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Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

The Department of Nursing is transitioning the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from a Master of Science (M.S.) degree program to a Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree program. The final M.S. cohort is scheduled for Spring 2024 with an application deadline of November 30th. The Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program is tentatively scheduled to start in Fall 2024 pending approval. Students interested in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program are encouraged to contact the Department of Nursing for the latest information.

Prepare to meet the psychiatric and mental health needs of clients, communities, agencies and educational systems. Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions every year. The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program prepares you as a qualified practitioner to serve mental health patients across the lifespan. With 100% online coursework our post-baccalaureate program is meant for those with a bachelor's or a master's degree looking to take the step to becoming a D.N.P.

Program type:
Doctoral Degree
Format:
Online
Est. time to complete:
8 semesters (full-time) or 11 semesters (part-time)
Credit hours:
85

Why earn your PMHNP online degree at UND?

Application Deadlines
Fall:
June 1

The Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program is tentatively scheduled to start in Fall 2024 pending approval. Interested students are encouraged to contact the Department of Nursing for the latest information.

The final M.S. cohort is scheduled for Spring 2024 with an application deadline of November 30th.

More can be done to provide access to much-needed mental health services. You can start by earning your online Master of Science – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) degree with UND — one of the few schools in the South Dakota/Minnesota/North Dakota region to offer this program.

We’ll prepare you to assess and diagnose mental health issues in diverse patient populations, and provide interventions to assist individuals and families with the treatment of mental health conditions. Through clinical practicum experiences with individual, family and group therapies, you’ll gain the experience you need to achieve certification and help meet the growing need for providers.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Focus

Every patient is different, which means every diagnosis is, too. It also means every treatment plan needs to be different. As a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, it will be up to you to identify risk factors for certain disorders and determine the best way to offer your patients the best treatment for their mental illness symptoms.

You’ll learn how to develop a differential diagnosis, determine the best treatment interventions and evaluate patient progress — all while promoting mental health awareness.

While in the online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at UND, you'll focus your studies on:

  • Making psychiatric diagnoses
  • Conducting physical and mental health assessments
  • Designing holistic treatment plans
  • Prescribing psychotropic medications
  • Offering individual, family and group psychotherapy
  • Consulting with other health care professionals
  • Educating patients, legislators and communities on optimal practices to promote mental health and well-being

And by graduation you'll be able to:

  • Integrate theories, research, and experiential knowledge into advanced psychiatric mental health (PMHNP) nursing practice.
  • Demonstrate advanced practice skills in the provision of mental health care for persons across the lifespan.
  • Assume the roles and behaviors of an PMHNP primary care provider using research, leadership/management, and teaching strategies.
  • Demonstrate unique roles of an PMHNP while collaborating within an interdisciplinary team.
  • Apply ethical reasoning skills and legal standards to PMHNP practice.
  • Contribute to the development of psychiatric mental health policy, nursing practice, and the profession.

UND's Online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

  • Receive personalized support from our full-time Nursing Clinical Placement Coordinator who will assist you in finding clinical placements near you.

  • The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of North Dakota is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

  • Graduates earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and are eligible to sit for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

  • Learn at a program recognized by Nursing Schools Almanac for its outstanding commitment to excellence in nursing education.

  • Our College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines has produced some of the finest nursing graduates in the nation for more than 100 years.

  • We’ve designed the online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree to never require a campus visit. Clinical experiences will be your only out-of-home-requirement.

What can you do with a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree?

40%

Projected job growth for advanced practice registered nurses (much faster than the avg of all occupations)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

124K

Average annual salary for Nurse Practitioners

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Mental health problems are a growing concern in today’s society. But an even bigger concern is the number of people who have a mental health condition but don’t seek treatment. As a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and advocate for mental health promotion, it would be up to you to make every patient feel comfortable in your care.

In this role, you would treat patients with diagnosed disorders and determine the likelihood of mental illness based on family history. As a PMHNP, you would also educate patients and their families about mental health issues and recommend steps to boost their joint care outcomes.

Since mental health conditions can impact anyone, you have options when deciding where you’d like to practice.

  • Private practice offers individualized mental health care, often collaborating with other professionals.
  • Psychiatric and behavioral treatment clinics provide specialized care within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Corporate settings involve promoting mental wellness among employees and creating a healthier work environment.
  • Residential treatment facilities offer round-the-clock care for severe mental health and substance abuse issues.
  • Public health agencies focus on community-based mental health initiatives and education.
  • Family and pediatric clinics involve assessing and addressing mental health needs, especially in children.
  • Correctional facilities provide mental health services to incarcerated individuals, including assessments, therapy, and medication management.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Online Courses

NURS 538. Psych Diagnostic Reasoning. 2 Credits.

