Psychiatric and Mental Health Specialization

Overview

The Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (PMHN) graduate specialization prepares advanced practice nurses to meet the needs of clients, communities, agencies, and educational systems as adult psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners. Students will complete a minimum of 500 hours of clinical nursing and are prepared in three areas of therapeutic modalities (individual, family, and group). Upon completion of the program, students take a national certifying exam preparing them for independent practice in psychiatric and mental health nursing. Students have the opportunity to complete extra clinical hours to qualify to sit for both the PMH-CNS and PMH-NP certifying exams. The course of study is 57-62 credit hours for the CNS track and 56-61 credit hours for the NP track. Both tracks may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis.

The Graduate Nursing Program prepares nurses who are able to: Integrate theory, research, and experiential knowledge and evidence-based practice into advanced nursing practice. Demonstrate competence in advanced nursing practice consistent with applicable professional standards. Practice in the development of nursing science through evidenced based practice, research, and theory. Integrate relationships between social, cultural, political, and economic issues and health care delivery. The master's program objectives for the nursing specializations prepare nurses who are able to: Integrate theory, research, and experiential knowledge and evidence-based practice into advanced nursing practice. Demonstrate competence in advanced nursing practice consistent with applicable professional standards. Practice in the development of nursing science through evidenced based practice, research and theory. Integrate relationships between social, cultural, political, and economic issues and health care delivery.

Specialization Objectives

Outcome objectives for the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing specialization build upon the graduate nursing program objectives by expecting that the student will: Integrate theories, research, and experiential knowledge into advanced psychiatric mental health (APMH) nursing practice. Demonstrate advanced practice skills in the provision of mental health care for adults consistent with ANA’s Scope and Standards of Practice for the advance practice psychiatric mental health nurse (APMHN). Assume the roles and behaviors of an APMHN primary care provider using research, leadership/management, and teaching strategies. Demonstrate unique roles of an APMHN while collaborating within an interdisciplinary team. Apply ethical reasoning skills and legal standards to APMHN practice. Contribute to the development of psychiatric mental health policy, nursing practice, and the profession.