NURS 6003 Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Part 4: Finalizing the Plan
Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Part 4: Finalizing the Plan
It is crucial for nursing students at any level to prioritize building their professional network. Nurses can use their professional networks to leverage the individuals they know to help advance their academic careers (Heffernan, 2021). Networks time and again lead to desirable opportunities that benefit job and promotion applications. Besides, they enable individuals to secure full-time, continuing positions (Heffernan, 2021). The purpose of this assignment is to identify my academic and professional networks and explain how the selected individuals will support my success in the MSN program and as a practicing nurse.
You will find important health information regarding minority groups by exploring the following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links:
- Minority Health: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/index.html
- Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/populations/remp.html
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
NETWORK MEMBER 1
I selected Dr. Moore because she is the academic program coordinator of the MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. Dr. Moore is board certified as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) with over 26 years of clinical and administrative experience as a registered nurse (Walden University, 2020). She currently serves as the Academic Program Coordinator for the PMHNP program in the College of Nursing at Walden University. Besides, Dr. Moore is a clinical PMHNP and will guide me to achieve a successful clinical practice as a future PMHNP (Walden University, 2020). Since Dr. Moore has researched education and psychiatric/mental health, I believe she will guide me in the research project for my PMHNP program. Furthermore, she is experienced with evidence-based practice mentorship and is regarded an expert with telepsychiatry. I believe she will support my success in the program by guiding me on applying EBP in providing treatment to psychiatric patients.
Notes:
Dr. Moore has experience with presentations on psychiatric and substance use disorders, telehealth, nursing education, and primary care- mental health integration topics.
NETWORK MEMBER 2
I selected Dr. Barrett because she has academic experience in both administrative and faculty roles. She has taught Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at all levels and would guide me through the MSN program (Walden University, 2020). Dr. Barrett is a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner whose focus is to provide mental health and wellness services in her community. Her research interests entail assisting vulnerable populations in daily living, particularly in transitioning through life (Walden University, 2020). Dr. Barrett will support my success in the MSN program especially, my research project, since I seek to identify interventions that can be implemented to improve the mental wellbeing of vulnerable populations.
Notes:
Dr. Barrett has been involved in several research projects focusing on foster care, autism, and nursing education. She has various publications and presentations on mental health and wellness related research projects.
NETWORK MEMBER 3
I selected Sane because she is an experienced PMHNP with 13 years of diverse experience. She has vast experience serving different patient populations, including adolescents, adults, older adults, and women (SPAPN, 2021). Sane is experienced managing a myriad of common psychiatric and mental health issues and conditions, including Affective disorders, Anger management, Anxiety disorders, Bipolar disorders, CNS mood disorders, Caregiver issues, Chronic mental illness, Chronic pain, Depression, Domestic violence, Eating disorders, and Family conflicts (SPAPN, 2021). Consequently, she will guide me through my practice as a PMHNP in the aspects of patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and psychotherapy. She will also guide me on approaching various patient scenarios and how to run a successful practice as a PMHNP.
I selected Dr. Birk because she is a clinical nurse specialist with over 41 years of experience in nursing practice. In addition, to being a CNS, she is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Psychologist, and Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health (SPAPN, 2021). She serves various patient populations, including adults, families, older adults, and women (SPAPN, 2021). Consequently, she will guide me in assessing, diagnosing, and managing patients from these populations. Dr. Birk will support my journey as a practicing nurse since she has experience in a myriad of evaluation and treatment approaches. She will guide me in clinical consultation, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Family therapy, Geriatric therapy, Individual therapy, Medication management, Prescriptive practice, and Psychotherapy.
Notes:
Dr. Birk is experienced in various issues and conditions including ADHD, Affective disorders, Anxiety disorders, Bipolar disorders, Crisis intervention, Dementia, Developmental disabilities, Mood disorders, Quality of life issues, Stress-related disorders, and Women’s issues.
Conclusion
My academic networks are faculty members of the Walden University College of Nursing. They will support my success in the MSN program, mostly in my research project, since they have been involved in various mental health research projects. The professional networks are licensed PMHNPs currently providing mental health care in different care settings. They will support my success as a practicing nurse, mostly in assessing, diagnosis, psychotherapy, and developing patients’ treatment plans.
