Regardless of their specialty, advanced nurse practitioners play an immeasurably significant role in helping patients and improving their physical and mental well-being. The main reason why I want to receive my master’s degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing (PMHN) is my desire to help individuals with mental illnesses. It is my profound conviction that all people deserve respect, empathy, and understanding.
Taking into consideration that mental health remains an uncomfortable social topic, I feel the necessity to address people in a non-judgmental manner. I see my mission as a health care provider in support of patients with mood disorders, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other psychiatric illnesses and disorders. I believe that they need care, compassion, and attention more than others and I am ready to make all efforts to gain their trust and contribute to their recovery.
In general, psychiatric-mental health nurses focus on the delivery of holistic care that traditionally unites mental and physical health care (Delaney et al., 2018). They can provide not only targeted psychiatric care but address other co-morbid health issues that will be subsequently addressed by other specialists. That is why a competent psychiatric-mental health nurse should have excellent health assessment skills and advanced knowledge related to psychiatric-mental health, including all types of therapy, crisis intervention, psychotropic medication administration, consultation, and case management.
These specialists practice both as independent team members and in the collaboration with other health care providers for the most appropriate outcomes. In addition, psychiatric-mental health nurses should have excellent communication skills, cultural competence, and personal characteristics that allow them to establish ongoing and stable relationships with patients based on mutual trust.
Reference
Delaney, K. R., Naegle, M. A., Valentine, N. M., Antai-Otong, D., Groh, C. J., & Brennaman, L. (2018). The effective use of psychiatric mental health nurses in integrated care: Policy implications for increasing quality and access to care. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 45, 300-309. Web.