4036-22:  Improving Firefighters’ Mental Health through Education: An Evidence-based, Non-traditional Approach

This presentation will discuss one evidence-based approach to address firefighters’ risk for mental health problems. We will outline the development of a mental health education program implemented in Arkansas’ largest fire department. After one year, results showed improved knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding mental health, as well as help-seeking behaviors.

Presenter:  Sara Jones, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Disclosures:  The APNA planners and faculty have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. Off-label uses will not be discussed during this presentation.

Session Length:  44 minutes

Target Audience:  RN, APRN

Learning Outcome:
Upon completion of this presentation, the participant will be able to:

• Describe two unique strategies to provide mental health education to firefighters. 

Keywords:  First Responders, PTSD, Mental Health Education

Nursing Continuing Professional Development:
0.75 contact hours.  * In order to receive contact hours, you must: Listen to presentation, complete an evaluation, and earn a passing score on the post-test before the expiration date. You will have 5 tries to correctly answer the questions on the post-test and a score of 80% is required to pass. Once you have passed and completed an evaluation, the certificate will be generated online, available for you to print immediately. You cannot earn credit unless all steps are completed.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Originally Presented
APNA 36th Annual Conference
Long Beach, CA

The contact hours for this session expire:  November 30, 2025