title: The master's prepared mental health nurse: an assessment of employer expectations.
abstract: A needs assessment survey seemed essential to a group of faculty members engaged in updating the curriculum in a Master's program in Mental Health Nursing in a University School of Nursing in the Midwest. An attempt was made to identify those nurse administrators who interviewed and hired clinical nursing personnel in hospitals in which psychiatric services were provided. Data were obtained from 23 respondents. The findings indicated that 1) Master's-prepared mental health-psychiatric nurses are being hired in the area; 2) at least 50% of the time, MSN graduates are expected to function in middle-management or administrative roles; and 3) Comprehensive Mental Health Nursing theory and skill development, rather than subspecialties, is viewed as the most important curricular focus. The need to continue recruiting students and develop and articulate the knowledge base in Mental Health Nursing through research and theory development is critical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health-Mental Health Nursing, Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Brophy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Egenes
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015399:Nursing Research; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education*; D012380:Role