Like most rural areas, the Nebraska panhandle is no exception when it comes to needing more behavioral health professionals. Currently there are two psychiatrists and two psychiatric nurse practitioners serving the area. Nancy Meier is hoping to change that.
There are only 148 psychiatrists and 46 psychiatric nurse practitioners in Nebraska. Out of that, 70 percent of those practitioners are located in Omaha or Lincoln, leaving 89 counties underserved.
Meier, an instructor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing West Nebraska Division in Scottsbluff, is pursuing her certification in adult mental health, through the Primary Integrated Psychiatric Nursing (PIPN) program.
The PIPN project is a three-year training grant awarded to the College of Nursing in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of educating psychiatric nurse practitioners who are available to diagnose and treat those with mental illnesses in the state of Nebraska.
“My goal is to be able to provide a holistic approach to care of the adult and older adult, from a social, psychiatric and medical perspective,” Meier said. “As a gerontological nurse practitioner, I will be able to combine my geriatric focus with mental health care to provide comprehensive care of the adult, family and geriatric clients.”
The $1.18 million grant is expected to increase the number of psychiatric nurse practitioners in the state by 43. It creates access to two programs through enhanced distance education technology. The technology will enable students to complete course and clinical requirements through Internet-based learning and videoconferencing systems.
The programs are:
- A – 44 credit hour family psychiatric nurse practitioner master’s degree, which can be completed in four semesters or
- A – 20 credit hour family psychiatric nurse practitioner “Sprint Track” post master’s certificate designed for those who currently are nurse practitioners in rural areas. The program can be completed in two semesters of full-time study.
Currently there are 30 students enrolled in the program and 38 applicants for fall 2010. For more information, contact Michael Rice, Ph.D., professor of psychiatric nursing, UNMC College of Nursing and project director of the grant, at mjrice@unmc.edu, 402.559.5464, or Beth Syphers, project coordinator, bsyphers@unmc.edu, 402.559.3858.
As the state’s only academic health science center, UNMC is on the leading edge of health care. Breakthroughs are possible because hard-working researchers, educators and clinicians are resolved to work together to fuel discovery. In 2009, UNMC’s extramural research support topped $100 million for the first time, resulting in the creation of 3,600 jobs in Nebraska. UNMC’s academic excellence is shown through its award-winning programs, and its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading health care centers. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 550 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
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