New nursing program to help strained mental health system
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The strained mental health system could soon be getting some help with a new program and it can’t come soon enough.
According to Columbus Public Health, in Franklin County, one in five adults between 18 and 25 have dealt with mental illness.
Brittany Dye has a personal reason why she’s studying to become a nurse.
“I have my own distraught background of health,“ she said. “I was a patient at Nationwide Children’s in the hematology and oncology unit for 12 years.”
She says she knows the difference nurses can make especially in the field of mental health
According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, there is a shortage of psychiatrists.
“There’s really a need for more services for mental health with the pandemic, mental health has come to the forefront, “ said Amber Budd a psychiatric nurse practitioner and will help run Mount Carmel Hospital's new psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program.
She says it’s aimed at meeting the growing national mental health crisis and tackling staff shortage.
“Psychiatric nurse practitioners is kind of a newer thing that's getting noticed a lot more,“ said Budd. “Psychiatric nurse practitioners can work in a variety of settings. They can work in-patient mental health, out-patient mental health, and intense outpatient programs.”
She says it’s a graduate program and these nurses could provide primary mental health care.
“Whether it's writing the orders, prescribing medications, or engaging in counseling, therapy, and that's the face to face you're going to see,” she said.
“As nurses we need to break the stigma and make sure that everyone knows that it's okay for you to be vulnerable,” said Dye.
Mount Carmel is taking applications now until Nov. 30, 2021
