NU 665 Week 14 Discussion Post

NU 665 Week 14 Discussion Post

Week 15 Discussion 1: Current Issues for the PMHNP

Value: 100 points

Due: Create your initial post by Day 3, and reply to at least two of your peers by Day 7.

Grading Category: Discussions

Note: In this type of discussion, you will not see the responses of your classmates until after you have posted your own response to the following question.

Initial Post

1. Along with your readings for the week, use the Suicide Mortality by State resource to review your state’s 2022 suicide rate per 100,000 persons.
2. Visit the BRFSS Prevalence and Trends Data website.
3. Explore your state’s health trends and answer the following prompts:
   • Did any of your state health trends surprise you? Does your state have any initiatives to improve the suicide rate? (1 paragraph)
   • How can the PMHNP become involved in healthy policy and advocacy? (1 paragraph)
   • How can the PMHNP work to build resilience? (1 paragraph)

Replies

Reply to at least two of your peers. In your reply posts, identify a related barrier in access to care that has not been addressed or that you have experienced in your clinical settings or compare/contrast the ways in which you and your peer will build resilience as PMHNPs.

Please refer to the Grading Rubric for details on how this activity will be graded.

The described expectations meet the passing level of 80%. You are directed to review the Discussion Grading Rubric for criteria which exceed expectations.

Introduction

Suicide is a profound public health crisis. In 2022, the United States recorded roughly 49,000 deaths by suicide, with an age-adjusted rate of about 14.2 per 100,000 persons. That marked a record high in recent years and underscores the urgency of addressing mental health at both policy and practice levels.  Nationally, the trend over the past decade reflects a roughly 16 % increase in age-adjusted suicide rates (from ~12.3 to ~14.4 per 100,000 between 2011 and 2022).

When I turned to state‐level data for my own state (insert State Name here), I found that in 2022 its suicide rate was X.X per 100,000 (if you have that number). That figure stood out in comparison to national averages. As I explored the BRFSS (Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System) prevalence and trends data, I noticed [insert one or two surprising health trends in your state — e.g. rising rates of depression, substance use, chronic disease prevalence, mental health service use, social determinants]. It was surprising to see (for example) how [trend] had increased sharply over the past few years, or how [another trend] lagged behind national benchmarks.

These data point to a clear imperative: we must understand the local context of mental health and suicide to respond effectively. As a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), I see the bridges that must be built — integrating clinical care with advocacy, resilience training, and systemic change. In this discussion, I will explore whether my state has initiatives in place to reduce suicide, then consider how PMHNPs can shape health policy and advocacy, and finally discuss how PMHNPs can build resilience in individuals and communities.

Place your Order Now