References
Heffernan, T. (2021). Academic networks and career trajectory: ‘There’s no career in academia without networks’. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(5), 981-994. ttps://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1799948
Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses (SPAPN). (2021). Find a NJ psych APN. NJ Psychiatric APNs: advocacy, education and clinical excellence. https://www.psychapn.org/find
Walden University. (2020). Meet faculty. Accredited Online University | Walden University. https://www.waldenu.edu/why-walden/faculty?college=College%20of%20Nursing
Module2 | Part 2: Strategies to Promote Academic Integrity and Professional Ethics
Part 1: Writing Sample: The Connection Between Academic and Professional Integrity
Academic integrity involves demonstrating a commitment to and honest and moral behavior in academic work. It is mostly related to academic writing at the university level since it entails giving credit to other authors’ work when you use their research work or ideas in writing (Newman, 2020). Academic integrity places an obligation to the student to acknowledge other authors’ contributions. Consequently, academic writers are obliged to acknowledge every source that they have used when writing research papers and essays. Failure to acknowledge others’ work is referred to as plagiarism (Newman, 2020). Furthermore, scholars should apply academic integrity by writing using their own words and ensuring that they do not accidentally misinform readers that the ideas expressed were theirs. Integrity should be applied by the writer understanding and rephrasing the text in their own words but still giving credit to the owner of the ideas.
Professional practices refer to specific behaviors that a particular profession considers appropriate for its members. The behaviors mainly consist of treating colleagues with respect and decorum despite professional and personal differences, mentoring incoming professionals, and serving others (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). Scholarly ethics refer to the entire array of explicit and implicit professional standards and characteristics that define an ethical, honest scholar. A scholar exhibits scholarly ethics by fulfilling the implicit and explicit professional expectations and implementing the practices set by their profession (Stander, 2020). They should also ensure that their professional behaviors and work match the ethical expectations considered crucial in their profession.
Grammarly promotes academic integrity through its plagiarism checker feature, which scans one’s essay or research work for borrowed texts. The feature enables the scholar to identify parts of the essay that have been plagiarized by underlining exact plagiarized texts and their origin (Soni, 2018). SafeAssign promotes academic integrity by checking and preventing plagiarism of texts. It provides scholars with opportunities to insert correct sources instead of just paraphrasing (Soni, 2018). The SafeAssign tool compares the student essay or work against various databases to detect overlapping areas between their essay and existing texts. In addition, paraphrasing promotes academic integrity by having the student write their interpretation of another author’s ideas (Stander, 2020). It is an efficient strategy to restate, compress, and explain another person’s ideas while at the same time ensuring credibility to one’s argument and analysis.
PART 2: Strategies for Maintaining Integrity of Work
Academic integrity at Walden University is considered important to develop students’ intellectual development. As an MSN student, I
purpose to maintain the integrity and ethics of my academic work by avoiding incidences of cheating, plagiarism, providing false information, copyright violation, and misrepresentation of credentials (Stander, 2020). I will avoid plagiarism by utilizing tools including SafeAssign and Grammarly. I will also avoid unintentional paraphrasing by ensuring that I have sufficiently paraphrased other authors’ work to avoid having my essay being too similar to the original work (Stander, 2020). Besides, I will cite other authors’ work as many times as I have used their ideas. Furthermore, I will insert a citation having the author’s name, publication year, and the page number after the paraphrased text.
As a practicing nurse, I will uphold integrity by following the nurses’ code of conduct to ensure professionalism. I will also treat my fellow nurses with respect and dignity regardless of their years of experience, professional qualifications, and personal characteristics (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). Furthermore, I will maintain ethics by upholding the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice in my practice. For instance, I will ensure that interventions implemented on patients will benefit them rather than causing harm (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). I will also ensure that patients are involved in their care, and their treatment decisions are considered when planning treatment.
