Master of Science in Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse PractitionerHenry Predolin School of Nursing, Business, Education, and Health Sciences

Mental health nurses play an important role in providing both physical and mental care to individuals with psychiatric illnesses. Practicing mental healthcare as a nurse can be an extremely rewarding career that gives you the opportunity to:

• Support those with a variety of mental health issues
• Contribute to tailored treatment plans for patients
• Provide specialized assistance to those experiencing conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and eating disorders

Working in mental healthcare as a nurse allows you to bring your clinical background to the forefront of the battle against mental health disorders. Working with patients to live with or overcome their mental health disorders is rewarding work that truly makes a difference in your community.

Generally, the requirements for becoming a certified psychiatric health nurse practitioner include completing an accredited nursing program and obtaining a registered nursing license in the appropriate jurisdiction.

Additionally, you must then complete a master’s in psychiatric nursing or mental health certification for nurses.

While both psychiatric health nurse practitioners and psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental health issues, their backgrounds are very different.

Psychiatrists have a medical degree, with additional years of specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.

Psychiatric health nurse practitioners also have an advanced degree, usually a Master’s in Psychiatric Nursing. In addition to their advanced degree, they’ve undertaken specialized training to master the art of psychiatric nursing.

Though both roles are important when it comes to giving proper care to mental health patients, there is an important distinction between the two.

After you earn your certification in psychiatric nursing and land your desired role, you can expect your typical day to include:

• Meeting patients and assessing their mental health needs
• Developing and/or managing a patient’s treatment plan
• Having conversations with the patient to facilitate discussions about their mental health and ensure compliance with interventions
• Maintaining clear, accurate records of patient care while adhering to confidentiality protocols

Applicants seeking admission to School of Nursing MS in Nursing programs and the PMHNP program must fulfill the graduate program admission requirements, with the following additional stipulations:

1. Provide evidence of a baccalaureate or more advanced degree from a nursing program accredited by a national nursing accreditation body with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for regular admission status. (The cumulative grade point average is computed on the highest degree held at the time of application to the Edgewood College graduate program.)
2. Complete and submit online graduate application.
3. Request official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate academic credits received be sent to Edgewood College.
4. Provide two letters of recommendation from nursing supervisors and/or colleagues who can focus on your qualifications for success in graduate school.
5. Submit a written statement of no more than 500 words, addressing your ambition to be admitted specifically into the PMHNP Program based upon these questions:
   1. What makes you believe that you will be a good fit to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner (personality, education, experiences, etc.)?
   2. In the next five years following the completion of your PMHNP program, what are your goals and dreams in your role as a provider, advocate, and leader in the mental health community?
6. A current CV/resume
7. Hold a current license as a registered professional nurse.

Program Directors of the PMHNP program will review all qualified applications and arrange applicant interviews. Program Directors are responsible for making the final decision of students eligible for admission. Students will be notified in writing of their acceptance to the PMHNP program by the SoN Dean. Admission to the PMHNP program is competitive; even students who meet the minimum requirements may not be admitted. Because of enrollment limits in the PMHNP, the School of Nursing may deny admission to qualified students.

The MS in Nursing program will prepare advanced role (Administration and Education) and advanced practice (CNS and NP) nurses who will:

• Integrate scientific findings from nursing, biopsychosocial fields, genetics, public health, quality improvement and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care across diverse settings.
• Evidence leadership skills needed that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective working relationships, and a systems perspective.
• Articulate methods, tools, performance measures, and standards related to quality, as well as apply quality principles within an organization.
• Apply research outcomes within the practice setting, resolve practice problems, works as change agents, and disseminate results.
• Use patient-care technologies to deliver and enhance care and use communication technologies to integrate and coordinate care.
• Intervene at the system level through the policy development process and employ advocacy strategies to influence health, health care, and health policy.
• Act as a member and leader of inter-professional teams, communicate, collaborate, and consult with other health professionals to manage and coordinate care for individuals and populations.
• Apply and integrate broad, organizational, client-centered, and culturally-appropriate concepts in the planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and aggregates/identified populations.
• Develop strategies to achieve quality outcomes in care delivery with respect to fiscal and human resources.
• Apply management, leadership, and systems theory to the design and implementation of services in a health care system.
• Practice independently and collaboratively with an interprofessional team while delivering direct and indirect care services in various types of health care systems to promote health, prevent disease and improve the health status of diverse individuals, families, communities, and populations.
• Value life-long learning and continuing professional development.

The SoN and all clinical agencies under contract to the School require that every student and faculty member have a background check completed by the Criminal Justice Department of Wisconsin. Students must complete Background Information Disclosure forms before entry into the Nursing Practicum or Advanced Practice Clinical courses. Background checks are completed at the student’s expense.

Before entering the Nursing Practicum or Advanced Practice Clinical courses, students must provide evidence of meeting the health requirements for the agency in which they complete the Practicum or Advanced Practice Clinical.