Building Community in Psychiatric Practice: Reflections From a Psych NP and Educator

Hill described her clinical trajectory from community health nursing at Arizona State University, where exposure to experienced psych nurse practitioners (NPs) reframed her perception of psychiatry, to launching a telehealth private practice and her Psych NP Bootcamp.

Hill characterized the bootcamp as a transition-to-practice program born from recognizing a consistent unmet need among new graduates. She noted that new psych NPs frequently struggled with clinical autonomy, stating that she wished she had more tools in her tool belt at that point.^1,2 The program encompasses a prescriber's playbook with evidence-based psychopharmacology modules, a psychotherapy playbook incorporating dialectical behavior therapy principles, peer support groups, and coaching calls. Hill identified curriculum deficiencies in existing psych NP programs, particularly insufficient applied training in psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and preceptor quality assurance. She advocated for broader integration of existing free resources into NP program curricula.

Hill also addressed interprofessional tensions between psychiatrists and psych NPs, framing the relationship as one requiring shared spaces and mutual respect rather than hierarchical competition, highlighting that "there are not enough psychiatrists to provide all the mental health care and the needs that exist today," and those in the field should work to collaborate. When asked for advice to trainees, Hill emphasized early networking, intentional self-care, and self-compassion as essential to career sustainability and burnout prevention.

Dr Clark is an outpatient psychiatrist at Prisma Health-Upstate and clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville. He served on the American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry, and he currently serves as the Diversity and Inclusion section editor and advisory board member for Psychiatric Times.

Dr Hill is psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and founder of Clear Care, a private practice emphasizing preventative and integrative mental health.

References

1. Fraino J, Selix N. Facilitating well-rounded clinical experience for psychiatric nurse practitioner students. J Nurse Pract. 2021;17(8):1004-1009.

2. de Veyra J. The role of psychiatric nurse practitioner clinical placements in shaping the future of care. Psychiatric Times. September 17, 2024. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-role-of-psychiatric-nurse-practitioner-clinical-placements-in-shaping-the-future-of-care