Christy Cotner

Christy Cotner serves as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program at the College of Graduate Nursing, Western University of Health Sciences. Her credentials include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (PMHNP-BC), and Family Nurse Practitioner certified (FNPc).

Her research focuses on psychiatric mental health nursing, nurse practitioner education, family nursing, and mental health interventions. As program director, she oversees curriculum development and clinical training for PMHNP students, integrating evidence-based practices in psychiatric care.

Her work emphasizes bridging clinical expertise with academic instruction to prepare advanced practice nurses for specialized mental health roles.