Passion for caring influences my selection for MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) specialty as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program, determining this choice has been a reflective process for me, consisting of research, deep thought, and deliberations, I had two options of either Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) or Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP). My nursing experience in long term care as an Alzheimer’s / Dementia Unit Manager, of dealing with dementia patients also influence my focus in acquiring more information to deliver mental health services, a psychiatric nurse and mental health practitioner can access, examine, diagnose, and treat patients with mental illness (Walden University 2021).
The difficulty I encountered before making this choice is not wanting to let go of my geriatric patients as the elderly represent an important vulnerable group that are exposed to chronic health conditions associated with progressed age and they also rely totally on healthcare services for survival (Szabo et al., 2020), having in mind that my geriatric patients are also included in the group of patients that are diagnosed with mental health issues, therefore my functioning as PMHNP will still allow me to be able to tender for this group of patients.
As a member of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioner (NCCDP) I am a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) which is one of the criteria to be met to practice in my field, I also wish to join the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) which represents psychiatric nurses and psychiatric nurse practitioners, the APNA is the largest professional membership organization committed to the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders., on their website there is a link to become a member, it will be easy for me to be a member even as a student, the website listed annual membership fee to be paid at joining and annually subsequently. I strongly believe that I will join this organization as a student and when I am done with this program, this will help to build my professional network strength. Being a member of a nursing organization also helps in achieving my nursing education goals. “As with anything else, if you put effort into it, you will receive more out of it.” Quinn-Szcesuil, (2016).
Miatta, I sincerely enjoyed reading your discussion. You captivated my interest in your introduction regarding chronic illnesses, prolonged life, baby boomers and what the future holds for our profession. I have noticed that most students in our class are pursuing the psychiatric nurse practitioner route, and yourself. I cannot emphasize how amazing that is, and the mindset you bring to the table represents your compassion for mental health. I agree with your statement regarding mental health resources and how advocating for our patients can positively affect the community as a whole. I am sorry for your loss. I agree alcoholism is a mental disorder. Rather, most addictions are and require the same number of resources as any other mental health illness. The lack of treatment and resources hinders the patient, their loved ones, and society. Mental health providers are crucial in creating stepping stones to help those in need of mental health treatment. Some patients require guidance, others pharmacological therapies, and at times, some may be going through a crisis and require additional appropriate resources. As for resources, I feel that I could benefit from joining the American Psychiatric Nurses Association to provide up-to-date resources for my patients in the future. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and information with the class; I have enjoyed working with you in this class.
Hello everyone,
After much thought, I decided to select the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program (PMHNP). Initially, I was confused between FNP and PMHNP and I wanted to do some research and find out which one I was more interested in. I started leaning more toward the PMHNP program after working as a psych nurse. I worked with adult and adolescent patients and saw the mental/behavioral health challenges that COVID brought, especially to kids.
While a majority of children were not physically affected by COVID, their lives were disrupted due to school closures and social distancing. The absence of peer-to-peer contact led to increased anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. I witnessed this firsthand as I worked
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