NP Role in Managing Mental Health Concerns in the Primary Care Setting Essay

NP Role in Managing Mental Health Concerns in the Primary Care Setting Essay

NP Role in Managing Mental Health Concerns in the Primary Care Setting Essay

NPs are considered primary care providers in most states and thus play a major role in providing primary health care, including mental health care. They are crucial in providing and coordinating mental health services in primary care settings. Most mental health issues first present in primary care settings, placing the primary care NP in a crucial role in addressing these concerns (Poghosyan et al., 2019). Besides, the burden of treating mental health disorders is falling more and more and overwhelmingly on PCPs, including ANPs, AGNPs, GNPs, FNPs, PNPs, and WHNPs. Thus, primary care NPs are in a vital position to screen, diagnose, and manage common mental health illnesses.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE ON; NP Role in Managing Mental Health Concerns in the Primary Care Setting Essay

NPs in primary care settings are well-positioned to intervene through assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral of mental health illnesses. Nevertheless, addressing mental health concerns is significantly dictated by the NP’s scope of practice, health conditions the NP treats, and best practices. Poghosyan et al. (2019) explain that NPs practicing in states with full scope of practice are more likely to deliver mental health services than those in states with restrictive practices like NY and TX State. 

The NP specialty’s scope of practice (SOP) dictates their role in addressing mental health concerns. PMHNPs and FNPs have significant roles since their SOP allows them to assess, diagnose, and treat patients presenting with mental illnesses. For instance, FNPs address concerns in patients with uncomplicated mental disorders like anxiety and depression in primary care settings, which is within their SOP (Poghosyan et al., 2019). However, the same SOP limits FNPs from addressing concerns in patients with severe or complicated mental disorders since they are supposed to refer to mental health specialists. On the other hand, the PMHNP SOP allows them to manage patients with complicated mental disorders, including diagnosing and initiating treatment plans.

The NP’s role in addressing mental issues with respect to conditions treated includes educating patients and their families about their disorders, treatment options, and prevention of complications. NPs have the role of prescribing pharmacological treatment for acute and chronic illness, providing or referring patients for psychotherapy, providing care coordination, making referrals, and providing preventative care for each mental disorder, they diagnose and treat (Brown et al., 2021). They are tasked with holistically screening, managing, and coordinating care for patients with mental health disorders. NPs also provide individualized care to persons with mental disorders as per their unique conditions and circumstances. Furthermore, PMHNPs are mandated to provide consultative psychiatric services in primary care settings.

NPs have a role in managing mental health concerns by implementing best practices to achieve the best outcomes for patients. They have an important role in providing appropriate and evidence-based treatments for patients with mental health needs. Thus, NPs have a role in researching the best practices available for managing various mental illnesses, especially those established to be safe and effective in alleviating mental health concerns (Brown et al., 2021). Furthermore, achieving best practices when addressing mental health concerns in primary care settings will require NPs to take up the role of researchers. Thus, they are expected to carry out research relevant to primary care practice and adequately disseminate their findings to other NPs who can benefit from the knowledge.

References

Brown, M., Moore, C. A., MacGregor, J., & Lucey, J. R. (2021). Primary care and mental health: overview of integrated care models. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(1), 10-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.07.005

Poghosyan, L., Norful, A. A., Ghaffari, A., George, M., Chhabra, S., & Olfson, M. (2019). Mental health delivery in primary care: The perspectives of primary care providers. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 33(5), 63–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2019.08.001

BUY A CUSTOM- PAPER HERE ON; NP Role in Managing Mental Health Concerns in the Primary Care Setting Essay

-What is the NP role in managing mental health concerns in the primary care setting with respect to scope of practice, conditions treated, and best practices?
-400-600 word response
-2 references from scholarly literature books or journal article
-APA citations

DISCUSSION BOARD: The purpose of the online discussion board is for the student to demonstrate synthesis of course material through well constructed discussions in an engaging scholarly and professional tone.

Initial posts should include the key issues about the topic in an organized, clear discussion, without digression. Response posts should also be direct and clear to the reader, demonstrating an understanding of the author’s commentary and contributing to an evolving discussion.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Critically appraise, synthesize and analyze course material in development and explication for scholarly discourse on relevant
2. Engage in scholarly professional interchange in discussion with
3. Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts, issues, competencies and essential characteristics of the AGPCNP

Criterion	Expert 5	Proficient 4	Competent 3	Novice 2 or 1
Completeness 20%	Response addresses topic elements	Response addresses most topic elements	Response addresses some topic elements	Response does not address topic elements
Quality Of Response 20%	Response demonstrates an excellent understanding of the topics(s) through well- reasoned and thoughtful reflections; it is factually correct and substantive, with relevant references and examples and demonstrates a clear connection to the readings.	Response demonstrates a good understanding of the discussion topics(s) through well reasoned and thoughtful reflections; it is factually correct but lacks full development and/or a clear connection to the readings.	Response demonstrates        a limited understanding of the         discussion topics(s); it includes         basic examples but lacks substantive information and connection to the readings.	Response demonstrates      an elementary understanding of the         discussion topics(s); it         is incomplete,      off- topic,     incorrect, or irrelevant to the discussion activity.
Comments To Others 20%	Comments to others demonstrate thorough analysis of their postings and extend meaningful discussion by building on previous postings.	Comments to others elaborates on their postings and furthers the discussion.	Comments to others are mostly shallow (e.g., “I agree” or “I disagree”) and do not enrich or further the discussion.	Did not post comments to others.

 

Participation 20%	Contributes regularly and on a timely basis, meets or exceeds the minimum requirement for replying to classmates, and always observes proper online etiquette (are respectful, courteous, and professional).	Contributes occasionally and on a timely basis, meets the minimum requirement for replying to classmates, and observes proper online etiquette.	Contributes infrequently and not on a timely basis and does not meet the minimum requirements for replying to classmates and/or does not always observe proper online etiquette.	Does not contribute to discussion on a timely basis, nor observe proper online etiquette or both.
Grammar APA 20%	Responses are grammatically correct, use correct APA format when indicated, and – proper sentence structure is used with are – no misspellings	Responses rarely have a grammatical error, although there are – slight APA format error	Responses frequently have grammatical errors, and there are major APA format errors.	Responses contain jargon, incomplete sentences, and misspellings. No use of APA format