Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Quick Facts
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Doctor of Nursing Practice Program in the U.S.
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The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) specialty prepares nurses to focus on mental health care and the mind-body connection for patients. You will learn the modalities to diagnose and treat depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, social disorders, and more. Graduates will work with the patients over the short term or long term to analyze and develop treatment plans with the patient.
The DNP program is a hybrid program utilizing a mixture of online didactic coursework, on-campus intensives, and on-ground practicum and clinical placements. It is a practice-focused doctoral program emphasizing innovative, evidence-based professional practice and reflecting the application and implementation of credible research findings. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialization is intended for registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a Master of Science in Nursing.
The College of Nursing offers full-time and part-time options for DNP students. Part-time students must be enrolled in at least 6 units per semester. Part-time study is only available during the pre-clinical portion of the program and adds a year to the degree completion timeline.
*Residents of some U.S. Territories may not be eligible. Please see our Eligibility & State Authorization page for more information.
Outcomes
Skills
Earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner will build core skills, including:
- Ability to prescribe medications
- Acute care
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Care coordination
- Case management
- Clinical experience
- Critical care
- Discharge planning
- Hospital work experience
- Measuring vital signs
- Medical record management
- Mental health assessment
- Nursing care
- Nursing practices
- Nursing process
- Operating room experience
- Patient safety
- Performance improvement
- Psychology
- Quality improvement
- Rehabilitation
- Telehealth
- Trauma care
- Treatment planning
Potential Career Paths
Graduates of the Psychiatric Mental Health DNP program will be prepared to pursue the following careers:
Applying
Applications must be submitted through NursingCAS and the University of Arizona Graduate College
Nursing CAS Application
Step 1:
Create Your Account
Create a NursingCAS account or sign in with your username and password. Once you create an account, you can access your application as often as you need.
Step 2:
Review Requirements
Review the program materials section of NursingCAS to learn more about the specific admissions criteria, requirements and deadlines for your program. Collect and submit any required supporting materials, such as personal statements, documents and certification data.
Step 3:
Complete Application
Send your official transcripts and test scores to NursingCAS and complete your application. Once you have submitted your application and any additional supporting materials, monitor your application status in your NursingCAS account and follow-up on any necessary actions.
University of Arizona Graduate College Application
Step 1:
Go To Gradapp
To complete your online application, go to the online portal and either enter your NetID or create a new account.
Step 2:
Create Your Account
After you have created a GradApp account, you can begin your application. Remember to choose Arizona Online as your campus.
Step 3:
Complete Application
Choose your area of specialty and follow the instructions to complete the application for that specialty.
