Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist: Clinical Opportunities

The clinical component in this area of study consists of a total of 360 hours. To provide consistent hands-on clinical experiences, students are assigned to one agency as a clinical home base for the academic year as much as possible. The student is precepted by a clinical nurse specialist at this agency throughout the year whenever possible. Students also develop relationships and collaborate with mental health professionals from other disciplines. Students develop advanced clinical skills in areas of their clinical interest through the agency assignment.

Students develop advanced practice clinical skills and judgment in assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation with clients experiencing psychiatric disorders/mental health problems. Students are expected to incorporate theoretical frameworks and clinical research findings in the application of the nursing process to client situations. Course objectives and clinical evaluation criteria identify specific outcomes for each clinical course that reflect the growing clinical expertise and clinical judgment skill inherent in the advanced practice role.

As the student's level of independence and expertise increases, he/she is encouraged to seek out additional clinical learning experiences outside of the primary clnical site to broaden understanding of advanced psychiatric/mental health practice in various settings. Clinical agencies have included school systems, community mental health centers, community and Veterans Administration medical centers, crisis intervention centers, regional treatment centers, and private counseling centers.