Patricia (Tricia) Bursnall DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

Patricia (Tricia) Bursnall, Doctor of Nursing Practice, is a nurse practitioner, educator, and health system leader whose work sits at the intersection of clinical excellence, academic innovation, and community impact. Board-certified as both a Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, she brings a uniquely integrated approach to care—one that emphasizes the inseparability of mental, physical, and community health.

Dr. Bursnall currently serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at CU Anschutz, in the Behavioral Health area. She most recently worked as the Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Fellowship at Peak Vista Community Health Centers, where she provided strategic leadership for a postgraduate training program designed to prepare clinicians for practice in complex, underserved settings. In this role, she lead curriculum design, program evaluation, and clinical education while mentoring advanced practice providers transitioning into independent practice. Her work has contributed to strong workforce outcomes, including high retention of fellows in safety-net systems, reflecting her commitment to sustainable, community-based care delivery.

Dr. Bursnall’s academic and clinical career spans graduate and postgraduate education, interprofessional training, and integrated care delivery. She has taught extensively across in-person, hybrid, and virtual environments, delivering content in psychopharmacology, diagnostic reasoning, mood disorders, and gender-affirming care. She is a sought-after speaker and guest lecturer, with invited presentations at national conferences, academic institutions, and community organizations. Her work includes speaking engagements for Psych Congress, the National Nurse Practitioner Symposium, and multiple university programs, as well as international teaching initiatives such as the University of Haiti nurse practitioner program.

Her scholarly contributions focus on improving mental health screening and access to care, including her publication on bipolar disorder screening in primary care. She has also contributed to evidence-based nursing literature and presented research at national conferences.

Dr. Bursnall’s professional path is informed by a diverse background that includes counseling, fitness, and holistic health practices. Prior to nursing, she worked as a counselor and educator, experiences that continue to shape her whole-person, relationship-centered approach to care. She is particularly committed to advancing integrated behavioral health models and developing clinicians who can deliver compassionate, equitable care in resource-constrained environments.