Shade Kirkham, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Shade Kirkham, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner at Rosecrance Stephenson County in Freeport, Illinois. They provide outpatient psychiatric evaluations and medication management for patients ages 6 and older, helping individuals achieve and maintain stability through evidence-based care. Kirkham treats a range of conditions, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia. They also specialize in providing affirming care to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Kirkham brings seven years of mental health care experience to their role, having treated patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Their background includes supporting individuals experiencing acute mental health crises as well as helping patients maintain long-term stability in outpatient care. Kirkham creates a safe and supportive environment through empathetic listening and therapeutic communication. They focus on each patient’s priorities and work collaboratively with them to safely pursue greater stability and well-being. Kirkham earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice specializing in psychiatric-mental health nursing from Rush University in 2025 and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Iowa. They are a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Kirkham is scheduled to present a poster on cultural competency in the treatment of transgender patients at the association’s annual convention in October 2026. They joined Rosecrance in May 2026.