Comparison of Nursing Specialties Directions: Complete Step 1 by writing 2-3 paragraphs in the space below comparing the nursing specialty (PSYCHIATRY AND FAMILY/ INTERNAL MEDICINE) 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.
Use the space below to identify and examine one professional organization related to your selected or preferred specialty. Explain how you can become a member of this organization.
The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is my chosen specialty within the MSN program. PMHNPs are equipped with knowledge and skills to provide mental health care to individuals across the lifespan. When deciding on the MSN program to select, I encountered challenges in identifying which program would enable me to reach my full potential. I was caught between a rock and a hard place, deciding whether to choose a program based on my passion or career prospects, including income rates. As much as I wanted to follow my passion, I had to think if my specialty has a high job demand and the average income nurses in the specialty are paid in my state. Besides, I had a challenge determining the level of autonomy different nursing specialties have in Illinois based on the state’s scope of practice for nurse practitioners.
The PMHNP program topped the list since the COVID-19 pandemic led to an exacerbation of mental health conditions. Individuals also started appreciating the significance of mental health and are increasingly seeking treatment when they identify psychiatric symptoms. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from February 1 to 13, 2023, 28.7% of adults in Illinois reported symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder, compared to 32.3% of adults in the U.S. (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2023). Furthermore, there has been a growing concern about a shortage of mental health professionals in my state owing to the increased demand (Kumar et al., 2020). This means more mental health care professionals are needed to fill the gap. The increasing demand for mental health professionals drove my decision to choose the PMHNP specialty.
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is one of the professional organizations affiliated with the PMHNP specialty. APNA seeks to provide leadership to promote PMHPNs, enhance mental health care for culturally diverse people, families, groups, and communities, and advocate for health policy to improve the delivery of mental health care (APNA, 2021). Psychiatric-mental health nurses at all levels of practice can subscribe to the organization. This includes RNs or APRNs practicing in all settings. Besides, it has a membership for full-time nursing students, retired nurses, and PMHNPs on full-time active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces DOD.
References
APNA. (2021, August 17). About association for psychiatric nursing and mental health. https://www.apna.org/about-apna/
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2023, March 20). Mental health and substance use state fact sheets. KFF. https://www.kff.org/statedata/mental-health-and-substance-use-state-fact-sheets/illinois/
Kumar, A., Kearney, A., Hoskins, K., & Iyengar, A. (2020). The role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in improving mental and behavioral health care delivery for children and adolescents in multiple settings. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 34(5), 275–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2020.07.022