Online FNP to PMHNP Degrees: Exploring Top Programs
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NursingNursing Ed.Transitioning from family nurse practitioner (FNP) to psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) means the ability to specialize and advance your career. Learn what it takes to make the move, peek inside top online FNP to PMHNP programs, and read answers to FAQs from prospective students just like you.
Inside Look: Online FNP to Psych NP Programs
Family nurse practitioners looking to transition to psychiatric nursing need a program that leverages the work and educational foundation they’ve already built. The following programs have a proven track record of helping FNPs become PMHNPs, and use online learning to facilitate a healthy work/school/life balance. See if one of these schools has the program you need to succeed.
Purdue Global
Purdue Global offers an FNP to psych NP online program that students can complete in about one year if they devote 15 to 18 hours a week to their studies. The 12-course curriculum helps students gain the expertise they need to become knowledgeable and effective psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners.
Program benefits:
- Gain expertise in mental health disorders, conduct assessments, diagnose patients, create treatment plans, and monitor the results.
- Learn how to provide culturally sensitive care to people from diverse backgrounds and advocate on behalf of patients who are navigating the mental health system to ensure they receive assistance.
- Take coursework that covers neuroscience, pharmacology, diagnosis across the lifespan, advanced physiology, and mental health assessments.
- Gain experiences in local healthcare facilities that can be applied to real-world psychiatric care after graduation.
Admission requirements:
- A master’s degree in nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree
- Official transcript
- Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited institution
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Students who earn a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner advanced graduate certificate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, receive the training they need to build on their FNP experience to provide psychotherapeutic care.
Program benefits:
- Gain competency in assessing and diagnosing mental health issues, and creating treatment plans, which may include prescribing medications.
- Learn how to monitor the effectiveness of holistic healthcare plans, conduct nursing research, and apply ethical principles—to which mental health nurses adhere—to practice.
Admission requirements:
- Unencumbered and unrestricted nursing license
- Transcripts
- Statement of purpose
- Current resume
- Three recommendation letters
Western Governors University
The Western Governors University (WGU) psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate takes about a year and a half to complete. The program is made up of 11 courses that prepare students to provide evidence-based, compassionate mental health care.
Program benefits:
- Complete coursework at your own pace and when done, complete an assessment to demonstrate your mastery of the material.
- Pay a flat rate of $6,625 per six-month term and complete as many classes as you can during that timeframe.
- Transfer credits from previous graduate coursework to fulfill requirements of the FNP to psych NP online program (case-by-case).
Admission requirements:
- Master’s or doctoral nursing degree
- Current nursing license
- Transcripts
- Resume
- Personal essay
- Three letters of recommendation
Dual FNP PMHNP Online Programs
Some professionals interested in psychiatric mental health nursing aren’t yet family nurse practitioners. The good news is, that’s not necessarily a problem thanks to dual programs that let you complete the specializations simultaneously.
During their studies, which can take three to four years, students take a combination of advanced primary and behavioral health nursing coursework to prepare them to provide a variety of services — from conducting assessments to prescribing medications.
Program curriculum includes:
- Foundations of primary care nursing
- Advanced pharmacology
- Reproductive nursing
- Integrated behavioral healthcare
- Child and adolescent psychiatric nursing
In addition, FNP/PMHNP programs have a clinical training component in which students complete 500 to 2,000 clinical hours at a healthcare facility, splitting their training between family and mental health nursing activities.
Program entry requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing
- Have an unrestricted nursing license
- Submit official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose
- Complete a background check and drug screening
Samford University
Samford University’s MSN Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program has dual primary care and psychiatric mental health nursing curriculum, preparing graduates to provide advanced services to patients across the lifespan.
Program benefits:
- You’ll take specific classes, including advanced physical assessment strategies, psychopharmacology, statistics for advanced practice nursing, and ethical leadership and collaboration.
- After completing your classes, you will participate in both family practice and mental health nursing clinical experiences at local healthcare facilities. Generally, students spend 16 to 20 hours on their clinical rotations every week.
- You can expect to finish the entire program in three years.
The University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee offers a psychiatric mental health/family nurse practitioner dual concentration DNP program that gives students a well-rounded look at advanced nursing practice within these two specialties.
Program benefits:
- You’ll take core classes covering healthcare economics, leadership, policy, and assessment.
- For the psychiatric mental health concentration, your coursework covers mental health disorders, biological treatments for psychiatric disorders, and individual and group therapy.
- For the family nursing concentration, you’ll take coursework covering health promotion principles for family nurse practitioners and advanced family nursing clinical practice.
