Will We Be Ready? Preparing Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses for Future Practice

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To review the challenges and issues facing educators as they prepare the psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing workforce to meet the needs of future practice. METHODS: Based on the author’s 40-plus-year career as an educator, clinician, and researcher, combined with a review of the literature, this article analyzes the current educational milieu for undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education of PMH nurses, including urgent educational priorities. It also offers recommendations to meet the needs of PMH nurses both in education and in clinical practice. RESULTS: PMH nursing education must evolve to provide nursing experiences in nontraditional as well as traditional clinical settings, and incorporate simulation and telehealth/digital/mobile platforms for delivery of content. Development of qualified faculty members and preceptors who represent the diversity of the American population must be addressed to adequately train PMH nurses to meet the demands of their future roles. Methods must also be created to define, teach, and evaluate PMH nurses’ clinical competencies pre- and postclinical experiences. CONCLUSIONS: PMH nursing education must evolve and transform to attract, appropriately educate and prepare students for practice, and meet the growing need for qualified practitioners as well as faculty members and preceptors.

Nursing students and their perspective about mental health formation: an integrative review/ O estudante de enfermagem e sua percepção sobre a formação em saúde mental: revisão integrativa

“…Tanto em alguns estudos nacionais (3,22,23) como internacionais (20,21,24) percebeu-se que o desenvolvimento de habilidades e competências de enfermagem para o trabalho no campo da saúde mental tem sido o foco na formação dos estudantes, principalmente na elaboração das temáticas e atividades das disciplinas, tanto para o desenvolvimento de ações e atividades específicas do profissional de enfermagem como também para o trabalho interdisciplinar, que é a característica maior do trabalho em saúde mental.…”

“…Um estudo internacional evidenciou que os estudantes dificilmente encontram uma relação dos conteúdos abordados nas disciplinas de saúde mental em relação as do currículo. (21) A organização estrutural da disciplina de saúde mental dentro do currículo de enfermagem é um fator que pode determinar como os estudantes percebem a sua própria formação e interesse pessoal pela assistência em saúde da pessoa com transtornos mentais, seja pelo pouco conteúdo ou pela pouca prática desenvolvida ao longo de sua formação. (26) Ademais, a pouca experiência, a falta de preparação e a ausência de formação dos docentes, que ministram a disciplina de saúde mental, podem ser considerados fatores que interferem na efetividade do processo do ensino.…”

Passing the Torch

“…This means that educators must anticipate future population needs and engage students meaningfully across generations—a tall order! Addressing population needs means faculty who can prepare students to care for diverse and underserved populations in nontraditional settings, use telehealth, integrate genomics/genetics information into practice, work in team-based roles, and more (Kaas, 2020). With today’s wide availability of online information, the teacher must also teach students how to critically evaluate that information.…”

“…Technology is also an important tool in passing on psychiatric-mental health nursing skills. According to Kaas (2020), PMH nursing education must include simulation and the use of digital platforms in order to adequately prepare our future workforce. There are many inventive educational models that incorporate simulation, from using it to teach psychotherapy to PMH-NP students to using it with undergraduate students to increase empathy for persons experiencing auditory hallucinations—one only needs to look at this year’s APNA Annual Conference presentations to find examples.…”

“…As we look to expand that group choosing to partner with individuals on their journey to whole health by pursuing psychiatric-mental health nursing, particular attention should be paid to reaching the full spectrum of potential students with the incredible breadth of possibilities found within a career in our field. I echo Kaas’s (2020) call for “innovative clinical education models and mental health clinical placements that are reflective of our diverse communities and our increasingly diverse student body” (p. 115). There is so much untapped potential out there that we can reach by expanding the way we teach and conceptualize psychiatric-mental health nursing so that it accurately represents the endless paths a nurse can take in this wonderful profession.…”