Exploring stigma in mental illness: Attitudes of nurse practitioner faculty

Mental illnesses (MIs) rank as some of most debilitating illnesses suffered by individuals across the lifespan. Regardless of ethnicity, gender, age or background, the impact of MI on individuals and communities is being documented across the nation. Healthcare and lost income associated with mental health disorders have risen substantially, costing the U.S. just under $200,000,000,000 annually. In many areas, mental healthcare professional shortages exist, limiting patients access to specialty trained psychiatric mental health specialists for assessment and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, substance use and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In light of this shortage, clinician experts in primary care such family nurse practitioners (FNPs) have made strides to increase access to quality mental healthcare services. As one of the fastest growing nursing specialties, FNPs serve on the front lines of the mental health crisis in spite of a lack of intense specialty training in psychiatry and limited mental health experiences. Graduate nursing programs and FNP faculty are responsible for preparing these clinicians, yet they encounter a variety of barriers in education and training. These barriers may include, but are not limited to, attitudes of FNP faculty toward MI, expertise in mental healthcare delivery, and challenges in educating students throughout the COVID-19 health pandemic. As little is known about FNP faculty attitudes towards MI, this quantitative descriptive study sought to explore current characteristics of the FNP faculty attitudes regarding MI