Elizabeth (Liz) Bush has practiced mental health nursing on the Big Island since 1999 and trains substance abuse counselors in her spare time.
She has also served as a mental health provider in the immediate vicinity of the September 11th tragedy and has worked with Combat Veterans, Native American tribes and Pacific Islanders, as well as in East Coast inner city neighborhoods.
Ms. Bush holds a Master of Science in Nursing and is board certified as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. She is also board certified as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC), Certified Co-occurring Disorders Professional-Diplomate (CCDP-D), and an Addictions RN in Advanced Practice (CARN-AP).
Specialties – Her areas of expertise include:
- Addictions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- and other Psychiatric and co-occurring disorders
Qualifications
- Hawai’i Registered Nurse, Hawai’i Advanced Practice Nurse
- Washington Registered Nurse, Washington Advanced Practice Nurse
- Oregon Registered Nurse, Oregon Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- American Nurses’ Credentialing Center Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Certification
- American Nurses’ Credentialing Center Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification
- International Society of Nurses in Addictions Certified Addictions RN in Advanced Practice
- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, Hawai’i
- Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional-Diplomate (CCDP-D), Hawai’i
- Suboxone DEA waiver
Memberships
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Honorary Member, 2007
- American Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, West Hawaii Director-at-Large 1999-2000
- New Jersey League for Nursing, Honorary Member, 1996
- Raritan Valley Student Nurses’ Association, Vice President, 1995-1996
- International Society of Nurses in Addictions, current
- Society of the Alumni, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, current
- Phi Theta Kappa
- Sigma Theta Tau
Awards and Honors
- Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing Hillman Award, 2010
- Excellence in Clinical/Direct Service Award, International Society of Nurses in Addictions, 2007
- Recipient, “Hawai’i Moving Forward Compassion Capital Fund” Grant from Center on the Family at University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 2007
- Excellence in Nursing Award Nurse Practitioner Advocate, Hawai’i, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2007
- Who’s Who of Manchester Professionals and Executives in Nursing, 2005
- University of Pennsylvania
- Award for Highest GPA among Returning RNs at University of Pennsylvania, 1999
- Society of the Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Award for Advancement of the Nursing Profession, 1999
- American Holistic Nurses’ Association Scholarship for AHNA Conference, 1998
- Writers’ Award; Society of the Alumni of School of Nursing, at University of Pennsylvania, 1997
- RN Career Mobility Scholarship by the National Student Nurses Association, 1997
- Charlotte W. Newcombe Internship Scholarship by University of Pennsylvania, 1997
- National Dean’s List, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
- National Dean’s List Scholarship, 1995
Education
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA
- B.S.N./M.S.N. with graduate specialization in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
- B.S.N. Summa Cum Laude, 1998;
- M.S.N. G.P.A.: 4.0, 1999
- Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, N. J.
- A.A.S. in Nursing, 1992-1996
- Graduated with High Honors
- Pennsylvania School for Muscle Therapy, Wayne, PA.
- National Certification in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, 1991-1992
- California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, CA.
- Professional Chef Training 1983-1984
Professional Experience
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse
Hawai’i Addiction Recovery & Psychiatric Services, Islands of Hawai’i and Moloka’i
October 2003 – Present
- Director/Educator
Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts (formerly Hawai’i Academy of the Healing Arts), Kamuela, Hawai’i
2005 – Present
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION, Newberg, Oregon
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse (PMHNP)
CURRY COMMUNITY HEALTH, BROOKINGS, OREGON
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse (ARNP)
PUGET SOUND DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS PORT ANGELES, WA
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
HOPE Inc. HILO HAWAI’I
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse
Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Grand Ronde, Oregon
September 2013 – January 2014
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse
Group Health Cooperative, Bremerton, Washington
July 2012 – September 2013
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse/Team Leader
APS Healthcare, Hilo, Hawaii
January 2012 – July 2012
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse
Pacific Islands Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Kona community based outpatient clinic, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
June 2007 – June 2009
- Nursing Instructor University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawai’i
January 2004 – July 2004
- Behavioral Health Services Director/Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse
Hamakua Health Center, Honoka’a, Hawai’i
June 2003 – October 2003
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey
January 2002 -April 2003
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse
Saint Clare’s Health Services, Denville, New Jersey
October 2000 – January 2002
- Instructor/Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse
University of Hawai’i at Manoa/West Hawaii Mental Health Service, Honolulu and Kealakekua, Hawai’i
July 1999 – June 2000
- Registered Nurse/Advanced Practice Nurse Intern
Philadelphia Department of Veterans’ Affairs Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Philadelphia, PA.
September 1998 – June 1999
- Research Assistant/Junior Author
University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Health Research, Philadelphia, PA.
February 1997 – June 1999
- Registered Nurse
Women’s Health and Counseling Center, Somerville, New Jersey
June 1996 – February 1996
Academic Experience
- Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts
2005 – Present
- University of Hawai’i at Hilo
January 2004 – July 2004
Nursing Instructor
- University of Hawai’i at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
July 1999 – July 2000
APRN/Nursing Instructor - University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
1996-1999- Teaching Assistant for Graduate-level Geropsychiatric Nursing course, University of Pennsylvania
- Teaching Assistant for Graduate-level Cognitive Therapy course, University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Health Research
1992-1996- Co-authored articles regarding HIV prevention/education among diverse populations
- Assisted in needs assessments to provide public health planning guidelines and HIV prevention strategies for the City of Philadelphia
- Involved in HIV education/prevention research funded by the National Institutes for Mental Health (NIMH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Community Activities
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- Organize Community Depression and Alcohol Screenings, Health Fairs, and AIDS Awareness Fairs
- Co-founded American Holistic Nurses’ Association Network at University of Pennsylvania
- Tutored low-income college students on a weekly basis for four years
- Provided educational support services to disabled students on monthly basis for one year
- Volunteered at Women’s Health and Counseling Center on weekly basis for one year
- Organized and participated in Holiday toy and book drives, food drives, and blood drives
- Provided HIV education to college freshmen as Red Cross Certified HIV/AIDS educator
