Research Paper Title

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Meeting Rural Mental Health Challenges.

Background

To describe the current rural mental health system crisis in the United States and how psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) can holistically mitigate this systemic issue.

Methods

Respective to the objective, relevant literature is reviewed.

Results

PMHNPs have successfully increased access to care in under-served rural communities by practising at the fullest extent of their scope without mandated supervision, utilising telepsychiatry practice, while expanding PMHNP rural mental health education and research to meet and absolve pressing rural mental health challenges.

Conclusions

Current evidence supports that rural mental health care improves when PMHNPs have full scope of practice, utilise telepsychiatry, engage in related scholarly activity, and have formalised education and training for rural health care delivery, which collectively answer the professional and moral call serving the under-served rural population with mental illness.

Reference

Finley, B.A. (2020) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Meeting Rural Mental Health Challenges. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. 26(1):97-101. doi: 10.1177/1078390319886357. Epub 2019 Nov 15.