KINGSTON, R.I. — February 17, 2010 — Citing a critical shortage of advanced practice nurses in pediatric mental health, the 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of Nursing and Bradley Hospital are collaborating on a new master鈥檚 degree at the nation鈥檚 oldest neuropsychiatric child and adolescent hospital.
The graduate degree in child and adolescent psychiatric mental health nursing is one of seven master鈥檚 degrees offered by 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of Nursing, and it marks the third hospital-based program offered by the College. The other two are at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals, which along with Bradley, are Lifespan health care system partners.
For 30 years the College has offered a master鈥檚 degree with a psychiatric-mental health focus at its Kingston Campus location, but Ginette Ferszt, associate professor of nursing and coordinator of the new program, said a track with a focus on young people was needed.
The goal is to enroll the first class of 14 to 16 students in fall 2010. The 41-credit master鈥檚 degree will be offered at the East Providence hospital. Established in 1931, it continues to be a world leader in treatment, research and education in the area of child and adolescent mental health. While Bradley and other Lifespan system nurses have first preference for admission, the program is open to nurses from any other Rhode Island hospital, agency or school who possess a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing and meet the criteria for admission.
鈥淭he clinical demands on our nurses are very high, so having the ability to take classes on-site in a convenient, supportive and familiar environment is an unusual but important benefit,鈥� said Susan Eagleson, chief nursing officer and director of quality oversight at Bradley Hospital. 鈥淲hen it comes to mental health treatment, children are more than just little adults. Bradley鈥檚 clinical team has the expertise to meet the unique needs of children and adolescents who are facing a mental health crisis, and we are excited to share this knowledge and experience with nurses participating in this program.鈥�
Eagleson added that 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of Nursing has extensive research experience and 鈥渋s at the forefront of developing new knowledge in nursing. We鈥檝e worked closely with the dean and the nurse leaders within the University to match our mission with the 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 mission. Fortunately for all of us, Dr. Ferszt has developed a specialty program in our area of expertise and interests. It鈥檚 a natural match.鈥�
鈥淕raduates (of the new program) will be prepared to work in an advanced practice role, which will include emergency assessments and evaluations, prescribing and providing psychotherapy,鈥� Ferszt said.
鈥淲e expect this program to have a major impact on waiting lists for in-patient services, and at community mental health centers. There is a huge gap in mental health care for children and adolescents.鈥�
Ferszt said only a few hospital emergency rooms around the state have mental health nursing specialists on staff. “But in most cases, when a pediatric or adolescent patient enters the emergency room needing acute psychiatric or mental health services, there is no one available with a specialty in this area.”
Eagleson said Bradley has deep concerns about outpatient treatment options when patients leave the hospital.
鈥淥ur families often have unacceptably long waits after leaving the hospital to get an outpatient appointment from providers in their community, or they may have difficulty finding appropriate community-based mental health services for their children,鈥� Eagleson said. 鈥淏radley does everything it can to connect families with the services they need, but the shortage of child mental health practitioners can sometimes be a challenge in the continuity of care.鈥�
Because advanced practice nurses can work as primary health care providers, they can help bridge this gap, Eagleson said.
Marge Paccione, director of the Department of Behavioral Education at Bradley Hospital, said the program draws its strength from the unique collaboration among 溏心vlog免费B站, Bradley and Lifespan.
鈥淎n additional strength is the cohort of nurses who are passionate about learning more about child and adolescent psychiatry,鈥� Paccione said. 鈥淭hat cohort will be a think tank and bring energy to the program. It should be very synergistic.鈥�
The Lifespan Learning Institute also played a critical role in the development of this new program. Using expertise in education, professional development and work force skills training, the team provided leaders from 溏心vlog免费B站 and Bradley Hospital with essential support and guidance, including models based on Lifespan partnerships with other higher education and academic programs.
For information about the program, contact Ferszt at 401-874-5345 or by email, ggf@uri.edu.
溏心vlog免费B站 the 溏心vlog免费B站 College of Nursing
鈥� ENROLLMENT鈥斾缧膙log免费B站 680 undergraduate students; about 120 graduate students
鈥� OFFERS–programs leading to the bachelor of science, master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees, the only University in the state to offer bachelor鈥檚 to doctoral education.
History
鈥� September 1945–Rhode Island State College (forerunner of 溏心vlog免费B站) begins its nursing program with nine students.
鈥� 1947–Division of Nursing established, Louisa White appointed director.
鈥� 1950–School of Nursing created.
鈥� 1960鈥擟ollege of Nursing established within the University.
鈥� September 23, 1977鈥擶hite Hall dedicated, the first building designed specifically for the College of Nursing.
溏心vlog免费B站 Bradley Hospital
Founded in 1931, Bradley Hospital was the nation鈥檚 first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively for children and adolescents. It remains a nationally recognized center for children鈥檚 mental health care, training and research. A teaching hospital for The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley Hospital offers a wide range of services for psychological, developmental and behavioral conditions, including inpatient, outpatient, residential and home-based treatment options.
Its research arm, the Bradley Hasbro Children鈥檚 Research Center, brings together a multidisciplinary team of investigators working to advance our knowledge of children鈥檚 mental health through federally-funded research projects. Bradley Hospital also operates the Bradley School, a fully certified special education school. A private, not-for-profit hospital, Bradley Hospital is a member of the Lifespan health system.
Pictured above
BIG STEP FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING: 溏心vlog免费B站 College of Nursing and Bradley Hospital officials discuss the new master鈥檚 degree in child and adolescent psychiatric mental health nursing offered by 溏心vlog免费B站 at the East Providence hospital. From left are: Marge Paccione, director of the Department of Behavioral Education at Bradley Hospital; Ginette Ferszt, associate professor of nursing and coordinator of the new program; and Susan Eagleson, chief nursing officer and director of quality oversight at Bradley Hospital. 溏心vlog免费B站 Department of Communications & Marketing photo by Michael Salerno Photography.