The Evolving Role of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners

As Psychiatric Times celebrates its 40th anniversary all year long, Sara Robinson, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC sat down to discuss 40 years of mental health care and what has changed in psychiatry.

Robinson is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore. She is also the director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at the university.

The role of the advanced practice nurse, or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), has changed and grown over the last 40 years. “We have had clinical nurse specialists in psychiatry since the 1970s but the PMHNP, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, role actually is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year,” Robinson said. The first time the PMHNP exam was first offered in 2000. Over time, the role has expanded and the ability of the nurse practitioner to provide services to patients in need of psychiatric care across settings in multiple states.

Dr Robinson is assistant professor and director of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.