SERPN news

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As always when I write this news column in mid-December for the February issue of Archives, it is hard to pull my thoughts away from all the holiday preparations and project myself into the new year. The same must be true for all of you, as this is the time of year when news about SERPN members and activities is at its nadir.

Let me begin by saying, however, that kudos are in order for Dr. Sarah Farrell, who received a Southern Nursing Research Society/ANF research grant to study Web Technologies for persons with Serious Mental Illness. An important topic and I look forward to hearing results of her study at a future meeting of ISPN.

Most of you are probably aware that ISPN has added a new division, Adult and Geropsychiatric Mental Health Nurses (AGPN). This fourth division was created to provide the latest knowledge for advanced practice clinicians working in home care, outpatient, and inpatient settings. Although I wasn't involved in the conceptualization of this new division, I think it will provide not only an important focal point for clinicians working with this population, but should also serve as a nice connection across divisions for members whose primary affiliation with ISPN may be consultation/liaison, education, or research, but who also work with an adult and geriatric population. I look forward to learning more about this new division.

I was recently in the loop of a series of e-mails exchanged primarily by Psych-Mental Health Masters Program Directors concerning the ANCC Certification Examination. Several of the writers expressed concern that the current examination fails to adequately test prescriptive practice knowledge, which demands a background in psychopharmacology and neurobiology. Another indicated that the current examination had little on differential diagnosis when there may be underlying medical problems or on the management of comorbid disease states. Still others are concerned that in our zeal to ensure that we educate and certify excellent prescribers who are skilled in the physiology of the brain and its chemical management we will lose our holistic perspective. These individuals urge a broader based exam that includes the psychosocial knowledge and interventions that have traditionally been an important aspect of our practice. This flurry of e-mail seems to have been initiated by Dr. Kathy Delaney's (Director of the SERPN Division), request for feedback on the ANCC examination. Reading through the multiple responses, and in talking with the Director of our PMH program here at the University of Utah, it seems that perhaps what we need most is a document that clearly delineates the knowledge needed by the Advanced Practice Psych-Mental Health Nurse and provides a blueprint to ANCC for development of an examination that truly represents the expanded but still holistic role of the Psych APRN.

On that note, let me close by urging you to come meet with colleagues at the annual ISPN conference, to be held this year in historic Charleston, South Carolina, April 23-26, 2003. Hope to see you there.

Lee Walker Associate Editor