Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Post Master's Certificate

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) post-master’s program is a 20-credit hour lockstep program in which Registered nurses with a Master of Science in Nursing degree advance their skills to the entry level for certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and apply for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work in a rapidly changing field of mental healthcare to provide effective care using evidence-based practice to a growing population with mental and behavioral health needs. 

Instruction will be an online format with required on campus learning intensives typically scheduled two times per semester at the St. David’s School of Nursing in Round Rock. The on-campus learning intensives augment the online course work and allow assessment of students to ensure that advanced level competencies have been met.

Faculty facilitate practicum course work online and during the on-campus intensives through skills labs and simulations; however, required clinical hours will be spent with individual preceptors in a clinical setting. The curriculum requires students to log 545 clinical clock hours as a combination of on-campus clinical experiences and hours with a preceptor over the course of the program.  Graduates are qualified to apply to sit for the following certification examinations:

• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Exam (PMHNP)

The PMHNP post master’s certificate program is offered as a part-time track allowing students the ability to manage school, work, and lifestyle. The program does require specific sequencing in courses.  All students are required to be advised before each semester by a graduate advisor.

Please Note:  Applicants who are not currently licensed and practicing as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurses - Nurse Practitioners will be required to meet required foundational courses by taking the following to meet requirements of an APRN degree or certificate program:

1. Advanced Pathophysiology
2. Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics
3. Advanced Health Assessment and Practicum

If these courses have been taken at a prior institution, course equivalency and relevancy (timeliness) will be evaluated using transcripts and course syllabi.  Due to the rapid changing content and updates to practice in nursing, there are maximum timeframes for these courses to be accepted.

NOTICES

Our Master of Science in Nursing and Post Graduate Certificate Nurse Practitioner Programs meet the educational requirements for national certification in all states. Some states have unique regulatory requirements that are found on the NCSBN website. As a result of the varied requirements by state, we have elected to only accept students into our programs who reside in and hold a license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Texas.