Patti Gardner, DNP, APRN-NP, PMHNP-BC, is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at Creighton University. Her clinical and research interests center on psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) education, perinatal mental health, ADHD, and substance use disorders. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Nebraska Methodist College and post-master’s certificates in PMHNP and nurse midwifery. Dr. Gardner practices at Lincoln Psychiatric Group in Lincoln, NE and is actively involved in graduate-level teaching and mentoring DNP students. Her recent scholarly projects include a grant-funded study on using a medication reminder app to enhance adherence among patients with mental health disorders. Her research integrates clinical innovation with patient-centered outcomes and contributes to advancing mental health practice. Her work has been published in Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursingand Journal of Human Lactation. She envisions contributing to a healthcare landscape that prioritizes integrative, evidence-based mental health care across the lifespan.