The Advanced Practice Providers (APP) division of the UNMC Department of Psychiatry continues to grow as National APP Week is celebrated this month.
Celebrated annually on the fourth week of September, APPs are recognized nationwide to create more awareness and highlight the importance of a collaborative model for APPs. This year, APP Week takes place from September 22-28.
Fifteen APPs, which include Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs), work in the Department of Psychiatry. Mark Aksamit, PA-C, Ambulatory Supervisor for APPs in the Department of Psychiatry, said the number of APPs has grown since he arrived in October 2018.
“Since 2018, the number of APPs has exploded. When I came here, there were only three,” Aksamit said. “I came in with a lot of experience and wanted to grow our department. That was the whole goal for me when joining the department.”
APPs in the Department of Psychiatry have many job duties – including performing extensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management and both outpatient and inpatient work. The department hired more APPs to meet the demands of the organization and the community at large. Historically, it was relatively uncommon for PAs to specialize in behavioral health but is becoming increasingly common and something we want to foster as a department. Aksamit, along with other department leaders, started a new model where instead of hiring an APP into a subspecialty clinic, the new APP would begin in the general clinic and, with the help of a supervisor, learn how to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care, for a multitude of psychiatric conditions.
“We want to create an environment that fosters lifelong learning and provides APPs with the necessary skills and tools to effectively treat complex psychiatric comorbidity, which there have been significant barriers to historically. The hope is that these new APPs will become experts in the field one day, not only from a clinical perspective but holistically as well.”
With most available APP positions filled, leadership has moved from hiring to retention.
“We have been able to create an environment where APPs are sticking with us,” Aksamit said. “As Nebraska Medicine has changed, we have really adapted to best fit the needs of our APPs. People really enjoy working here and loving what they do.”
Current APPs: Mark Aksamit, PA-C; Melissa Allison, PA-C; Troyia Andersen APRN-NP; Bethany Berg, PA-C; Leigh Cook, APRN-NP; Lindsey Cox APRN-NP; Zoe Feilner, PA-C; Amber Finigan PA-C; Laura Fuller PA-C; John Gajewski PA-C; Kelly Gassman PA-C; Brandi Hensley PA-C; Shanon McLeay APRN-NP; Victoria Mills APRN-NP; Taylor Wilson APRN-NP