Specialty Highlights
Complete in 4 Full-time Semesters
Just 3 semesters for MN Prespecialty students. A part-time plan is also available.
Online/Hybrid Learning Format
Online classes with 1-3 on-campus block class sessions each semester of 3-5 days each
Robust Clinical Experience
560 hours of directly supervised clinical practice
VUSN helped prepare me in establishing myself in community health care by offering opportunities for community-based clinic sites.
Prestigious Program with Exceptional Outcomes
- #2 ranked program in the country
- Pioneer in teaching a holistic approach across a patient’s lifespan
- Graduates are highly employable and sought after by employers
Curriculum & Objectives
Our approach integrates the biological, psychological, social and spiritual elements of mental health care in a holistic manner. The program balances interactive, online learning with in-person clinical, lab and class hours. The curriculum provides in-depth content about psychiatric mental health nursing models, pharmacotherpaeutics and neuroscience, as well as nursing theory, research and evidence-based practice. Students learn to evaluate and monitor co-morbid occurrences and conditions secondary to mental health.
The PMHNP curriculum incorporates the 2021 AACN Essentials, assuring students receive a comprehensive and up-to-date education that meets the highest standards in nursing education and assures they are well-prepared for practice.
Explore the MSN full-time, MSN part-time, MN Prespecialty, sample Post-Master's Certificate and DNP curriculums.
Clinical Experience
The School of Nursing’s full-time clinical placement team partners with students and faculty to create enriching clinical practicums, ensuring each student receives robust training in their specialty. Where possible, clinical placements are made in the student’s preferred geographic area. The PMHNP specialty provides a wide variety of clinical placement sites with child/adolescent, adult and gero-psych settings, and excellent PMHNPs and psychiatrists in both the Middle Tennessee area and outside the Middle Tennessee region.
Time Commitment
This intensive specialty is best suited for motivated, self-directed learners who can master large amounts of complex material in a short time. Balancing full-time work with the program’s rigorous, full-time, accelerated curriculum is not recommended, although the specialty can be completed on a part-time basis. Over the course of the program, students attend 1-3 on-campus learning blocks of time every semester, each lasting 3-4 days. In between on-campus learning blocks, students complete clinicals in the geographic area in which they live and complete online lectures and web-based learning activities. The length of the specialty for full-time students is four semesters (16 months).
Outcomes
Vanderbilt PMNHP graduates are highly employable. They are recognized by employers and other mental health professionals as well-trained in evidence-based practice and capable of implementing innovative practice models. Graduates who practice in community mental health clinics most often provide psychopharmaceutical medication management, with brief counseling for clients. Graduates in hospitals and multidisciplinary private practices typically provide more extensive counseling and usually have prescriptive practice. Graduates with more entrepreneurial interests have created a variety of roles such as private practice, consultation within small or large medical centers, or collaborative practices with primary care providers. VUSN PMHNP graduates are qualified to take the national certification exams offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
The Psychiatric-Mental Health NP program is designed for individuals with a deep commitment to mental health and a strong desire to make a difference. It combines cutting-edge academic instruction with practical clinical experience, preparing students to excel in providing compassionate, comprehensive mental health care.
Take the Next Step
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan) Specialty is available as part of the Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing Prespecialty, Post-Master's Certificate and BSN to DNP programs. Contact admissions counselor Lauren Watt with questions. For more information from the specialty director, view this video.