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)

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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 remains a major public health crisis in the United States and continues to claim tens of thousands of lives each year despite advances in mental health awareness, treatment, and prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), more than 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, marking a 3% increase from 2021 and the highest national total on record. This translates to an age-adjusted rate of approximately 14.3 deaths per 100,000 persons, with men dying by suicide nearly four times more often than women. These alarming statistics highlight the persistent and complex interplay between mental illness, socioeconomic stressors, access to care, and cultural attitudes toward mental health.

Understanding suicide trends at the state level provides critical insight into regional disparities and guides the development of targeted prevention strategies. The CDC’s Suicide Mortality by State and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data allow health professionals to identify risk patterns related to depression, substance use, unemployment, and limited access to behavioral health services. For instance, states with higher rural populations often report elevated suicide rates due to geographic isolation, stigma surrounding mental health treatment, and reduced availability of psychiatric providers. By examining these data, practitioners can better understand how social determinants of health and public policies affect outcomes within their own states.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) are uniquely positioned to address these challenges. Their clinical expertise, combined with advocacy and policy engagement, enables them to influence systemic changes that promote mental wellness and suicide prevention. Moreover, PMHNPs can lead efforts to build resilience—both in individuals and within communities—by integrating trauma-informed care, strengthening coping skills, and fostering social connection. This discussion will explore my state’s suicide trends and current prevention initiatives, followed by an analysis of how PMHNPs can engage in policy advocacy and resilience-building to improve mental health outcomes nationwide.

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