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References
Newman, J. (2020). Academic integrity in public administration programmes: practical reflections on prevention and response. Teaching Public Administration, 38(1), 63-77.https://doi.org/10.1177/0144739419864128
Poorchangizi, B., Borhani, F., Abbaszadeh, A., Mirzaee, M., &Farokhzadian, J. (2019). The importance of professional values from nursing students’ perspective. BMC nursing, 18(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0351-1
Soni, G. K. (2018). Plagiarism Detection and Prevention: A Study. International Journal of Library & Information Science (IJLIS), 7(1). http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp
Stander, M. (2020). Strategies to help university students avoid plagiarism: a focus on translation as an intervention strategy. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(2), 156-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2018.1526260
Module3 | Part 3: Research Analysis
I have identified one topic of interest for further study. I have researched and identified one peer-reviewed research article focused on this topic and have analyzed this article. The results of these efforts are shared below.
Directions: Complete Step 1 by using the table and subsequent space below identify and analyze the research article you have selected. Complete Step 2 by summarizing in 2-3 paragraphs the results of your analysis using the space identified.
Step 1: Research Analysis
Peer-reviewed research articles are scrutinized by other authors who are experts in that field. The peer-review process ensures that the article offers a credible form of scientific communication. It seeks to motivate authors to attain the accepted high standards of their discipline and limit the dissemination of research data. This ensures that unjustifiable claims, unacceptable interpretations, or personal opinions are not published without expert review. The purpose of this assignment is to analyze a peer-reviewed article related to my topic of interest and explain the approach I use to identify and analyze peer-reviewed research.
Complete the table below
| Topic of Interest: | Mental Health Illiteracy and Stigma | |||
| Research Article:Include full citation in APA format, as well as link or search details (such as DOI) | Lopez, V., Sanchez, K., Killian, M. O., & Eghaneyan, B. H. (2018). Depression screening and education: an examination of mental health literacy and stigma in a sample of Hispanic women. BMC public health, 18(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5516-4
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| Professional Practice Use:
One or more professional practice uses of the theories/concepts presented in the article |
The concept of mental health illiteracy and stigma can be applied professionally to examine the mental health literacy of patients in the healthcare setting.
Understanding patients’ literacy levels can enhance the quality of care through early detection of symptoms, providing culturally effective education and encouraging them to engage in mental health treatment. |
|||
| Research Analysis Matrix
Add more rows if necessary |
Strengths of the Research | Limitations of the Research | Relevancy to Topic of Interest | Notes |
| The study used an adequate number of participants, and thus can be generalized among Hispanic women.
|
The study did not use a control group, which brings the possibility of selection bias. | The study is relevant to my topic of interest since it examines the specific role of patient education level as a predictor of mental health literacy. | Using a control group would have reduced the possibility of bias. | |
|
The researchers utilized a universal screening tool, PHQ-9, to screen depression among the participants. |
The study’s participants consisted of only Hispanic women and are, which limit its generalizability to individuals from other ethnicities.
|
The study established that the more a participant understood depression and its symptoms, the less likely they were to experience stigma about accessing mental health care services. | Mental health literacy can mitigate the adverse impact of stigma on care seeking. | |
| The study also employed various validated tools to assess depression stigma including the Stigma Concerns About Mental Health Care Measure (SCMHC), the Social Distance Measure (Social Distance) and Latino Scale for Antidepressant Stigma Measure.
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The study’s participants were primarily Spanish-speaking. Consequently, the study did not examine the differences in mental health literacy and stigma between Spanish- and English-speaking subjects.
|
The more a person knows about depression the more likely they were to engage with a person who has been treated for depression. | Mental health literacy varies by education level. Higher education results in higher mental health literacy. | |
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Self-reports were used to screen participants for depression, which brings the possibility of reporting bias. | The study findings supported the hypothesis that disease literacy is a vital component to treatment engagement. | Mental health literacy can be improved by assessing education level and culturally relevant care. | |
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The study establishes that early assessment of patients’ education level can be beneficial at the point of care since it provides insight into intervention options and reduce barriers associated with mental health treatment. | |||
I would recommend the article by Lopez et al. (2018) to inform professional practice since it meets the CARP criteria. The article is current since it was published three years ago. It also has functional links. The authors are university professors teaching mental health and social work and are thus qualified to write about the topic of mental health illiteracy and stigma. Besides, the article was published by BMC Public Health, which focuses on the social determinants of health, the behavioral, environmental, and occupational correlates of health and disease, and the impact of health practices, interventions, and policies, on the community. In addition, the article is relevant to the topic of interest since it evaluates the specific role of patient education level as a predictor of mental health literacy. The article is intended for healthcare professionals providing mental health. I would thus recommend it for professional practice. Furthermore, the authors provide references and sources of the information used, making it reliable. The authors provide factual information and purpose to inform mental health providers how to mitigate mental health stigma. Lastly, the authors have no biases, which makes the article suitable as a professional guide.
