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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, DNP

Program Overview

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program is open to registered nurses who already hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and are interested in providing mental health services for patients across the lifespan in a variety of healthcare settings. The focus is on the diagnosis and management of psychiatric conditions including the provision of psychotherapy and psychotropic medication management.

Equipped for the Future

The PMHNP program equips you with the skills to:

  • Equipped to provide a wide range of services to adults, children, adolescents, and their families in primary care facilities, outpatient mental health clinics, psychiatric emergency settings, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, private practices, or in hospital or community health centers.
  • Trained to diagnose, conduct therapy, and prescribe medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders or substance abuse problems. Licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, treatment plans, and manage patient care.
  • Serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff.
  • Focused on psychiatric diagnosis, including the differential diagnosis of medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and on medication treatment for psychiatric disorders.
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Hybrid Courses

Engage in a curriculum thoughtfully balanced between online and classroom learning. ​Courses are offered year round​ during fall, spring, and summer semesters​.​ Practicum placements, when needed, are facilitated by the program.

Teaching Weekend Schedule

Fridays and Saturdays during the hours of 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. Lunch hour is observed from 12:00 - 1:00 pm.

NP Courses

N706 Advanced Pathophysiology and N707 Applied Pharmacology will meet on Fridays synchronously online during teaching weekends.

N7220 Advanced Physical Assessment Practica will meet in person on teaching weekends.

PMHNP clinical Courses

Meet synchronously online on teaching weekends.

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Clinical/Practicum Hours

PMHNP students complete approximately 1,000–1,200 clinical hours throughout the program. The number of hours varies depending on which plan of study students choose to pursue.

Upon completion of the program, you will have completed the required coursework and clinical hours to meet the AACN Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice.

Student Projects & Publications

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students must implement an evidence-based quality improvement project designed to improve practice in their area of concentration. The project is guided by their faculty DNP Committee Chairperson and Committee and demonstrates their ability to apply the principles of evidence-based practice, through problem identification, project development and proposal, and the implementation and evaluation of practice, quality/process or systems improvements.

State Authorization

Please check our State Authorization Status List for the states and territories from which we can enroll students in specific online degree programs.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BSN, PMHNP-MSN, PMHNP Cert)

The USF Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP program is intended to lead to national Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Board Certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The USF Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP program is intended to lead to a state-issued Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license or state-issued Nurse Practitioner (NP) license or national population specific NP certification. If you have questions about pursuing a state-issued APRN or NP license upon completion of the program, please reach out to your program administrator.