Making the rounds:  OSH program trains the mental health workforce of tomorrow

As a primary care nurse practitioner (NP), Lisa Whitfield had difficulty finding mental health support for her patients, so she decided to gain the education and training to help fill the gap in mental health services she saw in her community.   

Whitfield enrolled at Gonzaga University to complete her mental health certification, which required completing 660 hours of clinical practice. She began reaching out to other NPs and providers, including Oregon State Hospital (OSH), to find a preceptor. (A preceptor is an experienced practitioner who provides coaching and direct supervision to bridge the gap between a student’s knowledge and practice.) 

Whitfield was having no luck until OSH’s Lori Martin reached out to her. Finding a preceptor willing to take on students can be a major obstacle for NP trainees, said Martin, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Seven years ago, as a way to respond to OSH’s own need for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, Martin helped create a standard process for incoming NP students to precept at OSH. Preceptor programs enable nurses to complete their advanced education in a timelier manner and put it in practice, either at OSH or out in the community.   

To precept is also an investment for the preceptor and hospital because a practitioner must have the bandwidth in workload, the skills to teach, and a compatible schedule for their student, among other things. Generally, OSH has between three to seven providers willing to precept at any given time. OSH has also contracted with 11 nursing colleges in Oregon and across the country to provide NP students the opportunity to complete their required clinicals.

Out of the 14 most recent students that have precepted at OSH, 13 chose to stay on as staff. Whitfield was one of those 13.   

From the beginning, Whitfield’s day-to-day precepting at OSH was packed full of assessing patients, leading interdisciplinary teams and learning documentation, which factors to consider with each patient and about specific medications for psychotic disorders—all vital to providing quality patient care.  

Whitfield earned her mental health certification and applied for a permanent role at OSH. Now, she precepts NP students herself.   

Shane Shelton was one of her students. He had already been working at OSH for nearly 14 years, beginning as a registered nurse and then as a nurse manager. Having considered going back to school to become an NP, Shelton knew OSH was where he wanted to complete his clinicals.   

“It comes down to the level of expertise and knowledge,” Shelton said. “This is by far the largest psychiatric facility in the state, so the top people in the field work here.”  

Shelton was able to continue working at OSH while he completed his clinical experience by working with patients in other parts of the hospital. This reduced the likelihood of interacting with the same patients in his day-to-day role as a registered nurse.  

Shelton said he believes the various disciplines at OSH offer the support and expertise needed to provide the best patient care.  

Whitfield agreed.  

“One of the best things about working here is that you have a huge amount of people to draw information from,” she said. “I have lots of people around to ask questions and bounce ideas off.”   

Both Whitfield and Shelton said they see themselves as part of the OSH team for many years to come. The opportunities for career development, professional growth, and providing care for a vulnerable population are plentiful at OSH, they said.  

“I don’t think there’s any alternative for the type of training and environment and patients we work with here,” Shelton said. 

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