Examination of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Role as a Behavioral Consultant Within the School Setting

Abstract

Management of disruptive behaviors is one of the many challenges and stressors faced by teachers within the school setting. Most teachers lack sufficient training and understanding of behavioral symptoms exhibited by students in the classrooms. Teachers often find themselves reacting to disruptive behaviors as opposed to preventing the occurrence of these behaviors, which compromises the therapeutic learning environment and leads to inappropriate referral of students for psychiatric evaluations. Minimum efforts have been channeled toward the enhancement of teachers’ knowledge of disruptive behaviors and classroom management strategies for students who exhibit disruptive behaviors. A review of the literature was conducted to examine current knowledge on the problem of managing disruptive behaviors exhibited by students in the classroom and interventions to change and improve current practice in school settings. The development of a classroom management intervention by a psychiatric-mental health (PMH) advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) behavioral consultant within the school setting will be discussed. Provision of a classroom management intervention by a PMH APRN behavioral consultant in the school setting enhances teachers’ knowledge of disruptive behaviors, improves classroom management, and facilitates appropriate referrals of students for psychiatric evaluation.