Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing

About

The Bachelor of Psychiatric (BPN) program is a full-time cohort program. Psychiatric nursing students will learn psychiatric nursing theory, mental health promotion and wellness. You’ll deepen your understanding of standards and competencies related to clinical practice, leadership, management, education and research. Mental health promotion and primary health care are emphasized, with a strong focus on clinical practice education. You’ll broaden your knowledge and skills in: addictions, sociology and psychology, economic, social and political influences in psychiatric nursing, informatics and statistics, integrating leadership and management theory and skills, research for evidence-based nursing practice. The BPN program is developed in the context of psychiatric nursing theory based on best practice and the therapeutic use of self in interpersonal relationships. A health promotion perspective has been used to organize and construct the curriculum. This shift in focus from illness to health represents a deliberate move away from a disease model, to a model focusing on the person's experience with health and healing (Austin and Boyd, 2015). Inherent to these orientations is the use of teaching methodologies, which encourage the development of analytical and critical thinking based on praxis, and the discovery of personal meaning and personal power. Growing demand for psychiatric nurses is opening doors to careers in clinical practice, leadership, management, education and research. You’ll continue to use your RPN designation, but your BPN will open the door to new opportunities in hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional institutions and programs, community health settings and youth centres. 

Career Path 

Graduate career list includes Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN), Crisis Intervention Nurse, Mental Health Nurse (Inpatient or Outpatient), Addiction Treatment Nurse, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nurse, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse, Correctional Facility Nurse, Psychiatric Emergency Nurse, Dual Diagnosis Nurse (Mental Health + Developmental Disabilities), Geriatric Mental Health Nurse, Community Mental Health Team Lead, Mental Health Program Coordinator, Clinical Nurse Educator (Mental Health), Nurse Manager (Psychiatric Services), Community Mental Health Nurse, Home Care Psychiatric Nurse, Supportive Housing Nurse, Mental Health Outreach Worker, School-Based Mental Health Nurse.