2022). The Development and Evaluation of a Nurse-Practitioner Led Motivational Interviewing-Based Psychotherapy to Reduce Medication Non-Compliance Among Schizophenic Patients (Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University (Delaware)).
https://search.proquest.com/openview/aef7e9ef41cd5437ff7e90db75071e64/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Idalmis Lopez
Becoming a PMHNP
The human mental state controls most of their life choices, especially when interacting with others or engaging in different activities. It became interesting to me to understand how an individual’s mental state can affect mood and other aspects of a person. This is where my story to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) began. I found the field of psychiatry fascinating and I developed a passion for it. I understood that by focusing on this field, I could attend to patients and those around me in an informed way and professionally grow my career. Mental health matters can make individuals to be unproductive or to dislike themselves affecting their socialization and progress (Alegria et al., 2018). I feel like this is the most important fact that increased my interest in helping people with mental health issues. Also, I saw the field of psychiatry as a challenging field that would help me reason critically to understand the source of individuals mental health problems and how to help them overcome their problems and make them live happier and more productive lives
The goal of psychiatric nursing is to help individuals with mental health problems lead a normal and healthy life (Kumar et al., 2020). Just like the picture above, when someone is in control of their mental health, they will smile and be lively rather than gloomy and helpless.
References
Alegría, M., NeMoyer, A., Falgàs Bagué, I., Wang, Y., & Alvarez, K. (2018). Social determinants of mental health: where we are and where we need to go. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(11), 95.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-018-0969-9
Kumar, A., Kearney, A., Hoskins, K., & Iyengar, A. (2020). The role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in improving mental and behavioral health care delivery for children and adolescents in multiple settings. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 34(5), 275–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2020.07.022
Lazaro Garcia
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What makes you decide to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?
The primary driver for deciding to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner was the need to improve the mental well-being of different individuals. There is a growing rise in mental health issues, and I understand that mental welfare determines the functionality of other areas of an individual. I believe that achieving a healthy population in terms of mental health will pave the way for the development at an individual and community level since optimal mental health is essential for physical health (Castillo et al., 2019). I witnessed many mental health issues during and after the covid-19 pandemic, which highlights the fact that people are battling different issues. I want to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to help individuals regain their mental welfare and continue their lives.
What are the values that may help you develop that role?
One of the values that will help me in the role of a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is compassion for the patients. I will demonstrate empathy to the clients and provide them with quality care to restore normal mental health. I always sympathize with my clients and determine how their lies can improve through therapy. Feeling for what the client is going through enables me to relate to their condition and address their needs (Castillo et al., 2019). Another value I embrace in my role is caring, whereby I conduct a patient assessment, develop a diagnosis and implement a care plan to address those needs. The mind drives every other bodily function, and I am motivated to promote the welfare of patients as far as mental health is concerned. I also have an excellent value for quality care provision, whereby I will seek to identify the best available evidence for managing patients with different mental health conditions.
What is your plan to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for advanced practice?
My plan for developing knowledge, skills, and competencies for advanced practice is through wide reading, interacting with clients, and working with preceptors in the clinical area. I will conduct thorough research on mental health issues to get the best evidence for patient care. Reading widely, watching videos, and exploring case studies helps to identify issues that the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner will deal with hence creating a body of knowledge (Finley, 2020). The development of skills and competencies will be gained through interacting with patients and preceptors in the clinical area, whereby I will apply the theoretical knowledge gained to direct patient care. Being supervised by the preceptors in the early days will help identify gaps in knowledge and work on them accordingly.
References
Finley, B. A. (2020). Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners meeting rural mental health challenges.
Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association,
26(1), 97-101.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390319886357
.
Castillo, E. G., Ijadi-Maghsoodi, R., Shadravan, S., Moore, E., Mensah, M. O., Docherty, M., … & Wells, K. B. (2019). Community interventions to promote mental health and social equity.
Current psychiatry reports,
21(5), 1-14.
https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11920-019-1017-0
.
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Alianne Maria Liens
19 hours ago, at 11:53 PM
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As you read the excerpt, please tell us?
The role of a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is discussed (PMHNP). The
duties of the position are spelled out, including counseling patients and their loved ones,
diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions, writing prescriptions, ordering and
interpreting lab results, implementing preventative measures, and referring patients to other
specialists. Compared to the standard medical approach, the American Psychiatric Nurses
Association (APNA) advocates for psychiatric nurses to be included in the primary care
workforce (APNA, 2019). This highlights the importance of the PMHNP in providing
comprehensive mental health care in various settings.
What makes you decide to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?
I want to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about
helping others. I believe that mental health care is essential to a person’s overall well-being. As a
PMHNP, I can provide comprehensive mental health care to my patients, including diagnosing
and treating acute and chronic mental health conditions, psychotherapy, prescribing medication,
ordering and interpreting lab tests, and providing preventative care (APNA, 2019). I can be a part
of a larger healthcare team, working with other medical professionals to ensure my patients
receive the best possible care. This position allows me to combine my passion for caring for
others with my nursing knowledge and experience.
What are the values that may help you develop that role?
The values that help me develop my role as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
include compassion, empathy, respect, integrity, and professionalism. Compassion is
essential to provide quality care to my patients, and I strive to be empathetic and understanding
to address their needs adequately. Respect and integrity are also important values to maintain
trust with my patients, and professionalism is essential to provide the best care possible (APNA,
2019). I also value collaboration and strive to work with the patient’s other healthcare providers
to ensure the patient receives the most comprehensive care. I value lifelong learning and I am
committed to staying up to date on the latest research and advancements in mental health care.
What is your plan to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for advance
practice?
