Rebecca Puchkors, MSN, RN, PMH-BC
Clinical Assistant Professor
Education:
MSN University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse, American Nurses Credentialing Center
BSN University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
ADN, El Centro College, Dallas
Work and Education
Professor Puchkors has worked as a psychiatric-mental health nurse for 11 years. She has experience at the bedside, in education and in leadership at a leading academic medical center. She has had the opportunity to design and move a state-of-the-art psychiatric inpatient and outpatient facility that has received national recognition for its design. She has teaching experience as faculty for undergraduate nursing students and the American Psychiatric Nurse’s Association. Specializing in psychiatric theory and care, she teaches students in the clinical setting. Her students are supported by many years of professional experience practicing psychiatric nursing at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Professional Awards and Committees
In the past, Professor Puchkors has served as the President of the Texas Chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurse’s Association. She is a faculty and facilitator for APNA’s Competency Based Suicide Prevention Certification course as well as Recovery to Practice and has had the opportunity to travel the country presenting these programs. She continues to serve as faculty for APNA, lending her expertise to the continued curriculum revision and facilitator course. She has been awarded the DFW Great 100 Nurse’s Award and the DMagazine Excellence in Nursing award.
Articles and Presentations
Outside the classroom, Professor Puchkors has had the opportunity to present at several national conferences on recovery-oriented and trauma informed care. She is currently concluding her summary of a five-year grant to bring recovery-oriented care education and training throughout the state of Texas and is looking forward to publishing.
Community
Finally, Professor Puchkors is involved in her local community. Aside from spending time with her two teenagers and their activities, she is an active member of her church and has helped with mission projects and community service initiatives. She has also volunteered with NAMI North Texas for several years, teaching their Family-to-Family class. She also continues to mentor new nurses and emerging leaders in her community.