NONPF 39th Annual Meeting
6252
The Primary- Care-Mental Health Gap in Nursing Education
Saturday, April 13, 2013: 1:45 PM
Kings Garden North (Wyndham Grand)
Abstract:
The World Health Organization has long promoted the integration of
mental health into the primary care setting. The passage of the Affordable
Care Act and the development of the patient-centered healthcare home have the
potential to rapidly accelerate the integration of mental health services in
primary care. These future changes in healthcare delivery highlight a need in
most advanced practice nursing curriculums for leadership and educational
preparation of students to appropriately care for patients with mental health
disorders in a primary care setting.
Models for primary care-mental health integration and templates for
care coordination continue to evolve. However, plans for the work force
needed to enact integrated care have not moved forward with the same clarity
and vision. By virtue of their education, NPs have the foundation for
relationship building critical to mental health care. These interpersonal
skills create the requisite culture for patient-centered care. But without
nursing leadership, NP contributions could easily be overlooked by health
care planners. The preparation of NP students to assume this role will be
examined. Consideration of the various advanced practice roles and
populations will also be discussed.
This symposium will address aspects of curriculum development for
mental health preparation in two NP programs. The development of a Behavioral
Health Diagnostic Guide which served as the foundation for curricular
development in one program will be presented. Additional discussion will
identify essential content added to a nurse practitioner curriculum to
facilitate NPs success in leading culture changes toward patient-centered
care and effective integrated care. The benefits of using dually prepared
faculty in developing this content will be discussed.