Step 2: Summary of Analysis
Craft a summary (2-3 paragraph) below that includes the following:
- Describe your approach to identifying and analyzing peer-reviewed research
- Identify at least two strategies that you would use that you found to be effective in finding peer-reviewed research
- Identify at least one resource you intend to use in the future to find peer-reviewed research
Approach to Identifying and Analyzing Peer-Reviewed Research
When identifying and analyzing a peer-reviewed article, I scrutinize if the article meets the following criteria: Published in a scholarly journal; Has an abstract on the first page; Is organized by headings such as introduction, literature review, methods, and findings; Has citations throughout the text and a reference lists at the end; Has credentials of the authors that are affiliated with a university or research institute (Kulczycki et al., 2019). In addition, I analyze an article by assessing if the article’s topic is narrowly focused and explored in depth. I analyze whether the article has a specific focus on contributing new, original research in a narrow area of the subject. Furthermore, I look at the language of the article. Peer-reviewed research should use technical and formal language and contain complex ideas and arguments, an objective tone, and an analytical perspective (Kulczycki et al., 2019). Lastly, I assess whether the article has a plain appearance with minimal use of colored, graphics and images.
Strategies That I Found Effective in Finding Peer-Reviewed Research
Some strategies that I found effective in finding peer-reviewed research include using the library’s research databases and limiting the search to scholarly, peer-reviewed articles (López-Cózar et al., 2019). The databases have a feature for peer review limiter option, which limits the retrieved articles to only peer-reviewed journals. Another strategy is using Google Scholar where one can search an article by title or author. Google Scholar enables one to search diverse sources from one site (López-Cózar et al., 2019). It also helps to retrieve articles, books, theses, and abstracts.
I intend to use the PubMed database to retrieve peer-reviewed research. Journals in PubMed are peer-reviewed and are relevant to my area of study since it contains journals on health, biomedicine and, related disciplines (Kang et al., 2021). PubMed is also suitable because it allows one to search across various NLM literature resources, such as PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, and Bookshelf.Conclusion
Peer review helps to ensure that scientific journals answer significant research questions and come to accurate conclusions based on professional experiments. An article can be considered appropriate for professional practice if it meets the CARP test, including currency, authority, relevance/reliability, and purpose. My approach to analyzing a peer-reviewed article includes looking at the publisher, abstract, citations, references, authors’ credentials, topic focus, and appearance. One can find peer-reviewed articles by limiting the search to peer-reviewed in the library databases and using Google Scholar.
References
Kang, P., Kalloniatis, M., & Doig, G. S. (2021). Using Updated PubMed: New Features and Functions to Enhance Literature Searches. JAMA, 326(6), 479-480. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.12021
Kharasch, E. D., Avram, M. J., Clark, J. D., Davidson, A. J., Houle, T. T., Levy, J. H., … & Vutskits, L. (2021). Peer review matters: research quality and the public trust. https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000003608
Kulczycki, E., Rozkosz, E. A., Engels, T. C., Guns, R., Hołowiecki, M., & Pölönen, J. (2019). How to identify peer-reviewed publications: Open-identity labels in scholarly book publishing. Plos one, 14(3), e0214423. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214423
López-Cózar, E. D., Orduña-Malea, E., & Martín-Martín, A. (2019). Google Scholar as a data source for research assessment. In Springer handbook of science and technology indicators (pp. 95-127). Springer, Cham.
Module6 | Part 4: Finalizing the Plan
I have considered various options for my nursing specialty, including a close look at my selected (or currently preferred) specialty and second-preferred specialty. I have also developed a justification of my selected (or preferred) specialty. Lastly, I have examined one professional organization related to my selected or preferred specialty and considered how I can become a member of this organization.
The results of my efforts are below.
