Join us in New Orleans for ISPN 2025 Annual Conference,
March 19-22, 2025
Advancing Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing:
Innovation, Practice, and Culture
Sponsorship, Exhibit, and Product Theater Opportunities are available!
Find out more here!
A Message from ISPN President, Barbara Peterson
For many, the end of summer and beginning of autumn marks a moment of transition. Faculty and students return to school. Fall can bring about a mix of excitement and anxiety as schedules change and new challenges arise. For others there is a knowledge of days getting shorter and family responsibilities increasing. In our roles as psychiatric nurses, we play a crucial part in supporting the mental well-being of our patients and families during this transitional period. It’s a time when our skills, compassion, and dedication are especially vital. Our ability to offer a steady, reassuring presence can make a significant difference. Whether through individual support, group therapy, or simply being a listening ear, your contributions are instrumental.
Here are a few highlights from the summer:
ISPN and JAPMHN (Japan Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing) is developing an inaugural Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and we are grateful for this collaboration. Our Japanese colleagues greeted me warmly at the University of Kyoto. Big thanks to Dr. Rie Chiba for her hospitality and organizing an Information Exchange with other psychiatric colleagues in Japan.
Are you interested in collaborating internationally? Dr. Chiba invites others to work with her on a robust research project to understand collaboration between nurses from inpatient psychiatric units and those in general medical units. How can we improve our collaboration? Rie and other Japanese colleagues will be in NOLA for the ISPN 2025 conference.
Congratulations to the Archives Task Force (Catherine Kane, Dan Weseman, Julie Roebuck, Rene Love, Karan Kverno, and others), who received a $5,000 grant from the Nurse Practitioner History Research Scholar Award. This award is intended for researchers who are pursuing topics related to the history of nurse practitioners, the category of advanced practice nurse first introduced in the United States in the 1960s. Their objectives are to: 1) Gather the history of PMHNPs in the United States, 2) Gather the history of Advanced PMH role globally, and 3) Describe how the shift from PMHCNS to PMHNP focused advanced nursing practice occurred, including major influences and the resulting changes in PMHN practice.
Discussions have begun to partner with intNSA (International Nurses Society on Addictions). Comorbid mental health and substance use disorders have reached a crisis point globally and we welcome ways to partner with intNSA to maximize our effectiveness.
In July, Program Directors and Coordinators from PMHNP programs nationwide gathered online to share insights and experiences from their respective schools. We explored opportunities for support and collaboration and will reconvene virtually before meeting again in person at the ISPN 2025 conference.
The 2025 ISPN Conference Committee (Dr. Gabrielle Allward, chair) is hard at work planning a highly inspiring and educational experience that will offer valuable insights into the latest advancements in psychiatric care, innovative treatment methodologies, and emerging trends in the field. The engaging keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities will certainly enhance your professional skills and knowledge.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment and for all the deeply meaningful work you do. As we embrace the fall season, let’s continue to collaborate and support one another in our shared mission to promote mental health and the well-being of patients, families and communities.
ISPN Welcomes Barb Peterson as its New President!
The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) announces Dr. Barbara Peterson, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, FNAP, was inducted as its new board President during its annual conference held April 3-6 in Providence, RI. Peterson succeeds Shawn Gallagher, PhD, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FNP-BC, who served as President in 2023, and has served on the ISPN Board since 2019.
She has served in a variety of roles in ISPN, including the conference planning committee, the DEI committee, the policy committee, and the Board of Directors. In her role as president, Peterson says, "I am excited to continue working on ISPN strategies and initiatives and supporting psychiatric nursing around the globe.”
Peterson is Clinical Professor with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She is the Specialty Coordinator of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Doctor of Nursing Practice (PMHDNP) program and the Director of Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity for the School of Nursing. Peterson’s service leadership combines her academic and personal commitment to fostering a just and inclusive school climate, promoting health equity and mental health and wellness.
As a champion of global mental health and education, Peterson has traveled with students to Brazil, Iceland, and Cuba. Her global service includes working with a woman-run health clinic in a squatter settlement near Guatemala City, Guatemala; teaching with One Health Workforce in Nairobi, Kenya; and teaching mental health first aid to first responders in Arusha, Tanzania.
In her 25-year career as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, she has practiced in multiple psychiatric care settings, mostly serving children and families in safety-net clinics. She received her MSN from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and her PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit. She has been the PI of HRSA and Minnesota Department of Health projects to increase the number of psychiatric APRNs ready to work in underserved rural and urban areas of Minnesota.
