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By completing the 49-credit program in the online curriculum for the M.S.N. in P.M.H.N.P. degree, you'll learn how to diagnose and treat simple and complex psychiatric and mental health problems ranging from adjustment disorders to serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar illnesses and major depression.
You'll graduate prepared for licensure to practice as a nurse practitioner* and ready to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing board certification and be committed to lifelong learning, service and leadership for the greater good of the global society.
Course Descriptions
Core Courses
NURS 6123 Theoretical Basis of Nursing (3 credit hours)
The course focus includes study of selected contemporary nursing and related theories. Major philosophical and theoretical orientations that provide the foundation for nursing practice are analyzed. Theory development and its connection to empirical research are evaluated.
NURS 6124 Forces in Health Care (3 credit hours)
This course examines the issues and concepts that are relevant to an understanding of the relationships among forces in health care. Emphasis will be placed on the process by which health care policies are formulated and on identifying the central issues within policies together with their supportive and non-supportive argumentation.
NURS 6223 Health Promotion (3 credit hours)
The course focuses on primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention across the life span. Age and condition specific strategies for health promotion and risk reduction are synthesized from the physical, social and psychological sciences. The student views the person/family/community from a nursing perspective, while integrating new theories and strategies for screening and early intervention programs. The provision of comprehensive health promotion and screening are analyzed from an interdisciplinary and public health perspective.
NURS 6411 Advanced Clinical Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)
Pathogenesis of major conditions will be presented. Symptoms and signs of clinical situations will be analyzed and discussed in order that the student may have an understanding of the etiology of health deviations as well as a cognizance of the rationale for their management.
NURS 6415 Clinical Pharmacology (3 credit hours)
This course provides a working knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics with emphasis on the needs of clients throughout the lifespan. Concepts in qualitative and quantitative drug actions within the body are discussed. Prerequisite: NURS 6411.
NURS 7141 Nursing Research (3 credit hours)
This course examines methods of nursing research. Critique of published quantitative and qualitative nursing research studies is conducted. Emphasis is on the utilization of knowledge to provide evidence-based nursing skills. Students develop skills for preparing practice focused, nursing research utilization projects. Prerequisites: Undergraduate Nursing Research course, Undergraduate Basic Statistics Course.
Specialization Courses
NURS 7470 Advanced Professional Role Enactment (3 credit hours)
This course will focus on sensitizing the student to the emerging and ever changing role of the Advanced Practice Nurse. Students will explore the societal, economic, and politico-legal developments affecting acceptance and utilization of the role. Issues related to role development, leadership skills and case management for diverse client populations are analyzed. Prerequisite: Three semesters of advanced practice clinical nursing courses.
NURS 6222 Advanced Physical and Psychiatric Assessment and Decision Making Across the Lifespan (4 credit hours)
This course will focus on advanced comprehensive and integrated assessment skills leading to the creation of accurate, efficacious and expedient clinical decisions in the advanced nursing role. This course will also introduce the process of clinical psychiatric/mental health assessment and diagnosis that focuses upon the development of skills necessary for the nurse practitioner student to make accurate physical and psychiatric assessments and diagnoses in patients across the lifespan.
NURS 6220 Advanced Practice PMH Nursing: Non-pharmacologic Interventions (3 credit hours)
Individual, family and group therapeutic techniques when caring for individuals with psychiatric/mental health disorders across the lifespan will be introduced. Each therapeutic modality will be presented using key concepts, explanation of the therapeutic process and application of techniques.
NURS 7335 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Psychiatric/Mental Health (3 credit hours)
This introductory clinical course (120 hours) will provide the foundation to acquire mastery of advanced comprehensive and integrated assessment skills. These include bio-psycho-socio-economic, developmental and functional appraisals of health status across the lifespan with a focus on cultural competence. Specialty assessments are incorporated including use of interviewing techniques and completing an initial bio-psycho-social assessment. The student practices advanced bio-psychosocial assessment skills and begins role acculturation under close preceptorship supervision.
NURS 7245 Advanced Practice PMH Nursing: Child and Adolescent (3 credit hours)
The focus of this course is the psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner role in health promotion, diagnosis and management in psychiatric practice with diverse populations. Emphasis is placed on the care of children and adolescents with psychiatric/mental health issues. The course will examine assessment techniques and psychopharmacological interventions when working directly with children, adolescents and their caretakers. It will emphasize evidence-based interventions that address diverse groups of children and adolescents within their social contexts (e.g., peer group, school, family, community). Special attention will be given to issues of diversity and equity as they relate to building therapeutic relationships. In view of the reliance on direct practice experiences with children and adolescents, students will be placed in clinical sites concurrently with this course.
NURS 7346 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: PMHNP Advanced Practice PMH Nursing: Child and Adolescent (4 credit hours)
This course will provide students with clinical experience in the delivery of psychiatric/mental health care to children and adolescents with mental health problems, including collection of subjective and objective data from children and adolescents and their caregivers; use of the techniques of interview; deriving psychiatric diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic psychiatric/mental health issues in children and adolescents using community resources; use of interventions including short term problem-focused psychotherapy, group therapy and psychopharmacologic modalities.
NURS 7347 Advanced Practice PMH Nursing: Adults throughout the lifespan (3 credit hours)
The focus of this course is the psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner role in health promotion, diagnosis and management in psychiatric practice with diverse populations across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on the care of young, middle and older adults with psychiatric/mental health issues. The course will examine assessment techmiques and psychopharmacologic interventions for working directly with adults of all ages, including geriatric populations. It will emphasize evidence-based interventions that address diverse groups of adults within their social contexts (e.g., work, family, community). Special attention will be given to issues of diversity and equity as it relates to building therapeutic relationships. In view of the reliance on direct practice experiences with adults throughout their lifetime, students will be placed in clinical sites concurrently with this course.
NURS 7358 Graduate Nursing Practicum III: PMHNP Advanced Practice PMH Nursing: Adults throughout the Lifespan (4 credit hours)
This course will provide students with clinical experience in the delivery of psychiatric/mental health care to young, middle and older adults with psychiatric/mental health problems, including collection of subjective and objective data; use of the techniques of interview; deriving psychiatric diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic mental health issues using community resources; use of interventions including short term problem-focused psychotherapy, group therapy and psychopharmacologic modalities.
NURS 7515 Graduate Nursing Practicum IV: PMHNP Advanced Practice PMH Nursing Practicum: Complex Problems (4 credit hours)
This course builds upon all previous practicum courses. Utilization and translation of theory into psychiatric/mental health practice. This course will examine methods of intervention with true sensitivity and understanding of the influence of race, ethnicity, culture, age and gender with individuals, families and groups.