2024 Elections: Treasurer

An APNA Treasurer serves a three-year term on the board. View Full Treasurer Position Description & Qualifications

• Duties Include: assume responsibility for and ensure the maintenance of appropriate records of all funds and securities of APNA, serves as chair of the finance committee, reviews financial statements and the financial status of the association on a regular basis, and more.
• Qualifications Include: Excellent communication skills, informal and formal leadership experience, and participative leadership style.

Treasurer

Beth C. Smith, DNP, CRNP, PMHNP-BC

Present Position
PMHNP, Department of Medicine, Psychiatry Division, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA

Education

MBA, Temple University, expected Spring 2025
DNP, DeSales University
MSN, University of Pennsylvania
BSN, University of Florida

APNA Contributions

• Secretary, APNA Pennsylvania Chapter, 2018-2024
• Council for Mental Health Advocacy Advisory Panel, member
• Annual Conference presentations:
  • 2023: Mini-concurrent session: “Development of an Interdisciplinary Bereavement Support Group During the Pandemic and Beyond”
  • 2020: Poster presentation, “A Pressure Relief Valve for Stress: Code Lavender Program”
  • 2019: Poster presentation, “Psychosocial Concerns in the Young Adult Oncology Patient”
  • 2018: Poster presentation, “Impact of mental health interventions in patients diagnosed with both cancer and depressive and/or anxiety symptoms utilizing the hospital anxiety and depression scale”
• First Place Poster, Student – 2018
• Janssen Scholar – 2012

Other Experience

• Professional:
  • APP Committee, elected NP Representative 2022-2024
    • APP Education Committee, co-chair
    • Annual Report Committee, member
  • Nursing Educational Advisory Committee, member
  • Morbidity and Mortality Committee, member
  • Bereavement Support Group, co-facilitator
  • Oncofertility Group, member
  • Behavioral Emergency Response Team, member
• 2022-2023 Sharon Schwartz RDM Achievement Award
• Sigma Theta Tau International Nurses Honor Society

APNA members should vote for me to serve as Secretary because of my dedication to APNA and its mission. I am a strong advocate for nursing and specifically, mental health nursing. I believe nursing truly brings patients and providers together to improve care that is delivered. I have been a member of APNA since graduating with my BSN and have attempted to become more involved. I have a unique skillset now with the upcoming completion of my MBA to fulfill the role of Treasurer for the organization. I believe it is important for psychiatric nurses of all spectrums and backgrounds to have a seat at the table. I believe we all can be of value with our unique and varied experiences and insights and I hope to leverage these in my role. In my job as not only the singular PMHNP in the cancer center but also the health system, I take my role seriously to help educate my colleagues and patients of our unique and important skillset. I would be honored to continue this leadership, advocacy, and ultimately, financial reporting as Treasurer.

I can help fulfill APNA’s purpose as a scientific and education organization by bringing my enthusiasm for mental health nursing and the continued education of all our members. As a doctorally-prepared psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in a unique role in an urban cancer center, I personally provide mental health care for culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities. I help shape health policy and education of the delivery of mental health services to these groups through my work on hospital committees. If there is anything I have learned in mental health nursing and now psycho-oncology, the landscape continues to change and being adaptable is important. Continuing to pursue charitable, educational, and scientific purposes is what allows APNA to continue to flourish. As a stable member of APNA since the beginning of my career, I hope to give back as well as improve the organization for the next generation of nurses.