Family Systems Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing

Serving families across the lifespan who are experiencing the effects of war, the economy, violence, and mental disorders

Increased Need for Psychiatric Nurses

In addition to the shortage of advanced practice psychiatric nurses, healthcare systems are challenged to address the needs of an increasing elderly population; stressed military families; families impacted by the economy, loss of employment, home foreclosure, and other stressors; and a population facing an increase in reported rates of domestic and youth violence.

Fill a Critical Gap in Service

Put your passion to help children, youth, adults, and the elderly to use by pursuing your MSN in Family Systems Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. This blended program prepares graduates to serve as psychiatric nurse practitioners and/or clinical nurse specialists. The curriculum will prepare you to address more efficiently the often unmet psychiatric mental health and substance use/abuse needs of people of all ages—persons at risk because of their vulnerabilities related to disparate care, natural and man-made disasters, and political or economic factors.

Pursue Diverse Career Options

The work of an advanced practice psychiatric nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist is dynamic in scope, ranging from prevention and health promotion to early detection and assessment to integration and culturally appropriate, client-centered intervention. Similarly, they can practice in a multitude of environments, including community mental health clinics; hospitals systems; private physician offices; prison systems; military bases and Veteran’s Affairs Hospitals; treatment facilities; and psychiatric mental health community centers, among others.

Serve the Family in All Its Forms

Because different families face different issues, this program views family systems in the post-modern world as not necessarily defined by blood relationships or legal definitions but more clearly by those who choose to live together in a kinship relationship. Graduates will be able to more effectively treat a wider variety of patients from a range of families, including military families, blended families, single-parent families, families of choice, migrant and immigrant families, and foster families.

Flexible Course Schedule

The Family Systems Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing major, as part of the MSN program, requires 45 credit hours of coursework and 720 hours of clinicals. The coursework is usually completed within four semesters.

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Learn More

Jane Suresky, DNP, PMHCNS BC
216.368.6338
mjs5@case.edu

Sample Full-Time Curriculum

Fall Semester I

Spring Semester I

Summer Semester I

Fall Semester II

Overall Total Hours: 45-48

The Advanced Practice Core courses are co-requisites or pre-requisites for the clinical nursing courses. Clinical nursing courses must be taken in the semester and sequence listed above. Clinical course availability is based upon enrollment. Clinical practicum courses will include a minimum of one clinical experience in the care of child/adolescents, one in the care of adults, and one in the care of older adults.