This course prepares students for advanced therapeutic communication, interviewing, and assessment of people with mental illness across the life span. Skills are developed in differential diagnoses of psychopathology within the scope and standards of advanced psychiatric mental health nursing practice. Clinical application is included. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the PMHNP program or permission of instructor. S.

NURS 553. Role Development of the Nurse Practitioner. 2 Credits.

This course emphasizes professional role development of the nurse practitioner. Students will compare and contrast the various roles of the nurse practitioner and evaluate those roles as they relate to the student's individual planned area of practice. The multi-dimensional role of the nurse practitioner as a clinician, advocate, educator and member of the health care team is explored from a historical and current perspective. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate study. F,S,SS.

NURS 564. Psychopharmacology. 2 Credits.

This course provides the advanced practice student with knowledge in the pharmacology of psychopathology across the life span. Emphasis will be placed on prescriptive practice, pharmacological science and therapeutic application of medications for psychiatric symptoms. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate nursing or permission of instructor. F,S,SS.

NURS 583. Individual Therapy. 2 Credits.

This course provides the PMHNP student with knowledge and skill development in the implementation of evidence-based clinical therapies and treatments focused on the individual including cultural variations. Prerequisite: NURS 538 or consent of instructor. F,S,SS.

NURS 584. Group and Family Therapies. 3 Credits.

This course provides the PMHNP student with knowledge and skill development in the implementation of evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions with families and diverse groups. Opportunities for clinical implementation accompany the theoretical models. Prerequisite: NURS 538 and NURS 583, or consent of the instructor. F,S,SS.

NURS 598. Advanced Clinical Practicum: PMHNP. 4 Credits.

This clinical practicum course provides the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student with the opportunity to obtain advanced practice extended clinical experience in their area of specialization. The course focuses on the integration of theoretical knowledge into clinical practice and gaining increasing competency in the skills integral to the nurse practitioner role. Prerequisite: Admission to PMHNP & NURS 505, NURS 544, NURS 564, NURS 583, NURS 584, NURS 585; completion of NURS 588 & NURS 598 PMHNP (I) to proceed to 2nd clinical; completion of NURS 589 & NURS 598 PMHNP (II) to proceed to 3rd clinical. Repeatable to 12.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

Online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Degree

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best online university in the nation

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Flexible Online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Classes

You will be able to earn the majority of your degree attending classes asynchronously, however at times there will be occasional synchronous (live) meeting times for information sharing student presentations.

With asynchronous classes, you do not attend class at a set time. If you need to balance work, family, and other commitments, this flexible format allows you to learn anywhere at any time.

Depending on your instructor, you’ll learn online through:

  • Lesson modules
  • Streaming video content
  • Virtual libraries
  • Posted lectures
  • Online simulations

There will be times when you interact with your instructor and classmates through online discussion boards, polls, and chat rooms.

Your learning revolves around materials that can be accessed on your own time within a set time frame. However, this is not a self-paced course. You’ll have structure and deadlines.

Leaders in Online Education

No matter how you customize your online experience, you’ll get the same top-quality education as any other on-campus student.

  • Same degree. All online programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Your transcript and diploma are exactly the same as our on-campus students.
  • Same classes. You’ll take courses from UND professors, start and end the semesters at the same time and take the same classes as a student on campus.
  • Real interaction. You can ask questions, get feedback and regularly connect with your professors, peers and professionals in the field.
  • Your own academic advisor. As an invaluable go-to, they’re focused on you, your personal success and your future career.
  • Free online tutoring. We're here to help you one-on-one at no cost. Plus, get access to a variety of self-help online study resources.
  • Unlimited academic coaching. Need support to achieve your academic goals or feeling stumped by a tough course? We'll help with everything from stress and time management to improving your memory to achieve higher test scores.
  • Full online access. Dig into virtual research from the Chester Fritz Library. Improve your writing skills with online help from the UND Writing Center. Get online access to career services, veteran and military services, financial services and more.
  • 24/7 technical support. UND provides free computer, email and other technical support for all online students.

Best Online College

Reportedly high alumni salaries and job placement rates, coupled with affordable online tuition rates make UND a best-value university for online education. UND's breadth of online programs rivals all other non-profit universities in the upper Midwest making UND one of the best online schools in the region.

UND ranks among the best online colleges in the nation for:

  • Affordability
  • Student satisfaction (retention rate)
  • Academic quality (4-year graduate rate)
  • Student outcomes (20-year return on investment per Paysacle.com)

 

100+ Years of Care

Strengthen your in-demand health care skills at the College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines.

Explore More Options

Learn more about the College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines or discover similar programs.

Timothy Legg, Ph.D., Psy.D., M.S.N., M.P.A., M.Sc., P.M.H.N.P.-B.C., G.N.P.-B.C.
P.M.H.N.P. Director and Clinical Assistant Professor
P 701.777.4174
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