Directions: Complete Step 1 by writing 2-3 paragraphs in the space below comparing the nursing specialty you have selected – or the one you prefer if your choice is still under consideration – to your second preference. Identify each specialty and describe the focus and the role that graduates are prepared for. Identify any other differentiators you feel are significant, especially those that helped or may help you reach a decision.
Complete Step 2 by writing a paragraph identifying and justifying your reasons for choosing your MSN specialization. Be sure to incorporate any feedback you received from colleagues in this week’s Discussion Forum.
Complete Step 3 by examining and identifying one professional organization related to your selected or preferred specialty. Explain how you can become a member of this organization.
Nurses taking an MSN program with a nurse practitioner focus become certified nurse practitioners (NPs). NPs are advanced practice nurses who work directly with patients but have greater roles and responsibilities than registered nurses (RN). The purpose of this assignment will be to compare my nursing specialty of choice with my second preference, discuss why I selected the specialty, and explore a professional organization related to my preferred specialty.
Step 1: Comparison of Nursing Specialties
My selected nursing specialty is Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), and the second-preferred specialization is Family nurse practitioners (FNP). PMHNP graduates are equipped with knowledge and skills to address the mental health needs of individuals across the lifespan (Gabrielsson et al., 2020). The PMHNP coursework encompasses psychiatric assessment and symptom management, psychopharmacology, and therapy modalities. PMHNPs provide a full range of primary mental health care services, such as biopsychosocial assessment and diagnosis of patients with mental illness, psychiatric disorders, and co-occurring disorders (Gabrielsson et al., 2020). Treatment approaches used by PMHNPs include both medication, counseling, and psychotherapeutic interventions. Besides, PMHNPs practice in various settings, including emergency, inpatient, private psychiatrist practices, clinics, and community-based mental health services (Gabrielsson et al., 2020). They also provide mental health services in domestic violence shelters, correctional facilities, residential substance abuse facilities, and schools.
The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty prepares NP students in clinical care, research, and policy. FNPs provide primary care to persons of all ages, from pediatric to adults (Poghosyan et al., 2017). Graduates are trained to provide high-quality community-based primary care to a wide range of patients with complex health care needs. Primary care is the core of FNP practice. FNPs assess, diagnose disorders, and develop treatment plans for individuals (Poghosyan et al., 2017). FNPs also educate patients and their families about disease prevention and wellness care and make referrals to specialists. They are trained to advocate for and empower patients and their families. In a majority of states, FNPs have independent practice privilege, which gives them prescriptive authority and allows them to treat patients independently in hospitals, clinics, or private practices where they take the role of a primary healthcare provider (Poghosyan et al., 2017). FNP graduates work with diverse populations in various clinical settings, including clinics, hospitals, doctor’s offices, private practice, and health insurance organizations. Unlike PMHNP, FNP graduates can undertake sub-specialties in their training in Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Endocrinology, Geriatric care, and Oncology.
Step 2: Justification of Nursing Specialty
PMHNP is my preferred specialty because mental health has been my area of interest since I was an RN. My job experience working in various mental health hospitals and providing mental health care to individuals across the lifespan created an interest in mental health. I selected the PMHNP specialty to be equipped with a broad range of knowledge and skills that will increase my capacity in providing mental health services to clients in my organization (Chapman et al., 2019). Taking the PMHNP specialty will increase my autonomy in my workplace, which is a great motivational factor. The PMHNP program will equip me with knowledge and skills to perform a myriad of clinical roles, such ad conducting psychosocial and physical assessments and developing differential diagnoses of mental health conditions (Chapman et al., 2019). Besides, I will have the capacity to manage the care of patients, including treating symptoms and behavioral change through medication, psychotherapy, and education. I will also promote mental health in my community since I will be well-versed with the cultural differences in providing mental health care. Furthermore, the PMHNP program will equip me with skills to utilize data to evaluate patient outcomes and work with families, other healthcare providers, and communities.