My plan to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for advanced
practice as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner includes completing an approved
graduate-level program, obtaining certification from a recognized organization, and obtaining a
license from the state where I practice. I will also continue participating in continuing education
courses to stay current on the latest research and advancements in the field (APNA, 2019). I plan
to join professional organizations such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association to stay
connected to other PMHNPs and access resources that can help me develop my practice. I plan
to attend conferences and seminars to gain additional insight and knowledge into best practices
in the field.
References
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) (2019). Expanding Mental Health Care
Services in America: The Pivotol Role of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. An
Informational Report Prepared by The American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Retrieved from
https://www.apna.org/files/public/Resources/Workforce_Development_Report_Final_Draft_6_25
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Jorge Tase
The PMHNP Role
Excerpt Relevance
Reading the article provides the understanding about the needs and role of the expanding mental health services and the important in the well-being of individual and communities as a whole. Such pivotal action corresponds with the value of advanced practitioners who can resolve the shortage of mental health specialists in the primary level of health interventions. The expansion opportunities seek for the proper health intervention in common cases of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, substance abuse, PTSD, psychopathologies, and more complex cases such as suicide prevention. The scope of practice reveals the significance and growing competences of PMHNP where mental health entails a complex set of specific clinical competences and skills as well as expertise and knowledge (APNA, 2019). With the provision of NPs, the negative impact and consequences can be covered for the proper intervention, considering the value and reduced costing, the safety and quality of care, and the improvement of the health status. Moreover, such consideration reinforces the level of participation of NPs in health intervention that cover from the diagnosis, treatment and management of mental disorders to the prescriptive faculty or the educational intervention. With a competent training, certification, and practice, NPs emerge as the right option for correspond to the challenges of the U.S. health system for the expansion of accessibility (APNA, 2019).
Decision for Becoming in a PMHNP
Personal experiences and professional challenges merge into the decision to pursue the formation as PMHNP. From the family side, female relatives have been suffering from depression and other mental diseases such as schizophrenia which have affected not only the individual but also the family environment. Being a witness of such experiences has motivated the desire of contributing and participating in the treatment and recovery of people who confront such episodes. From the professional perspective, it represents a chance of learning and specializing in one of the most challenges areas of the nursing field which combines serious competences in clinical skills, pharmacology, behavior and decision-making, and others.
Values for the Role as PMHNP
The values and principles which guide the work of PMHNP moves over the integration of performance competences and general healthcare practices when the professional not only ensure and seek for the improvement of the mental status and general health to pursue also the integration of affected patients within the social and family environments. The scope of practice appear aligned with integrity, advocacy, and respect of autonomy but also with the ability to ensure the patient and others´ safety, the care which comes in conjunction with the opportune assessment, diagnosis, and treatment using several alternatives as well as the role as educator and leader in health interventions. Critical thinking and precise decision-making with the support of the knowledge serve to to support compassion, sensitivity, and confidentiality as a part of the qualities developed by the PMHNP.
Plan to Develop the Competencies for Advance Practices
The plan conveys with the acquisition of the knowledge, the ability to assess, diagnosis, and selection of the correct treatment based on guidelines and EBP, and the practice through the clinical rotations to validate such theories in the practice. Sharing experiences in the base and learning from the academic setting with the expertise of the professors from the program will provide the route to become into an effective PMHNP. The opportunity to experience a high quality and clinical placement in combination with the practice serve to build the necessary clinical skills to succeed as advanced practitioner.
References
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) (2019). Expanding mental health care services in America: The pivotal role of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses.
An Informational Report Prepared by The American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Retrieved from https://www.apna.org/files/public/Resources/Workforce_ Development_Report_Final_Draft_6_25
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Ariel Lopez
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The role of a PMHNP and the values that may be important for individuals pursuing this role
To me, nursing seemed like a natural career path because of how it helps people live longer, healthier lives. I started working as a nurse in a hospital after finishing my BSN program and obtaining my RN license. There, I met a patient who would significantly influence my professional development. A young mother with anxiety and other mental health difficulties presented as the patient. I learned from personal experience throughout my time with her how ignoring mental health may have serious consequences for a person’s physical health and wellness. That’s why I’m considering a career in psychiatric-mental health nursing or another kind of specialized nursing care.
My mission as a PMHNP is to provide my patients with nothing less than the best possible treatment. As a nurse, the nursing process and therapeutic relationship are at the forefront of my approach to care because I know from experience that they are crucial values to building a strong foundation of trust with patients and guiding them toward successful outcomes (APNA, 2019). Advocating for my patients and helping increase their access to mental health treatments are two other important values of my job as a psychiatrist (APNA, 2019). I am determined to do everything I can to break down stigmas and raise public awareness about mental health concerns so that everyone can access the help they need. As a PMHNP, I live by these values in all I do. They shape my decisions and the way I provide treatment.
To become a PMHNP, I could get a master’s or doctoral degree in the field, gain clinical experience through supervised practice, and pass a national certification exam to show that I have the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies (Kristofersson et al., 2022). Staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the PMHNP and keeping one’s skills fresh may require ongoing training and education. In order to network with other PMHNPs and gain insight from their experiences, it might be beneficial to look for a mentor or join a professional association.
References
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). (2019). Expanding mental health care services in America: The pivotal role of psychiatric-mental health nurses.
An informational report prepared by the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Retrieved from
https://www.apna.org/files/public/Resources/Workforce_Development_Report_Final_Draft_6_25
Kristofersson, G. K., Higgins, A., & Kilkku, N. (2022). Role and competencies of advanced practice mental health nurses. In
advanced practice in mental health nursing (pp. 19-42). Springer, Cham.
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