- Seminars are available and designed to prepare you for the doctoral project you’ll complete in order to graduate.
Expert Insight
Dual NP programs are perfect for nurses working with very specific patient populations. For example, if you currently work as an RN in a mental health clinic for adolescents, enrolling in a dual FNP/PMHNP program might be a great move. If you want even more specification, you could instead enroll in a pediatric NP program and earn a post-master’s certificate in psychiatric-mental health.
Skills and Specialized Courses for PMHNP Students
Although the specific classes that you’ll take in an FNP to psych NP online program will differ from one program to the next, there are generally some topics you can expect to cover. The following is a look at some of the specialized classes that are taught in PMHNP programs and the skills students acquire when they take them.
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
This course explores pathophysiology from the cellular level so nurses are able to advance their knowledge about how diseases affect body systems, as well as how they progress. Students get a look at diseases in the cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and reproductive systems, leading them to understand how diseases are treated differently depending on where they develop.
Relevant Skills:
- Performing effective assessments on patients across the lifespan
- Diagnosing the diseases patients may have, and understanding the progression of those diseases
- Sharpening communication skills to effectively discuss diseases with patients and other caregivers
Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Care of Children and Adolescents Across Care Settings
The course addresses how family dynamics play a role in the development and progression of mental illness and how families can work together during treatment. Different types of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments are discussed, so students understand which interventions are appropriate for different mental health disorders and for patients in different age groups.
Relevant Skills:
- Assessing mental health conditions in people of different age groups
- Creating treatment plans that are appropriate for various demographics
- Teaching patients about therapeutic interventions, helping them to understand how to manage their conditions at home
Foundations of Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Practice
This course covers the history of mental health care and how it has evolved over the years. Students become familiar with the different factors that influence how patients feel about their mental health, including what people from different cultures believe about mental health disorders and their treatments.
Also, the guidelines set forth by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) are discussed so students understand how these standards are used consistently on patients of different age groups.
Relevant Skills:
- Using reasoning to understand patients’ behaviors and attitudes to accurately treat mental health disorders
- Assisting patients in changing their behaviors so they can become healthier and experience personal growth
Psychopharmacology for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Practice
Family nurse practitioners are already familiar with pharmacology and regularly prescribe medication to patients. This course helps students understand how their pharmacology experience can be applied to mental health conditions. Coursework covers pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, substance abuse, and experimental treatments in pharmacology.
Relevant Skills:
- Assessing psychiatric disorders and prescribing the appropriate medications
- Recognizing substance abuse, identifying risk factors, and developing treatment plans
Expert Insight
If you’re already an RN, you have most likely completed both a pharmacology and pathophysiology course in your undergraduate program. However, these courses are much more advanced in graduate school. Be prepared for heavy assignments such as in-depth comprehensive case studies—something I experienced during my advanced pathophysiology course as an MSN student. Just make sure you stay ahead of assignments and maintain good school/work life balance (if you plan to work).
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FAQs About Online FNP to PMHNP Programs
Do you still have questions about FNP to psych NP online programs? If so, the following are answers to some of the common queries of prospective students.
Are dual FNP/PMHNP programs common?
No, dual FNP/PMHNP programs are not as common as other types of nursing programs. Though not popular, these programs are great for nurses who want to focus on two concentrations at the same time, potentially saving them time and money.
Also, keep in mind that these programs may not offer a wide range of specialty combinations.
Are scholarships available for online PMHNP programs?
Yes, students in online PMHNP programs can receive scholarships. For example, the Melanie Foundation provides $2,500 for students pursuing a mental-health–related master’s or doctoral degree. Also, students may be able to receive funding from the school they attend.
Can I complete an FNP to psych NP program 100% online?
Not entirely. Though classes can absolutely be 100% online, you’ll need to complete clinical training in-person at healthcare facilities, which is an important part of an FNP to psych NP program. Many institutions will help you find clinical placement to gain this training.
How long are FNP to psych NP programs online?
You can complete an online FNP to psych NP certificate program in one to two years. But graduation timelines can vary depending on your enrollment status and the school itself. For example, the online psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate program at Purdue Global can be completed in one year, while WGU students complete their studies in a year and a half.
How much does the most affordable online PMHNP certificate program cost?
The cost of an online PMHNP certificate program varies from one school to the next. Online programs are among the most affordable because many programs charge per credit tuition rates. For example, West Coast University charges $785 per credit for its program.
What is the highest salary for a psych NP?
Psychiatric NPs make an average of $134,720 per year, according to Indeed. The highest earners make $222,251. Salaries for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, however, can vary depending on how experienced they are, the setting in which they work, and their general location.
