Robinson Named Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Specialty Director at UMSON

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Sara Robinson, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC, assistant professor, as the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialty. 

As specialty director, Robinson is responsible for the overall curricular leadership of the School’s psychiatric mental health nursing courses and the DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty. This includes maintaining accreditation standards, supporting faculty, and overseeing the academic success of the students in the specialty. The specialty prepares students to assess, evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions of individuals across the lifespan. 

Robinson, who began her new role June 17, joins UMSON from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she was program director of PMHNP programs, including serving as the founding director of the master’s and DNP options, and fully revised the post-master’s certificate program to meet updated standards. Prior to taking on the role of program director at UNH in 2021, she taught in the undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing there.

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Robinson join us at UMSON,” said Shannon Idzik, DNP ’10, MS’03, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, professor and associate dean for the DNP program. “Her expertise not only at the national level in PMHNP education but her experience in leading PMHNP programs is a welcome addition to our DNP program.”
 
Robinson is the nurse practitioner liaison for the Psychiatric Times peer-reviewed journal, and upon appointment to the role she became the first nurse practitioner on the publication’s editorial board since its founding in 1987. She has utilized the role to expand the voice and contributions of nurses, nurse practitioners, and other mental health professionals to the publication. Robinson is involved in the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Graduate Education branch in work advancing the new AACN Essentials, including developing a toolkit for academic programs to support nurse educators nationally with implementation.
 
At her previous institution, Robinson was instrumental in securing two U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grants that provided student funding support and expanded opportunities for high-quality education and interprofessional collaboration.
 
Her clinical and academic backgrounds have emphasized supporting underserved patient populations with significant needs for mental health care. This includes working with patients throughout the lifespan in settings such as community mental health care.

UMSON has had a distinguished psychiatric nursing program for nearly 70 years. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP specialty was ranked at No. 4 (tied) among nearly 170 ranked schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 - 24 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”

Robinson earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and DNP degrees from UNH and a master’s degree in PMHNP from Boston College. Her areas of expertise include advanced practice nursing issues, community partnerships, interprofessional education and practice, nursing education, online education, precepting, and psychiatric-mental health care.

Robinson succeeds Kristin Bussell, PhD ’19, MS ’98, BSN ’84, CRNP-PMH, assistant professor, who served as interim specialty director following the retirement of Charon Burda, DNP '16, PMHCNS, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, in 2023 after 23 years of service to the School. 

###

The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.