The PMHNP role is steadily growing in the field of mental health. PMHNPs in my state have full authority, which allows them to assess and diagnose mental health illnesses and develop treatment plans independent of physician supervision. I chose PMHNP because I will not be limited to patient care since I can engage in administrative, educational, and research activities. Besides, there is an increased demand for mental health services, and the demand is expected to grow further in the coming years (Chapman et al., 2019). The demand is attributed to the growing number of insured Americans and the requirements of the Affordable Care Act on the provision of mental health care. The growing demand for mental health care and the decreasing stigma surrounding mental health disorders has resulted in a major void in psychiatric care (Chapman et al., 2019). As a result, PMHNPs are in high demand take the mental health jobs. Besides, mental health jobs are projected to be in high demand in the future years. Therefore, I chose the PMHNP since it has a high job prospect and it is financially rewarding.
Step 3: Professional Organizations
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is a professional nursing organization for PMHNPs. APNA is devoted to the practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing, promotion of health and wellness through identification of mental health issues, prevention of mental health disorders, and the care and treatment of individuals with mental health disorders (APNA, 2021). It advocates psychiatric-mental health nursing and mental health care by developing positions on key issues and disseminating current knowledge and developments in PMH nursing (APNA, 2021). APNA collaborates with stakeholders to foster advances in recovery-focused assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of individuals with mental health disorders.
APNA membership is inclusive of all Psychiatric mental health nurses, including those with an associate degree (ADN), baccalaureate (BSN), advanced practice (APRN), nurse scientists, and academicians. In addition, it has memberships for nursing students in full-time study, retired nurses, and PMH nurses on full-time active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces DOD (APNA, 2021). APNA also provides affiliate membership to other mental health professionals and nurses interested in supporting PMH nurses.
Conclusion
My preferred MSN specialty is PMHNP, which focuses on addressing the mental health needs of individuals across the lifespan. PMHNP graduates are trained in psychiatric assessment and symptom management, psychopharmacology, and therapy modalities. PMHNP differs from FNP, which focuses on providing primary care to individuals across the lifespan. FNP deals with acute and chronic medical conditions, while PMHNP focuses on mental health disorders. I selected the PMHNP specialty because of my interest in mental health, increased demand for mental health care, and the high job prospects. APNA is a professional organization related to psychiatry mental health specialty. It focuses on promoting health and wellness, preventing mental health disorders, and caring for and treating persons with mental health disorders.
References
APNA. (2021, August 17). About association for psychiatric nursing and mental health. https://www.apna.org/about-apna/
Chapman, S. A., Toretsky, C., & Phoenix, B. J. (2019). Enhancing psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner practice: impact of state scope of practice regulations. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 10(1), 35-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(19)30081-X
Gabrielsson, S., Tuvesson, H., Wiklund Gustin, L., & Jormfeldt, H. (2020). Positioning psychiatric and mental health nursing as a transformative force in health care. Issues in mental health nursing, 41(11), 976-984. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2020.1756009
Poghosyan, L., Liu, J., & Norful, A. A. (2017). Nurse practitioners as primary care providers with their own patient panels and organizational structures: A cross-sectional study. International journal of nursing studies, 74, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.05.004
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) pursuing advanced education, especially Master of Science in Nursing (MS) need to specialize in certain areas of care provision based on their options and desires. Deciding the choice of specialty is essential for APRNs so that they can focus on a certain area of healthcare delivery and improve overall patient outcomes (Delaney et al., 2019). Consequently, I have considered different specialties before making the decision to be a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). The purpose of this paper is to discuss and compare my primary and second preferred specialties and identify the role of each specialty based on the preparation. The paper also discusses the justification for the selected or preferred specialty and examines a professional organization related to the specialty and way of joining the organization.
Step 1: Comparison of Nursing Specialties
My preferred specialty is being a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). PMHNP nurses offer a full range of primary mental health care, including the psychosocial assessment, evaluation, diagnosis and developing treatment and care plans for patients with mental health needs and psychiatric disorders (Foster et al., 2020). Through the use of their knowledge and skills of psychotherapy modalities and psychopharmacology and in collaboration with physicians and other professional, PMHNP nurses place their patients on regimen of therapy and prescription medications to enhance their mental health. Psychiatric nurse practitioners also offer support and education to families and communities besides the evaluation of their patients’ progress throughout their lifespan (Jones et al., 2022). They also participate in policy development and health care reforms as they relate to mental health and treatment of mental health patients to improve access, reduce cost burden and enhance overall quality of care delivery (Delaney et al., 2019). The PMHNP specialty offers different opportunities and options for one to work in various settings that include inpatient and emergency department, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities and even in telehealth or tele-psychiatry.
