2024 APNA President’s Report

Dear Colleagues,

APNA President Lora Peppard

It is my pleasure to present your 2024 American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Annual Activity Report. APNA continues to enjoy healthy membership growth and retention, as reflected in APNA Secretary Constance Noll’s report and APNA Treasurer Kristen Kichefski’s report.

APNA activities are guided by our Strategic Direction, which is developed by the APNA Board of Directors (BOD) and reviewed every board meeting. To ensure that the organization is responsive to evolving member needs, we formally assess and update it as needed every three years.

As you explore the various reports and supporting information in the appendix, I hope you feel the same pride that I do in the incredible things we accomplish through our connection to this organization.

This report exemplifies how every member plays a role in ensuring that APNA embodies our core ideology and values, furthers our strategic goals, and drives us toward our long-term envisioned future. As you explore the various reports and supporting information in the appendix, I hope you feel the same pride that I do in the incredible things we accomplish through our connection to this organization.

A few of this year’s incredible accomplishments:

Building a Workforce Equipped to Meet the Need

Increasing the confidence and competence of PMH nurses entering the workforce continues to be an APNA focus. In April, APNA launched a new APNA Transitions in Practice (ATP) Certificate Program. Now featuring an enhanced learning experience, this self-paced online certificate program provides nurses new to psychiatric-mental health (or those who want to refresh their practice) with essential knowledge and skills for effective care. In addition, APNA has partnered with the American Nurses Association to develop expert-vetted review materials to better educate and prepare nurses for PMH Nursing and PMHNP certification exams. These materials will equip more nurses with recovery-focused, evidence-based, APNA-vetted education and resources as they move forward in their PMH nursing careers. As an added benefit, APNA members receive major discounts on these materials at 25-30% off!

Improving Access to Suicide Assessment, Management, & Prevention

With the high prevalence of suicide a public health concern, APNA continues to help nurses implement the APNA Essential Competencies for Assessment and Management of Individuals at Risk for Suicide into their daily practice. The new APNA Suicide Prevention Certificate Program, fully online, increases psychiatric-mental health nurse confidence and competence in the nursing skills of suicide assessment, management, and prevention. In development are add-on modules to provide important considerations for specific populations, such as child and adolescent, aging, forensic, and LGBTQIA+ populations. As a part of APNA’s suicide prevention initiatives, a new online education program Practical Nursing Strategies in Suicide Prevention was released this July. It is targeted to nurses in all settings to gain the skillset needed to screen and initiate interventions for those at risk for suicide.

Addressing Workplace Violence

With high (and increasing) rates of violence towards nurses, especially in psychiatric settings, the APNA Board of Directors has spent considerable time this year discussing how APNA can help keep PMH nurses safe in the workplace within the mission and purpose of the organization. As a starting point, APNA released a new issue statement, Addressing Workplace Violence in Today’s Environment, which includes five recommendations to address the prevalence of workplace violence. Further, the board has formed a task force which will bring together thought leaders in this area to develop a resource to help nurses across the country. Additionally, a call for papers for a Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses special issue on the topic is well underway.

Furthering Research & Scholarship

While furthering research and scholarship occurs through a wide variety of APNA avenues – from councils, to grants, to conferences and online education – the new leadership coming to our journal, JAPNA, is a big highlight for this year. Following two APNA member committee-led searches, APNA is thrilled to announce incoming Editor-in-Chief Dr. Michelle DeCoux Hampton and incoming Associate Editor Dr. Angel Solorzano Martinez. Both bring exciting perspectives and will start their roles in January 2025 when our current Editor, Geri Pearson, retires.

Serving you and APNA in this role has been such a bright light and honor in my life. I have beamed with pride throughout the year at the extraordinary work of our members, Councils, Committees, Work Groups and Task Forces, State Chapters, Board of Directors, and APNA staff. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your APNA President.

Lora Peppard, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC
APNA President