Bellin College is a leader in healthcare education and strives to prepare their students for the needs of society. One way they put this into action is through their variety of programs.
Bellin College has added a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track to their graduate nursing program offerings. This new program continues the college’s goal to prepare nurses who excel in professional practice and builds on their already successful undergraduate and graduate degrees in the nursing field.
“The PMHNP program is a perfect fit with our mission and values of excellence, integrity, community, and caring.” said Mary Rolloff, dean of Nursing at Bellin College. “Every day we see the pain and trauma of those with mental health challenges. We feel a moral imperative to make a difference.” Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice nurses who are licensed and credentialed as specialists in psychiatric–mental health nursing. Post graduation, PMHNPs may specialize in treating a particular population such as adolescents, geriatrics, substance use disorders, trauma, and LGBTQIA+ populations. In addition, advanced practice psychiatric nurses work in all areas of health care such as primary care, hospitals, community mental health centers, and many more.
“There is an enormous need for mental health care professionals,” says Lori Kulju, Graduate Nursing Program director and associate professor. “And access to care is severely limited. Approximately 25 percent of adults with a mental illness report not getting treatment. The numbers are worse for youth. This program strives to prepare healthcare professionals to support the needs of our communities and improve access to care for those in need.”
Students enrolled in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program can choose to complete a master’s, doctorate, or post-graduate certificate in the field. Bellin College is now enrolling students for the fall of 2024.