Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners deliver advanced care through assessment, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing support for patients facing mental health challenges.
Patients facing mental health challenges need competent and compassionate providers to help them navigate prevention, treatment and management. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are at the heart of fostering therapeutic relationships with patients and caregivers needing support for psychiatric illness.
To become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, you will need to complete a certain number of clinical hours, graduate from an accredited PMHNP graduate program, pass a certification exam, and apply for licensure in your state. Pursuing a PMHNP career starts with understanding your personal and professional goals so you can choose the right graduate program to move you forward.
But how can you know if psychiatric mental health nursing is right for you? And how do nurse practitioners (NPs) in this field differ from registered nurses (RNs)?
Psychiatric Mental Health NPs at a Glance
- Diagnose and care for patients facing mental health problems
- Identify risk factors and help patients with prevention strategies
- Provide treatment, medication and resources to patients and caregivers
- Promote awareness of mental health issues and contribute to reform
Psychiatric Mental Health RNs at a Glance
- Coordinate intake and evaluations for patients facing mental health problems
- Help patients with maintenance and self-care activities
- Provide education and resources in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams
- Administer treatments, rehabilitation and interventions after diagnosis
Where Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Work
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are needed in every area of healthcare. In outpatient care, you might find them in family medicine, private practices, pediatrics, home healthcare and other clinical settings. In inpatient care, PMHNPs could work in hospitals, prisons, residential treatment centers and other facilities like the Veterans Health Administration. Like family nurse practitioners, PMHNPs can treat patients across the lifespan, which means there are job opportunities in a variety of environments, even telehealth.
The Duties of a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
As a PMHNP, your duties might vary depending on your clinical setting but generally include:
- Conducting psychiatric evaluations for patients of all ages
- Ordering diagnostic testing and diagnosing mental health conditions
- Providing evidence-based approaches to patients with acute or chronic illness
- Administering medications, psychotherapy and other treatments
- Providing education on mental health conditions and treatments to patients and caregivers
- Collaborating with other healthcare professionals to offer a comprehensive approach to care
- Referring patients to other specialties when needed
- Managing and adjusting the plan of care for each patient, including risk assessments and safety plans when indicated
Psychiatric nurse practitioners may also take a holistic approach to care that includes psychological, neurobiological, social and spiritual considerations.
How a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Prepares Students for Real-World Work
Old Dominion University’s online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program offered through ODUGlobal prepares students to take the national certification exam for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This certificate is required for state licensure to practice as an independent provider with prescriptive authority.
Students will learn evidence-based research, primary care assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology and other skills needed for advanced practice nursing roles. The PMHNP program also equips students with:
- psychotherapeutic approaches
- knowledge in psychopharmacology, neurobiology and psychiatric disorders
- hands-on experience through two nurse practitioner practicums
ODUGlobal offers solutions for where you are with personalized support, innovative programs and high-quality courses designed to fit your schedule. Courses in the PMHNP program follow an accelerated eight-week format. Most courses are asynchronous, meaning you can complete the majority of your coursework on your own schedule. Aside from gaining experience through your clinical practicums, you will also visit the Virginia Beach campus, where you’ll complete training and testing with standardized patients and simulation instruction.
PMNHPs are at the forefront of compassionate, impactful patient care for those facing psychiatric disorders. If you want to deepen your expertise and provide transformative care, an online graduate degree can open the door to a meaningful lifelong career working with patients across the lifespan while giving you the flexibility to fit school into your schedule.
