Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Specialty
The aim of the Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing (PMH) curriculum is to prepare psychiatric nurse practitioners/ clinical nurse specialists to provide a wide range of services to adults, children, adolescents, and their families. It includes the study and application of theories of practice. Students are taught to examine and formulate behavior using a model of multiple explanations: cultural/ethnic, intrapsychic, developmental, neurobiologic, familial, and social. Extensive supervised clinical study focuses on various types of assessment and psychotherapeutic interventions. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the changing health care environment. It focuses on developing skills that allow for flexibility in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of populations defined as high-risk consumers of psychiatric care. Students may specialize in one of two concentrations: Adult and Family. The required Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing curriculum is intended to prepare students to apply for certification as clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners in psychiatric–mental health nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
In the first year of study, all students take course work and have clinical practica in human development and psychiatric phenomena in settings designed to treat multiple mental health problems learning psychiatric diagnostic assessment, and application of evidence based treatments including individual modalities group and family therapy. In the second year of study, students select a setting where advanced practice interventions can be utilized within the concentration of study. The settings include children and families; the medically ill client; adults with psychiatric disabilities; the gerontological client; and clients with substance abuse disorders. In addition to diagnostic assessment skills and application of evidence based treatment interventions, students will learn the art of prescribing medications under the supervision of a liscensed prescriber. Course work and clinical practice focus on the development of advanced practice nursing skills with these special populations.
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