The Pediatric Mental Health Specialist: Role Delineation

• Published in: Journal for nurse practitioners Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 142 - 148
• Main Authors: Hawkins-Walsh, Elizabeth, Van Cleve, Susan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Elsevier Inc 01.03.2013; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: APRN specialty; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Certification; Children & youth; Delineation; Expertise; integrating pediatric physical and mental health; Mental health; Paediatrics; pediatric mental health; pediatric nursing certification board; pediatric primary care mental health specialist; Pediatrics; Primary care; role delineation study; Specialists; Teenagers; United States > US; pediatric primary care mental health specialist; APRN specialty; integrating pediatric physical and mental health; pediatric mental health; role delineation study; pediatric nursing certification board
• ISSN: 1555-4155; 1878-058X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2012.11.017

Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specialties build on regulated role and population competencies and add expertise in a discrete area of practice. The Consensus Model speaks to the need for the nursing profession to create mechanisms that validate APRN competencies in new specialty areas that emerge from patients’ health care needs. The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board conducted a role-delineation study to examine the specialty area of pediatric primary care mental health. The result is a new certification and examination that validate knowledge, skills, and expertise for the role of the pediatric mental health specialist.