2024-2025 University Catalog 
  
    Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 University Catalog

Master of Science Nursing Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Specialization


Normal Time to Completion: 2 years 10 months

This program is offered online.

Jump to the MSN-PMHNP Curriculum

The online Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN-PMHNP) Specialization at Post University provides the opportunity to build the insights and skills students could use to make a positive impact on the mental health of your patients. The program emphasizes critical areas of primary care-assessment, prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic and acute conditions-with an in-depth focus on psychiatric issues. Coursework covers assessment, diagnosis, psychopharmacology, interventions, and more, across the lifespan. Plus, it offers preceptorship experiences to translate online classroom learnings to different mental health situations.

This is a post-licensure program. Students will need to maintain an active and unencumbered registered nurse license.

Students will need to fulfill additional requirements to become nurse practitioners. While the Master of Science Nursing (Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specializations) is not designed to fulfill licensure requirements in an individual state, the program may be used to partially fulfill licensure requirements.

Post University assists in researching and providing information regarding licensure; however, each state has different requirements for such licensure outside of the required education. Such state requirements may include licensure exams, background checks, certain work experience, and more. It is ultimately the responsibility of each student to manage their own licensure process and to ensure that all requirements are met in order for the student to obtain licensure. Post University does not speak on behalf of any licensing board or body and does not guarantee licensure. Requirements for licensure are subject to change without notice.

The table at the following link shows whether Post University, with completion of the appropriate curriculum, does or does not fulfill the educational requirements for a specific license:

Nurse Practitioner Disclosure by State

 

Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Specialization 

Coursework for the psychiatric nurse practitioner online specialization is designed to help students build the foundation of insights and practical skills necessary to: 

  • Provide evidence-based, patient-centered care, which synthesizes the holistic nature of advanced practice Nursing & diagnostic reasoning, to enhance patient, healthcare, and organizational outcomes critical to building quality and safe patient care capacity
  • Engage in leadership and scholarship activities that fosters collaboration and communication among interdisciplinary team members
  • Evaluate the impact between legal, social, political, economic, and ethical issues, and their influence on the provision and management of patient care services
  • Integrate clinical guidelines, research, clinical judgment, and interdisciplinary perspectives using translational processes to improve practice, health, and organizational outcomes
  • Incorporate information technology when interacting and collaborating with patient, families, and interdisciplinary team members for improved healthcare delivery processes and outcomes
  • Advocate for ethical and culturally sensitive policies that impact access, equity, quality, and cost
  • Employ knowledge of organizational practices and complex systems to enhance delivery and quality of healthcare services
  • Apply sound ethical solutions to complex issues concerning the care of individuals and populations, and systems of care
  • Synthesize knowledge from nursing & related sciences to provide patient-centered and evidence-based care while respecting diverse beliefs and attitudes, and by allowing the patient to be a full partner in the decision-making process
  • Assume responsibility for professional growth and integrity by engaging in life-long learning and commitment to the discipline of advanced practice nursing. 

Curriculum

All nurse practitioner courses are to be taken one at a time. The courses are all 8 weeks in length. Courses must be completed in the specified timeframe, including clinical hours completed in the allotted 8 weeks. The nurse practitioner specializations are not offered on a part-time or accelerated basis.

The Master of Science Nursing - nurse practitioner specializations do require clinical work. Learn more about clinical work on the additional nursing requirements  page.