AI in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Ahead at the 2026 APNA Annual Conference
With artificial intelligence in psychiatric-mental health nursing prompting both interest and concern, PMH nurses are exploring its potential uses and benefits while also asking important questions about safety, privacy, bias, accountability, clinical judgment, and therapeutic relationships.
The APNA 40th Annual Conference is your place to examine these questions with your psychiatric-mental health nursing colleagues. This year’s program includes 11 peer-reviewed, evidence-informed presentations addressing practical applications and the ethical, legal, and professional considerations surrounding AI.
Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday presentations below are part of the Wednesday Pre-Conference Package, which is an add-on option to regular conference registration.
Teaching with AI: Opportunities, Vulnerabilities, and Environmental Realities
8:00am – 9:30am MST / 1.5 contact hours
Explore how generative AI enhances teaching efficiency and creativity while posing ethical, equity, and environmental challenges. This session equips educators with practical, responsible strategies for integrating AI sustainably and protecting the integrity of learning.
Presenter: Jacque Williams, MSN, RN, NC-BC
Best Practices in Artificial Intelligence: Strategies for Research & Scholarship in Behavioral Health
9:40am – 10:40am MST / 1 Contact Hour
The rapid growth of AI use has outpaced the development of standardized guidance, particularly in research and scholarship. This session will explore best practices for responsible AI integration, with emphasis on ethical use, data protection, transparency, and the preservation of scholarly rigor.
Presenters: Kelly Kearney, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Jamie Zelazny, PhD, MPH, RN; Brandy Mechling, PhD, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, CNE, FNAP; Michaela K Hogan, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CNE; Kosuke Niitsu, PhD, ARNP, PMHNP-BC
Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatric Documentation: Ethical and Legal Considerations
3:45pm – 4:45pm MST / 1 Contact Hour
This interactive presentation examines the growing use of AI-assisted documentation in psychiatric care. It explores ethics, HIPAA compliance, documentation accuracy, and accountability, and presents practical safeguards to support responsible, compliant use of AI in psychiatric nursing practice.
Presenter: Natasha Carew, DNP, ACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
AI-Enhanced Suicide Risk Assessment Simulation: Developing Clinical Judgment and Therapeutic Communication Skills in Undergraduate Nursing Students
3:45pm – 4:45pm MST / 1 Contact Hour
This interactive 60-minute session demonstrates how AI-enhanced clinical simulation can strengthen competency-based education in PMH nursing. Participants will observe a live AI patient interaction, review outcome data, and explore practical strategies for implementation in their own programs.
Presenter: Phillip Olla, PhD
Human Judgment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Advanced Practice Nurses Shaping the Future of Mental Health Care
4:55pm – 6:25pm MST / 1.5 Contact Hours
This session explores the role of APNs in guiding the ethical and equitable use of artificial intelligence in mental health care. Participants will explore clinical applications, potential risks, and strategies to maintain human judgment and therapeutic relationships in AI-augmented practice.
Presenters: Queen Henry-Okafor, PhD, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC; Matt E. Schroer, DNP, PMHNP-BC; Regina G. Russell, PhD, MA, MEd
Thursday, October 29
A Telehealth and AI Scribe Simulation Supports Future PMH-APRN Practice
Leading Algorithmic Justice in Mental Health: A Nursing Framework for Ethical AI
Mini Concurrent Sessions: Artificial Intelligence
5:30pm – 6:20pm MST / 0.75 contact hours for the full lightning-session block
Teaching Scholarly Writing in Nursing: Responsible Use of AI for Peer Feedback
This session shows how AI can enhance scholarly writing through sample papers, rubrics, and structured prompts. Participants learn an ethical, step-by-step workflow for drafting, revising, and peer review, with hands-on activities to apply AI responsibly in academic writing.
Presenters: Monica Boomgaarn, MSN, RN; Jacque Williams, MSN, RN, NC-BC
Beyond the Script: Branching AI Simulation to Enhance Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Education
This presentation examines innovative approaches to close gaps in undergraduate readiness for PMH clinical objectives, highlighting a branching AI simulation that shows how emerging technology strengthens therapeutic communication, psychiatric safety assessment, and workforce readiness.
Presenters: Margaret Salzbrenner Hoopes, MSN, CPNP-AC, WCC; Amy Gulledge, PhD
