Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan)
If you want to provide holistic care to individuals, families or groups with common, acute or chronic mental health problems, the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is a good fit for you. You will use advanced clinical judgment and practice to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, intervene, manage and evaluate holistic plans of care – including treatment with psychotropic medications; individual, group and family psychotherapy; crisis intervention; case management and consultation.
Interested in learning more about the PMHNP specialty? Watch a previously-recorded webinar (May 2019), which:
- Describes the program in detail
- Explains the application requirements
- Provides tips for preparing a competitive application
Our Strengths
We are also ranked as the #2 Psychiatric-Mental Health program. We are next door to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the nation’s top academic medical centers. But most importantly, we are committed to the success of our students. We offer a rigorous curriculum and one of the nation’s first Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan) specialties in the country. Our doctorally prepared, practice-active faculty use a mix of traditional classroom settings, simulated experiences and clinical training to fully prepare you for a career in this field. Our students benefit from low faculty-to-student ratios, mentoring and personalized attention. As a result, our students score well above the national average on the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam and are sought after in this in-demand specialty.
Our Curriculum
Our approach integrates the biological, psychological, social and spiritual elements of mental health care in a holistic manner. You will learn to develop plans of care, promote mental health and education, provide psychotherapy, crisis intervention and consultation. Your curriculum will provide in-depth content about psychiatric mental health nursing models, pharmacotherpaeutics and neuroscience. You will learn to evaluate and monitor co-morbid occurrences and conditions secondary to mental health. You will be prepared to work collaboratively with psychiatrists and others.
Educational Formats
Whether you have a nursing background or not, this specialty is offered to all students in a modified distance learning that allows you to earn your degree without having to relocate or give up employment. More info
Career Opportunities
As a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, you can serve youth, adolescents, adults and seniors in a variety of practice settings, such as:
- Community Mental Health Centers (urban and rural)
- Correctional Facilities
- Domestic Violence Shelters
- Home Health Agencies
- In-patient Psychiatric Facilities
- Private Psychiatric Practices
- Psychopharmacology Clinic
- Psychiatric Consult Services
- Residential Substance Abuse Facilities
- Schools
- State Psychiatric Facilities
- Urban Nurse-Managed Clinic
- Veterans Administration Psychiatric Facilities
Yes I want to know more about Vanderbilt's PMHNP program.
