Andrea Kwasky

Dr. Andrea Kwasky is a Professor of Nursing at the University of Detroit Mercy's McAuley School of Nursing, where she teaches prelicensure nursing students and provides guest lectures for graduate programs. With over 20 years of advanced psychiatric nursing experience, she specializes in mental health care for children, adolescents, and adults across outpatient, inpatient, and residential settings.

Her educational credentials include:

• Doctor of Nursing Practice from Oakland University
• Master of Science in Nursing (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) from Wayne State University
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Sociology minor) from Western Michigan University

Dr. Kwasky's research focuses on critical mental health domains including child/adolescent psychiatry, suicide prevention, wellness promotion, and innovative clinical-teaching integration. Her work addresses systemic gaps in youth mental health services through evidence-based interventions and curriculum development. She emphasizes trauma-informed care and the application of Mercy and Jesuit traditions in nursing practice.

Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent contributions to psychiatric nursing knowledge, with recent emphasis on trauma sequelae prevention, classroom-clinical integration frameworks, and international rehabilitation research. Notably, she co-revised the 2022 American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice, establishing new benchmarks for the profession.

Professional recognition includes:

• 2016 Nightingale Award (Oakland University)
• 2017 Educator of the Year (NAMI Michigan)
• 2017 Clinical Practice Award (International Society of Psychiatric Nurses)
• 2019 Presidents Award (International Society of Psychiatric Nurses)
• 2022 Faculty Excellence Award (University of Detroit Mercy)

As an educator and policy leader, Dr. Kwasky mentors future nurses while shaping mental health systems through her secretary role at NAMI Michigan and editorial board position for Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. She actively develops clinical competencies for nurse administrators and advocates for mental health parity in healthcare reform.

Her professional engagement spans the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, International Society of Psychiatric Nurses, and collaborative international projects including traumatic brain injury research in Ireland, demonstrating commitment to global mental health advancement.