Psychiatric Mental Health Area of Concentration
The adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) concentration offers students an excellent faculty, preceptors and many clinical agencies for practicum experiences throughout the Pittsburgh area, including Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. The curriculum prepares nurses in advanced practice as:
- experts in the care of patients with psychiatric or psychosocial issues, including the delivery of psychotherapy;
- collaborators in the development of nursing personnel through education and mentoring strategies; and,
- developers and managers of population based programs of care focusing on psychosocial issues, across an organization or network.
The CNS in adult Psychiatric & Mental Health leads multidisciplinary teams to ensure that patients receive the full range of health care services needed, initiates research utilization projects to deliver and test innovative health care practices, provides consultation to healthcare providers related to psychiatric issues in patients, and facilitates cost effective, quality clinical outcomes. The concentration allows a choice of a clinical emphasis in which a student may specialize: children/adolescents, family, geriatric, addictions, and forensics.
The curriculum is designed to provide a foundation in core competencies through courses included in the advanced practice nursing core. A strong base in neurobiology and psychiatric diagnosis is developed in the clinical emphasis courses. In the role implementation courses, students are introduced to a framework for CNS practice. Counselor skills are developed through courses in Individual Group and Family Therapy with supervised clinical practice of 540 hours.
The CNS in adult Psychiatric Mental Health may attain national certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Graduates may also be eligible for other certification relevant to an individual clinical emphasis, such as addictions or forensics.
For further information or to receive an application packet, please contact Student Services:
- Phone: (412) 624-4586 or 1-888-747-0794
- E-Mail: sao50@pitt.edu