Skip to main content
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals
Menu

Mobile Main navigation

  • About
    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics
    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online
    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • WI – BSN Online Option
    • Online
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admissions & Financial Aid
    • Admissions
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Mobile Secondary Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Mobile Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Prospective Students
  • Transfers
  • Military
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Employers

Top Utility Navigation

  • Student Portal
  • Information For
    • Current Students
    • Prospective Students
    • Transfers
    • Military
    • Alumni
    • Partners
    • Employers
  • Chat
  • 877.751.5783
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Main Header navigation

  • About

    About

    Chamberlain University has a 130-year history preparing extraordinary nursing graduates and healthcare professionals. 

    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics

    Academics

    Whether you're an aspiring nurse looking to launch a rewarding career, a nursing professional looking to advance your career, or a professional looking to impact public health, Chamberlain offers the degree programs, options and resources to help you succeed.

    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online

    On Campus & Online

    Interested in becoming a nurse?
    Earn your BSN at one of 22 campuses located across the country, in just 3 years

    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • WI – BSN Online Option
    • Online
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admissions & Financial Aid

    Admissions & Financial Aid

    Chamberlain is committed to providing quality and accessible nursing education. Our team is with you every step of the way, providing the information you need to make the decisions that best serve you.

    • Admissions
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Secondary Header Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Featured

daisy foundation logo
Recognizing the Winners of 2020’s DAISY…
jill price
Chamberlain Educators Volunteer to…
Kate Cook
How our Faculty Supports RN to BSN…

Tags

Browse articles by category
Alumni
Campus News
Careers
Health Professions
Nursing Today
Tips for Students
  • Home / Blog / Nursing Today / Chamberlain Alumna Focuses on Total Care: Adds Mental-Health Component
Nursing Today

Chamberlain Alumna Focuses on Total Care: Adds Mental-Health Component

February 06, 2020 by Heather L Hurtado
Jennifer Keller_01.31.20_CU Graduation Cropped 2

Being trained as a Chamberlain nurse means noticing when there is an unmet need. Alumna Jennifer Keller, DNP, CPNP, PMHS, joined a local hospital years ago and soon realized there was a need for mental healthcare in the primary setting but there wasn’t a place for it. So, in true Chamberlain fashion, she Stepped Forward to make it happen.

“There was no availability, access or people to do it,” recalled Jennifer, who has been with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 10 years, the last six as a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. “I had focused on adolescent healthcare, primarily those with anxiety and depression, and I wanted to implement a model where we see patients for mental healthcare and primary care – both in the same setting. I wanted to figure out a way to help fill this gap in mental healthcare.”

Turning Challenge into Reality

So five years ago, while completing her online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) with Chamberlain, she set out to be that trailblazer. Inspired by her mom to join the nursing profession, Jennifer chose primary care because of the opportunity to build relationships with patients and their families.

While the idea to incorporate mental healthcare was well received, there was a lot of apprehension and fear from physicians and nurse practitioners to build this model because of anticipated capacity and resource shortages.

“There was a fear that ‘if we build this, they will come’,” Jennifer said. “But the research showed that they were already here and we were ignoring them. It was an eye-opening experience. A lot of the primary-care diagnoses are based on mental health problems.”

Taking the First Step

That seemed to be the evidence needed for her team to give the pilot a try. First and foremost, Jennifer reached out to every therapist within a five-mile radius of the hospital to establish a two-way partnership for the program. “Building your resources is more advantageous than not and helped this model take off.”

At the beginning, Jennifer – who also has a Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist certification – would schedule a certain amount of time each week to work with patients who wanted/needed a mental-health assessment. Soon after, she built a nurse-triage platform for mental healthcare to properly route anyone dealing with anxiety, depression or suicide. She now provides ‘curbside consults’ or full visits, answers questions on the phone or transfers patients to one of her therapeutic partners. Then the rest of her day is spent seeing children for their sick or well visits. “I like this split because I keep all of my skills sharp.”

Worth the Effort

Looking back over the last five years, Jennifer remembers the stress and time commitment to get this program off the ground, plus the trust she needed to earn from her team. “It all worked out. The provider and patient satisfaction has been astronomically positive,” she said, adding that her success caused a positive ripple effect within the hospital, with other branches looking to implement a nurse practitioner-led model. This is the first step in what she hopes is a widespread phenomenon. And for those health practitioners ready to take the plunge, Jennifer offers a three-pronged approach for getting started:

  1. Work with a Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
  2. Survey your team for their interest and ability to help make it a reality.
  3. Partner with your community.
Stepping Forward for Mental Health

Partnering is something Jennifer knows well – inside the office and out – especially when she Steps Forward in her advocacy for mental healthcare. She has teamed up with the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Foundation, serving on the board and speaking at industry conferences.

Reflecting back on why she started the program years ago, Jennifer said, “Teenagers come to me and divulge all this information. And there are a lot of barriers – maybe they don’t want to tell their parents or they don’t have the right insurance to get therapy or medication. But now, through this program, I can partner with them to successfully get treated for this. And they come back and say, ‘I’m in college now, thanks to you.’ That’s the reward.”

Ready to add DNP to your credentials? Learn more about Chamberlain's DNP program.

Share

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • email

More from Nursing Today

View all >
jill price
Chamberlain Educators Volunteer to Administer COVID-19…
Read more
chamberlain nurse with mask
Nurses Hit a Record High Rating for Honesty and Ethics in…
Read more
chamberlain nurse with mask
COVID-19 Through the Eyes of a Critical Care Nurse: ‘Stay…
Read more
Kelly Cloonan
Chamberlain Assistant Dean Advocates to Protect Human…
Read more
Show more >

Request More Information

To receive the Chamberlain University Program Guide, including associated career paths, please select a program of study.

Footer Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Secondary Footer Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Chamberlain University
500 W. Monroe St, Suite 28
Chicago, IL 60661

Footer Menu Mobile Column 1

  • Current Students
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Transfers
  • Military

Footer Menu Column 1

  • Campus Locations
  • Online Programs
  • Alumni
  • Military
  • Leadership

Footer Menu Column 2

  • Student Portal
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Accreditation
  • Parent Organization
  • California Disclosures

Footer Menu Column 3

  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility
  • † Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate program at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE). For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. See accreditation and state authorization information or view a full list of program approvals by state.

    To report unresolved complaints to the Illinois Board of Higher Education visit their webpage at http://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701-1377. View Chamberlain's complaint process.

    Chamberlain University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com
    ©2021 Chamberlain University LLC. All rights reserved.