A Call To Action: Reclaiming Our Pmh Apn Heritage

Advanced practice (APN) psychiatric mental health (PMH) nursing has undergone a dramatic role and credentialing transition since the 1990s from psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist (PMHCNS) to psychiatric mental-health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). The direct care component of the PMHCNS role featured individual, family, and group psychotherapy and a range of other intervention modalities ( Delaney, 2005 Delaney K.R. The psychiatric nurse practitioner 1993–2003: A decade that unsettled a specialty. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2005; 19: 107-115https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2005.04.002 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (17) Google Scholar , Delaney, 2017 Delaney K.R. Psychiatric mental health nursing advanced practice workforce: Capacity to address shortages of mental health professionals. Psychiatr Serv. 2017; 68 (Retrieved from): 952-954https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201600405https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28502249 Crossref PubMed Scopus (31) Google Scholar ). However, whereas the original PMHCNS role centered on forming a therapeutic alliance and providing psychotherapy services to patients, the current focus of the PMHNP has shifted to a more medical model with heavier emphasis on prescribing psychotropic medications ( Delaney et al., 2019 Delaney K.R. Drew B.L. Rushton A. Report on the APNA National Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Survey. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2019; 25 (Retrieved from): 146-155https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390318777873https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29862869 Crossref PubMed Scopus (20) Google Scholar ).