Psychiatry and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Career
What You Do in This Career?
Advanced Practice Psychiatric/Mental-Health Nurse Practitioners work with all age groups, families, and individuals to diagnose, provide therapy, and prescribe psychiatric medication to treat mental and medical disorders, as well as substance abuse problems. They can provide emergency psychiatric services, treatment plans, and perform psychosocial and physical assessments of their patients.
In addition to knowing which medications to use, psychiatric nurse practitioners must also educate their patients on lifestyle changes that would benefit their mental states or help with substance abuse recovery. Psychiatric nurse practitioners must also be aware of how nutrition and exercise affect the body and mind in order to provide the most comprehensive mental health care.
Salary and Career Information
- Salary: Averages range between $76,546 and $112,515 per year for PMHNPs.
- PMHNP Requirements: To practice as a PMHNP you must be a licensed RN, complete a master’s or doctorate degree with a specialization in psychiatric/mental health, and pass the National Board certification. You can then choose to further specialize in child psychiatry, women’s psychiatry, or substance abuse.
- Work Environment: PMHNP can find employment at VA hospitals, prisons, high-risk pregnancy clinics, schools, substance abuse centers, recovery programs, sleep disorder clinics, and trauma services, as well as psychiatric wards of hospitals and private offices.
What Kind of Coursework Can You Expect in This Program?
PMHNPs learn how to provide services to patients experiencing a mental health crisis or struggling with substance abuse. Therefore, programs prepare students to provide a wide range of mental health services and treatment options.
Coursework for the PMHNP programs will likely include classes in psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, outpatient and inpatient mental health services, and even jail health services. Some programs allow students to further specialize in family or child mental health nursing.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
Online nurse practitioner programs have grown in popularity in recent years as more accredited schools have begun offering online alternatives to these degrees. Combining flexibility with the lack of campus visitation required these programs are ideal for working professionals. By clicking on links below, you can request information from each school about its tuition, classes, and programs.
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Georgetown University — Stationed out of Washington DC, Georgetown University is a cultural and social hub and is one of the oldest schools in the nation. The school has two online nursing programs available, an MSN in Family Nursing and an MSN in Midwifery and Women's Health. Georgetown is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. |
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Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online presence is almost unmatched, offering over 170 online degrees and programs, including MSN in Nurse Administration, MSN in Nurse Education, and MSN in Nurse Informatics. However, there are also 70 campuses across the country for those interested in a more traditional education. Kaplan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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University of Phoenix — While it may not be surprising that the University of Phoenix is based in Phoenix, AZ, the school does have over 200 additional locations around the country. Phoenix has more than 200 online programs available, with nursing degrees in Health Education, Health Informatics, and a general track. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University is an online college focused on technology, business, and healthcare. The school offers several nursing programs like the RN to MSN bridge programs or the MSN in Nursing Informatics. All of these programs require no campus visitation and can be completed online entirely. ASU has an accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council. |
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Capella University — Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University is an online school with over 37000 current students across the nation. Its online programs like MSN in Nurse Educator (Bridge option also available) have one-to-one tutoring, accelerated study, and low student to teacher ratios. Capella holds several accreditations, including The Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. |
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