The Role of Nurses in Mental Health Treatment: 5 Questions for Kate Hanna, BSN, RN
National Nurses Week takes place in May, and we took the opportunity to sit down with Sanford Behavioral Health’s Director of Nursing, Kate Hanna, to ask her 5 questions about nurses’ roles in mental health care. Nurses are often the steady, compassionate presence clients see in moments of crisis, vulnerability, progress, and health. Beyond managing medications and monitoring physical health, nurses build trust and provide reassurance. They can also notice subtle changes in mood and behavior, serving as an important bridge between clients, therapists, medical teams, and families.
Kate Hanna, BSN, RN, has been in the nursing field for 26 years. During her psychiatric rotation at nursing school, Kate says she “found her home.” At Sanford, Kate is busy supporting staff, collaborating with other members of the leadership team, and ensuring that clients receive excellent care. Kate finds fulfillment in providing a safe, judgment-free space for clients navigating their recovery journey.
Thanks to Kate for lending a quote to honor Sanford nurses.
The Role of Nurses in Mental Health Treatment: 5 Questions for Kate Hanna, BSN, RN
1. SBH: How did you get to Sanford Behavioral Health?
Kate Hanna: First, I am from Adrian, Michigan, and went to college in Grand Rapids. My family is back in Michigan after 20 years in Illinois, where a lot of my nursing experience took place. I have worked at Sanford Behavioral Health since 2023, as a charge nurse and recently as Director of Nursing. It feels like a full circle, because I knew during my nursing school clinicals that the psychiatric rotation really suited me. I like seeing the patient as a whole person: mind, body, soul, and spirit. All parts of an individual must be treated with worth, value, and dignity, regardless of their past experiences. Of course, Sanford follows that philosophy, so it is an excellent fit for me.
There is stigma associated with mental health or substance use disorders (SUD). I have always felt passionate about reducing that stigma and meeting clients where they are when they need someone to care for them. Nurses can be the bridge between pain, hopelessness, and fear and an improved future. Being a person who can offer hope has kept me in the nursing field for 26 years!
2. SBH: What do you like about working for Sanford Behavioral Health?
Kate Hanna: I worked at a larger hospital for most of my career, and although Sanford has grown over the past decade, it still feels like family. I suppose that seems cliché, but when you work in a smaller, tight-knit organization, you know you are collaborating with a group of like-minded people who are passionate about the work. So many members of the Sanford team have family or personal experience with mental health issues or substance use disorders. Everyone is pulling their weight and doing what’s best for the clients throughout the day,
3. SBH: How does your recent promotion to Director of Nursing change the work you do?
Kate Hanna: Moving from a charge nurse to the Director of Nursing was a difficult decision for me. I know I can make an impact on the clients I work with face-to-face, but I was worried that becoming a director would pull me away from client contact. Interestingly, (Chief Medical Officer) Dr Bibhas Singla reframed the job for me. He said that in the director position, I could increase my impact. And I am well-positioned to influence other nurses to share my passion for treating clients. So, in answer to your question, I would say my work has changed for the better because I have a greater impact on our clients’ futures. We have 24/7 nurses in mental health primary care, detox, SUD, and eating disorders program areas. So at Sanford, the role of nurses in mental health treatment is essential.
Kate (far right) with the nursing team, celebrating the role of nurses at Sanford Behavioral Health (we think they all deserve the Daisy Award).
4. SBH: Could you speak more about seeing the patient as a “whole person?”
Kate Hanna: Yes. Treating the whole person is specific to Sanford because, as a residential setting, we get to see our clients from crisis, through the continuum of care. When our clients take ownership of their health and treatment, cognitive changes occur. I’m not going to sugarcoat our work or say that every day is wonderful, because nursing is a difficult job, regardless of where you are. For this population in particular, there are many challenges. However, I have never felt as rewarded as I do working with eating disorder clients at Sanford and seeing the progress that they’ve made. Eating disorder clients take such pride in their recovery because they are doing the difficult things every day. We are just here to help.
5. SBH: How does the “Campus Concept” improve the care Sanford provides?
Kate Hanna: The most significant improvement in care is that our clients can stay on campus for a range of diagnoses. Treating all mental health diagnoses under one roof increases collaboration within the Sanford team by facilitating communication. For example, we have clients with an eating disorder who need support with their substance use disorder. SUD may not be the primary diagnosis, but there are things we can do on campus to support the whole person without sending them elsewhere.
Clients are not just letters and numbers in a diagnosis. Nurses see the whole person and we do our best to meet their needs in real time. Treatment is truly individualized. We create a hybrid treatment plan where an eating disorder client might attend 12-step, AA, and NA meetings in the evenings with SUD clients. Individuals can also attend SUD groups as an elective within the eating disorder program and vice versa.
Another example might be a SUD client who has been to addiction treatment numerous times without success, who is struggling with a mental health disorder such as depression or PTSD. We can treat the underlying cause of the addiction on-site and collaborate across different program areas.
Our medical and clinical teams trust each other and know each other well enough to ask questions. Someone can say, “I have a client who is struggling with this. Do you have any ideas?“ It’s not about one person having all the answers. There’s an opportunity to work with a varied group of people and draw on different perspectives. The Sanford team is a passionate group. We understand how important the work is, and just because it’s difficult doesn’t make me want to leave the nursing field. If clients aren’t at Sanford, they will need to be somewhere, and I’d rather they be here with us, where I know they are getting excellent care.
