Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Scope of Practice, Salary, and Curriculum

Nurses who choose to attain a psychiatric mental health nursing certificate are pursuing an in-demand career that offers daily rewards and challenges in a variety of settings. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) must be active listeners who are well spoken and sensitive to their patients’ needs. They work with all age groups and income levels and must be supportive, understanding, nonjudgmental, and respectful to everyone. It’s a career that has a bright outlook, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the nurse practitioner field will grow 52% between 2019 and 2029.
Maryville University offers nurses the opportunity to specialize in and qualify to sit for the mental health nursing certificate exam. At the university, nurses can choose the online program level that best suits their career goals and needs, either the Post-Master’s NP Certification, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), BSN to DNP, or Doctor of Nursing Practice with Nurse Practitioner Concentration (DNP-NP).
What Is the PMHNP Scope of Practice
Because PMHNPs specialize in administering care to individuals with various mental health issues, their practice can cover a broad swath of environments. They can work in a traditional psychiatric or medical clinical setting, where they can focus their care on specific patient demographics, such as family medicine, pediatrics, and women’s health. They can also provide care in environments outside of a hospital or clinic, such as prisons or home health situations. Additionally, the PMHNP scope of practice can include treatment-based care to individuals who are dealing with substance or drug abuse disorders.
Some states grant PMHNPs full practice authority, which allows them to work independently. Other states require their work to be overseen by a supervising psychiatrist. It’s important for PMHNPs to fully understand the level of practice a state allows prior to applying to practice in that state.
PMHNP Job Description
The core duties of the PMHNP role involve assessing, diagnosing, and treating individuals with mental illness concerns. These nurse practitioners build assessments through psychiatric evaluations and examination of medical histories. Ultimately, they use this information to recommend comprehensive therapeutic strategies tailored to meet the specific needs of the patient. The PMHNP job description may include collaborating with other healthcare professionals to build care strategies and optimize their effectiveness. Some of the conditions PMHNPs treat include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
In states that offer full prescriptive authority, PMHNPs can independently prescribe medication for patients as part of their care strategy. For states that do not have full prescriptive authority, PMHMPs must work with a supervising psychiatrist.
PMHNP Salary
PMHNP Curriculum
Maryville University covers the PMHNP scope of practice through its PMHNP Certificate courses at the master’s and doctorate levels. Our online platform allows students to fit coursework into their busy schedules and professional lives. Nurses who are enrolled in these courses will experience the same rigorous curriculum and instruction as in traditional classroom settings. They will also be taught by the same experienced mental health nurse educators who teach the in-person courses.
The PMHNP concentration will include the following courses:
Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment
Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I, II, and III
Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum I, II, and III
Earn Your Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Certificate
Mental health is an issue that is increasingly garnering attention, with the National Institute of Mental Health reporting that nearly 20% of adults in the U.S. deal with some form of mental illness. The PMHNP scope of practice plays a key role in helping patients manage or overcome these illnesses.
If you’re looking to advance your career in mental health nursing, discover how Maryville University’s online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Programs can help prepare you for rewarding opportunities in the field.*
*Note. Clinical hour requirements for state licensure may vary by state. Students are encouraged to visit the Board of Nursing website for the state in which they intend to practice to verify specific requirements. Students may also reach out to our team of enrollment advisors for guidance.
Sources
American Association of Nurse Practitioners, State Practice Environment
American Psychiatric Nurses Association, FAQs About Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
Johnson & Johnson Nursing, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a Glance
National Institute of Health, Mental Illness
O*NET Online, Summary Report for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
PayScale, Average Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (NP) Scale
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners