News
New Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program launches during National Mental Health Awareness Month
May 17, 2021
By Shannon Dale
Many of the patients that nurses care for in primary care settings struggle with a secondary diagnosis of anxiety and depression. The significant lack of access to mental health treatment has become a national health crisis exacerbated by a shortage of trained professionals. Grand Valley’s Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) has launched the new Doctor of Nursing Practice - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program to respond to this gap in care, preparing nurse practitioners to provide physical and mental healthcare for their patients.
“Because there are so few psychiatrists and other mental health specialists in Michigan, patients have to wait weeks, or even months, before they can get an appointment. This access to care issue was what drove our decision to develop the new DNP program,” explains Dr. Katherine Moran, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.
In addition to lack of access to trained mental healthcare professionals, KCON-trained Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are prepared to address other systemic issues that impact patient treatment including the need for policy changes, lack of patient financing, and cultural stigmas that keep patients silent. Upon graduation, these PMHNPs can provide advanced mental health treatment across the lifespan to individuals with mental health disorders and are certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
DNP students can expect a program rich in hands-on experience from faculty with expertise in mental health care, practicum experiences with an experienced preceptor, and experience in individual, group, and family treatment strategies. Unique to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, KCON has a dedicated staff member who coordinates the clinical preceptors and clinical placement sites for the students.
Courses are taught in a combination of face-to-face and online learning experiences, crafted specifically for adult learners with a passion for caring for vulnerable populations.
“This new DNP program is particularly meaningful to me because we are addressing an immediate need, not only for west Michigan but for the entire state and surrounding areas. I want KCON to be known for our efforts to partner with healthcare systems to meet the healthcare needs of our most vulnerable populations in urban, rural, and underserved communities throughout Michigan,” shares Dr. Moran.
Applications are open for the inaugural Fall 2021 cohort. The deadline to apply is August 1, 2021. To learn more about the program and schedule an appointment with an academic advisor, visit gvsu.edu/pmhnp.