American Psychiatric Nurses Association and National Association of School Nurses Partner to Improve Mental Health Knowledge in School Nurses

As part of a new agreement, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) have created a Transitions in Practice Certificate Program (ATP) to improve mental health care provided by nurses.

Nurses everywhere are increasingly providing care to people with mental health disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that 57 million Americans may be in need of mental health services at any given time. That need is even higher in children, with 1 in 5 children experiencing serious mental illness at some point according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

In a 2012 report titled “The Case for School Nursing,” NASN estimates that school nurses spend approximately 32 percent of their time providing mental health services. It is a vital service in school, and promoting positive mental health outcomes has been proven to support academic success and physical well-being. The Transitions in Practice Certificate Program will offer school nurses the evidence-based knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, cost-effective, patient-centered care to school children with psychiatric-mental health needs.

The ATP Program includes online modules on therapeutic engagement, psychiatric-mental health disorders, risk assessments, addictions, co-morbid disorders, recovery, and therapeutic environment. APNA President Kris A. McLoughlin, DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, tells PRWeb.com,

“With this new partnership, our two organizations further the dissemination of important evidence-based practices across nursing specialties. As nurses we well know that care is not provided in silos, and so we must work together to ensure that all populations receive the best possible holistic nursing care.”

To learn more about the new NASN and APNA mental health nursing partnership, visit here.