4 Top Options for Nursing CE Focused on Mental Health

Key Takeaways

• Mental health care is a core competency for nurses in many roles around the country, and is directly linked to better patient outcomes.  

• Continuing education is a professional requirement for nurses, and it’s also the first, best opportunity to acquire high-quality mental health training.  

• Coursework in suicide prevention, postpartum depression, abuse, and substance use disorder represent areas where nurses can make a big impact.  

Mental health care has established itself as a specialty within nursing practice while simultaneously representing a core competency across nearly every service line. Issues like anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and trauma histories are directly linked to extended hospital stays and worse patient outcomes, and nurses trained to identify and manage these serious conditions can make a big impact on care results.  

As a result, nursing CE focused on mental health has become essential for maintaining clinical competence, improving patient outcomes, and meeting licensure requirements.  

Courses like 1st Step: Suicide Prevention for Healthcare Providers give healthcare workers the skills and knowledge to identify common mental health challenges and take appropriate action to support treatment and recovery.  

What are some of the top mental health issues nurses will encounter on their rounds? Here are four pressing areas where you can make a difference.  

1. Addiction and Substance Abuse

Substance use disorder (SUD) affects 48 million Americans across the country, affecting every stage of patient care. Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, opioids, and many other controlled substances all have temporary and long-term effects that nurses have to manage.  

In addition to treating the physical symptoms, addiction is often linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety. It may also exacerbate conditions like PTSD, and all of the issues may result in barriers to seeking treatment and limit participation in care plans.  

As a result, it’s essential that nurses are trained to spot the signs of SUD in their patients, engage with interprofessional colleagues, and craft effective treatment plans.  

Suggested Course:

Understanding Addiction: Addressing Misconceptions and Supporting Recovery,  

2. Abuse

Over 10 million people of all genders and ages are affected by physical, emotional, or sexual violence every year, and 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men are victimized by an intimate partner.  

The dynamics of abuse often involve shame, fear, anger, shock, distrust of others, and isolation, and healthcare workers have to be highly trained to approach potential victims with compassion. Trust building is a key skill—especially since some victims may feel trapped financially, physically, or emotionally by their abuser.  

Within the care industry, elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted living facilities is surprisingly common.  

It’s estimated that 5 million seniors will experience abuse from a caregiver, often in the form of maltreatment, neglect, or financial fraud. Nurses and staff in these roles need to have effective strategies in place to identify, recognize, report, and prevent elder abuse.  

Suggested Course:  

Safeguarding Seniors: Understanding and Preventing Older Adult Abuse

3. Postpartum Depression

While 3 out of 4 women experience feelings of moodiness or sadness due to hormone shifts after birth, 15% will develop prolonged or more severe symptoms. Postpartum depression is a serious condition that can result in anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty caring for children, and even suicide.  

It’s estimated that 10%  of men will also experience postpartum depression. Men with a family history of depression are particularly vulnerable, and drops in testosterone, emotional stress related to a partner’s experience, and sleep deprivation may all play a role.  

Healthcare professionals who work in environments supporting pregnancy and new families should be aware of the risk factors and signs of postpartum depression in their patients.  

Suggested Courses:  

Beyond the Birth: Enhancing Healthcare Provider Expertise in Postpartum Depression

Fatherhood in the Shadows: Addressing Postpartum Depression in Fathers

4. Suicide Risk

Suicide accounts for nearly 50,000 deaths every year, and 5.3% of adults report experiencing suicidal thoughts in the last 12 months. While anyone may develop a risk of suicide, nurses are often in positions to treat injuries, manage patients under extreme stress, identify risk factors, and connect people with mental health experts.  

Common risk demographics include:

• Teens and young adults: 4 in 10 students experience persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 24% report suicidal ideation. LGBTQIA+ teens are at an extremely elevated risk compared to their cisgender classmates.  

• Chronic Pain and Illness: It’s estimated that up to half of people managing chronic or terminal illnesses have experienced suicidal ideation, and suicide rates are three times the general population.  

• Substance Abuse. SUD is linked to a 35% increase in suicide rates.  

Suggested Courses:  

1st Step: Suicide Prevention for Healthcare Providers

Embracing Identities: Suicide Prevention with Trans Youth

Improving Your Practice with Nursing CE Focused on Mental Health

Nurses across the country are required to complete CE hours for license renewal, and mental health coursework offers an opportunity to make a broad impact on patients across the care spectrum.

Premiere is committed to connecting healthcare workers with award-winning CE that addresses a wide range of mental health challenges that have a serious impact on the health and well-being of their patients.  

With a Nursing Membership, you’ll have full access to our course library to develop your skills and knowledge any time you need. We’re also constantly updating our resources to include nursing CE focused on mental health trends, including postpartum depression in men, suicide prevention, and addiction, and emerging therapeutic techniques for supporting patients with mental health challenges.  

All of our courses are created by industry experts and make it easy for busy healthcare workers to develop their careers and meet their professional obligations.  

FAQs

What are common mental health issues encountered in healthcare today?

Patients with mental health concerns may be admitted with preexisting conditions or develop them over the course of care.  

Suicide, substance use disorder, abuse, and postpartum depression are all significant factors that can affect patient outcomes.

What is the role of a nurse in substance use disorder?

Nurses are responsible for delivering care related to both physical and mental symptoms of SUD. Additionally, nurses are often in a position to identify substance abuse in patients, engage interprofessional resources, and encourage seeking treatment.  

Who should be screened for depression?

While any patient may present a suicide risk, LGBTQIA+ teens, chronically ill patients, and people experiencing substance abuse disorder all have significantly elevated risk.