THE PSYCHIATRIC-PRIMARY CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER - A FUTURISTIC MODEL FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

A new paradigm for delivering comprehensive mental and general health services has been born out of the necessity to integrate all aspects o f health care. Because of issues of cost-effectiveness and capitation, fragmentation of services is no longer viable. Graduate programs in n ursing will need to: (1) effectively prepare its practitioners to mana ge the complexity of both medical and psychiatric problems of clients, (2) promote health and prevent disease, and (3) counsel and refer cli ents, The psychiatric nurse practitioner is uniquely suited to provide comprehensive health care to both clients in psychiatric settings as well as primary care environments. An overview of the Psychiatric-Prim ary Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Pittsburgh is described. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.