By: Yale School of Nursing
When Zach Cornett graduates from Yale School of Nursing in May with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, it will be with a deep appreciation for the complexity of mental health and the ways it reflects each individual’s genetics, family and community relationships, biochemistry, and myriad other factors.
It will also be with an expanded toolkit for helping those seeking to regain and sustain their mental health.
“I really think that this degree, specifically from Yale, has helped me think about myself as a clinical innovator and really develop a new skill set."
Cornett has been a psychiatric nurse practitioner for eight years. He earned his master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and now serves as a part-time adjunct professor of psychiatric nursing at the University of Kentucky School of Nursing and as director of behavioral health for Key Assets, a nonprofit provider in Lexington, Kentucky.
Early in his nurse practitioner career, Cornett developed a passion for neurodevelopmental psychiatry.
“That's a fancy way of saying I work a lot with patients who have autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and intellectual disabilities,” says Cornett. “We’re seeing the need for people who have that subspecialty training.
“So I did that for a while and then decided I wanted to go back to get my doctorate. YSN’s been a really great experience. I've learned a lot about evidence-based practice and how to look at complex clinical problems and to really look at the problem in a data-focused way.”
Cornett’s ability to pursue his doctoral education while holding professional positions was made possible by YSN’s hybrid program option, which combines online and in-person classes. He found value in both learning environments.
“Other places are completely online. That was not the kind of learning experience that I wanted. The hybrid program allowed me to really form connections with people in a way that sometimes you can't do online.
“I think that I kind of sought out the YSN program because I was looking at which programs in nursing would help me learn about systems of care that I'm not super familiar with. I think that some of the beauty in psychiatry is that there are a lot of different ways to kind of slice the apple.
“I have a strong cohort of people. We talk almost every day, so I've really been able to develop those relationships, even though we don't have a ton of time together on campus. You get out of the experience as much as you put in. Because my cohort is not specific to psychiatric nursing, I've learned a lot about different areas of nursing just by being in these courses.
“And the faculty have really been incredible. They've walked alongside us in ways that you don't necessarily get in other programs.”
“I think because of that, they expect a lot from you—‘to whom a lot is given, a lot is expected.’ That has brought a richness to my education that was just unique.”
Cornett sees and engages with the uncertainties of mental health nursing.
“There's not some blood test that's going to tell us what your level of depression is. In psychiatric nursing, we live a lot in the gray areas, and we have to learn how to integrate the evidence to provide the best care when there isn't a clear-cut answer.”
“For me personally, one of the things I always tell people is, ‘I want to work with smart people to solve hard problems.’ I see myself doing that clinical innovation work—looking at gaps in care or processes and helping to figure those out. You know, the future of psychiatry.”
For Zach Cornett, the future begins anew on his upcoming graduation day.