Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Graduate Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in PMHNP is designed to provide a pathway for nurses who already have a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and want to become Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. Post-graduate certificate programs support master’s and doctorally prepared nurses to enhance or change their career direction.
The PMHNP certificate offers the same psychiatric-mental health specialty courses, content, instruction, assessment, lab hours and clinical hours to prepare students to manage the mental healthcare needs for individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan and sit for national certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The graduate certificate curriculum includes theory, simulation and clinical experiences that prepare graduates to be proficient, confident clinicians. Students will complete faculty-supervised laboratory work and 625 hours of clinical practicum work. A student may expect to complete the PMHNP Certificate in one year and eight months of full-time study comprised of two to three courses per semester, three semesters per year, for five semesters.
As part of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) curriculum, students will attend an on-ground immersion experience and an on-ground intensive review session. The immersion experience occurs during the NR-509 Advanced Physical Assessment course. The purpose of this immersion is to provide the student with the opportunity to interact with professors and fellow students and to observe, participate and be evaluated on clinical assessment skills, thus ensuring students are prepared for advanced learning within the practicum experiences. The immersion event allows faculty and staff to work with students and assess their clinical competency before entering clinical rotations. The immersion event also allows the student to further experience Chamberlain Care®.
The on-ground intensive review session is offered during the last course in the program – NR-668 Psychiatric-Mental Health Capstone Practicum & Intensive. The intensive review session will focus on final student preparation for advanced practice. Both the immersion and intensive events occur on ground at designated locations and span several days. Students are responsible for their travel costs while participating in the immersion event and the intensive review session. Typical costs include travel to/from the designated location, lodging and meals. Further details of the immersion event and intensive review session will be provided within the individual courses.
Students declaring a nurse practitioner graduate certificate are required to clear a background and fingerprint check, through a Chamberlain preferred vendor, by the end of their first course. Students declaring any one of the NP tracks will have their license reviewed for past sanctions, violations, and restrictions that impact current clinical/practicum approval by clinical sites and future licensure or other advanced practice credentials. Applicants may be denied entry related to current and past infractions at the discretion of the admissions committee and/or Dean. Students may enroll in core courses for the Master of Science in Nursing degree program, but cannot enroll in an NP practicum course until clearance is satisfactorily completed. If the student background or fingerprint check does not satisfactorily clear, the student will not be allowed to continue in the NP specialty track. Students who do not receive clearance by the time they need to register for an NP practicum course should contact Academic Support Advising to discuss alternative academic program options and impacts to their plan of study, progression and financial aid status.
Students are responsible for specifying their own practicum site and qualified preceptor that meet the criteria established by Chamberlain. Students who are current nurse practitioners enrolling in an NP graduate certificate are highly encouraged to have a secured practicum site and preceptor upon admission to avoid delays in progression. If students are unable to secure their own practicum site and qualified preceptor, Chamberlain will assist in identifying site/preceptor upon the student providing documentation of at least five potential sites that have not been able to accommodate the student, and must submit the request three sessions in advance of the need. Students using Chamberlain's preceptor matching service will be provided with one preceptor option within a 100-mile radius of their home address. Students must have an active and unrestricted nursing license in the state where they will complete their practicum. If the preceptor, mentor and/or field instructor you are submitting for Chamberlain University’s review and approval was found using a student-arranged third-party preceptor matching service, be advised that Chamberlain University will not reimburse any fees you may have incurred. Availability of the Graduate Certificate in PMHNP may be limited. Program, graduate certificate and specialty track approval varies by state.
Successful completion of Chamberlain’s Graduate Certificate in PMHNP qualifies you to sit for national certification as an PMHNP. State licensure requirements for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, including Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, vary by state. It is important that you understand what is required by the state in which you will ultimately practice. Chamberlain limits student enrollment to states where the Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner program is approved to ensure our program meets the state’s education requirement for licensure. Your state may have requirements in addition to graduating from an approved PMHNP program or receiving national PMHNP certification. We recommend visiting your state professional licensing board website for details specific to your state. To obtain more information about the national nurse practitioner certification process, visit the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
By completing the Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, the student will have the knowledge, skills and ability to manage the mental healthcare needs for individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan and sit for national certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).
Program Details
Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with Practicum
Certificate: Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Semesters: 5 Full Time With Practicum (35 credit hours)
COURSES FOR PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER (PMHNP) Effective Prior January 2024
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-503 | Population Health, Epidemiology and Statistical Principles | 3 |
| NR-506NP | Healthcare Policy and Leadership | 3 |
| NR-507 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NR-565 | Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals | 3 |
| NR-509 | Advanced Physical Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-546 | Advanced Pharmacology: Psychopharmacology for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NR-547 | Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan Practicum | 3 |
| NR-548 | Psychiatric Assessment for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 2 |
| NR-605 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan I Practicum | 3 |
| NR-606 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health II Practicum | 3 |
| NR-607 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health III Practicum | 3 |
| NR-668 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Capstone Practicum & Intensive 2 | 3 |
COURSES FOR PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER (PMHNP) EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2024
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-586NP | Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-582NP | Leadership and Role Development for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-507 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NR-565 | Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals | 3 |
| NR-509 | Advanced Physical Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-546 | Advanced Pharmacology: Psychopharmacology for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NR-547 | Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan Practicum | 3 |
| NR-548 | Psychiatric Assessment for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 2 |
| NR-605 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan I Practicum | 3 |
| NR-606 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health II Practicum | 3 |
| NR-607 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health III Practicum | 3 |
| NR-668 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Capstone Practicum & Intensive 2 | 3 |
Courses for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Effective March 2024
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-586NP | Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-582NP | Leadership and Role Development for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-507 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NR-565 | Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals | 3 |
| NR-509 | Advanced Physical Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-546 | Advanced Pharmacology: Psychopharmacology for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NR-547 | Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan Practicum | 3 |
| NR-548 | Psychiatric Assessment for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 2 |
| NR-605 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health across the Lifespan I Practicum | 3 |
| NR-606 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health II Practicum | 3 |
| NR-607 | Diagnosis & Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health III Practicum | 3 |
| NR-668 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Capstone Practicum & Intensive 2 | 3 |
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As part of this course, students will attend an on-ground immersion weekend. The purpose of the immersion is to provide students with an opportunity to interact with professors and fellow students as well as to observe, participate and be evaluated on clinical assessment skills. The immersion weekend allows faculty to assess each student’s clinical competency before entering clinical rotations.
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As part of this course, students will attend an on-ground intensive review weekend that focuses on final student preparation for advanced practice.
For the most up-to-date curriculum grids, visit chamberlain.edu/curriculum.