Joyce Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, is one of eight psychiatric-mental health nurses recognized for their work in the field by the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Fairfield University's Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Nursing Joyce Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC has been named the recipient of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association’s (APNA) 2022 Psychiatric Nurse of the Year. She will be formally recognized at the APNA 36th Annual Conference in Long Beach, California in October.
“Since the day Dr. Shea joined our faculty in 2004, she has been a tremendous asset to our team. The intellect, expertise and energy she has infused into her faculty role, and her leadership over the graduate program have moved the Egan School to unprecedented heights,” said Dean Meredith Wallace Kazer, PhD, APRN. “Dr. Shea is most deserving of this award, and her Egan School colleagues could not be more proud of her!”
The APNA annual awards recognize psychiatric-mental health nurses who have demonstrated excellence in nursing practice, education, research, leadership, and those who have provided critical mental health care in their communities.
"It is an incredible honor to be receiving the Psychiatric Nurse of the Year award from APNA. The list of past recipients includes personal mentors of mine and key psychiatric-mental health nursing leaders," said Dr. Shea. "I am truly humbled to be recognized in this way by my fellow psychiatric nurses and I look forward to continuing my contributions to this amazing field!"
Her nominator said, “Dr. Shea’s integrated care accomplishments provide enduring potential to further expand mental health care in new venues at a time when this is a recognized need nationally.”
Dr. Shea is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) with board certification as an adult psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist. She received her bachelor of science in nursing from Fairfield University, and a master's in psychiatric nursing and a doctorate in nursing science from Yale University. She has more than 40 years’ experience working in multiple modalities and diverse clinical settings, and has taught courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Dr. Shea is currently the principal investigator for a $2.6 million, multi-year HRSA grant that focuses on skills in telehealth care and inter-professional practice among advanced practice nursing students. Dr. Shea is an expert in qualitative research, and has focused several of her studies on issues related to identity, self-recovery, and stigma for those with severe mental illness. Her current research interests include integrated physical and mental healthcare, telehealth care, and inter-professional practice.
She served for five years as secretary on the APNA Board of Directors and was co-chair of the APNA task force that updated the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, an essential publication for psychiatric-mental health nurses practicing in the United States.