The second preferred option is working as family nurse practitioner. Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) work with families to offer both preventing and secondary care through implementation of health care plans. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), FNPs maintain patient records, perform physical examination and order or conduct diagnostic tests as well as prescribe medications. They can also work in a variety of health care practice areas that include community health settings, private practice, health care systems and even in institutions like universities (AANP, 2019). FNPs can also attain additional certifications in different areas like diabetes and obesity management to meet the specific needs of their different patients across the care and age continuum. These certifications also help them to enhance their career prospects.
Similar to the PMHNP, a family nurse practitioner works with patients of all age groups in different care settings. The FNP can work independently in their own practice or be part of a team. Further, like the PMHNP, the FNP also requires similar qualifications of at least a master’s degree in advanced nursing education. However, the two specialties are fundamentally different in terms of roles and responsibilities and even the practice settings. For instance, the FNP’s primary focus is meeting the physical needs of patients, families and health populations (Kleinpell et al., 2019). Conversely, the PMHNP focuses on meeting the mental health needs of patients and even families. The two specialties are critical because they all implore providers to have further areas of focus that can include geriatrics, pediatrics, and even adolescent health.
Step 2: Justification of Nursing Specialty
The choice of nursing specialty depends on one’s desires as a healthcare providers based on needs within the community. The decision to select PMHNP specialty emanates from various reasons that include bridging the gap in mental health access to available resources. My qualification and practice as a PMHNP will assist address the rift between psychiatric services need and availability and access. Secondly, the misconceptions on mental health continue to rise and this affects accessibility by patients and the quality of care that one gets. Individuals and families have failed to seek mental health services because of increased levels of stigmatization and limited resources within the community settings (Foster et al., 2020). Individuals are fast to ignore and even deny the existence of signs and symptoms of mental health problems because they fear stigma from society and family, especially victimization. Therefore, as a PMHNP, I will leverage my professional background and skills to alter these misconceptions and stigma and enhance access to these services by individuals in different settings. I will ensure that I integrate mental health as part of holistic care provision to improve overall patient outcomes, especially at this time when issues like the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic continue to have devastating effects on mental health among individuals. I will practice where I am most required and meet patient needs by leveraging technologies like telehealth and telemedicine to improve access to resources and lower the overall cost burden associated with mental health provision for low-income individuals and communities
Step 3: Professional Organizations
Professional associations are an essential component for nurse as they offer them the chance to influence nursing practice, nursing education, health policy, and patient care provision through the implementation of innovative care models and evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions. These associations also generate energy, flow of idea and proactive work required to attain patient quality care delivery. The professional association related to my selected or preferred specialty is the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) (2023). This professional nursing association offers members a chance to connect with fellow psychiatric-mental health nurses, have access to resources like evidence-based resources and programs as well as participate in exclusive opportunities in advancing care and treatment of individuals with health and substance use disorders and needs. The organization also provides opportunities for members to enhance their PMH nursing knowledge through over 230 online continuing education sessions, and programs. For instance, members get four free education sessions every month to improve their skills in care provision. One can become a member as a practice nurse (APRN) specializing in mental health area or as a student. The individual meets the criteria and makes online application and pays the requisite fees.
Conclusion
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) identify specialties to offer specialized care to selected patient populations with the aim of improving quality of care and expanding access as well as reducing the overall cost burden. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) play a critical role in care delivery as they provide mental health care to individuals in need of these services to attain holistic care. As specialized providers, the psychiatric mental health nurses require certain qualifications and should join professional nursing organizations to improve their skills and knowledge in care provision.
References
American Association of Family Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (2019). Are You
Considering a Career as a Family Nurse Practitioner? https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/are-you-considering-a-career-as-a-family-nurse-practitioner
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) (2023). Welcome to Your Psychiatric-
Mental Health Nursing Community. https://www.apna.org/
Delaney, K. R., & Vanderhoef, D. (2019). The psychiatric mental health advanced
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