Specialty Courses?

Published

Hi!

I'm a newly graduated RN, and am interested in pursuing some work in a psych/mental health centre. I've been trying to find some online/distance education courses that I can take that will help me to prepare for working with this population. I haven't had any luck finding anything...there are so many specialty courses, but I haven't found any related to psych or mental health. I'm looking for some in Canada, specifically British Columbia - let me know if you know where I can find this!!!! Thanks :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, med surg.

As far as I know, there aren't any courses aimed specifically at psych nursing. I would think that general psych courses such as abnormal psych might be helpful, but not necessary. And as with all areas of nursing, you just kinda have to get in there and learn on the floor.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm not aware of any college course-type courses that would be helpful for psychiatric/mental health nursing, beyond the education in psychiatric nursing you get in nursing school. However, there are lots of continuing education programs that are just a single day long ("live") or shorter programs available on-line here in the US. I'm sure there are similar opportunities available in Canada, and you can certainly access the US on-line programs anywhere you have internet access.

One website I use a lot is called Medscape (http://www.medscape.com/nurses). They offer lots of free continuing education for nurses, in all specialties. They are mostly of the "read the article, take the test" variety -- although, if you don't need the CE credits, you wouldn't have to take the test. There is no charge. If you click on the "Nurses CE" link in the blue bar at the bottom of the "News" box, and then click on the "Browse Specialties" link in the upper right of the screen that opens up, you can click on "Psychiatry & Mental Health" and see all the different offerings they have for psych nursing. I believe there are other, similar sites that provide continuing education offerings for nurses, but this is the only one with which I have personal experience.

There are also psychiatric nursing organizations (in the US, and I'm sure there are in Canada, also) which offer conferences and educational presentations. You may want to look into some of those.

Best wishes!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Mount Royal University (Alberta) offers an Advanced Studies in Mental Health Certificate that is completely distance-based.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Also, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto offers online courses on a variety of topics. Most of them are about 8 weeks long and cost $300. I have taken two of them (Mental Health and Law, Psychopharmacology) and found them both useful.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion