Nursing Practice (Psychiatric/Mental Health)- Doctor of Nursing Practice (Online)
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a doctoral degree for nurses at the highest level of nursing practice. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has proposed that the DNP degree will be the level of entry for all advanced practice nurses by 2020. Practice-focused doctoral nursing programs prepare leaders for the highest level of practice and is the terminal practice degree. The core DNP courses prepare the DNP graduate for Population Health Leadership. Although the coursework for these programs is web-based, the clinical component consists of over 1000 contact hours. Anyone interested in pursuing a nurse practitioner doctorate must ensure they can accommodate the intensive time commitment these programs require.
The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track prepares nurses for advanced practice focusing on mental health issues across the lifespan. The curriculum builds upon four core PMHNP competencies: advanced health assessment (physical and psychosocial); diagnosis (diagnosis of mental disorders, pathophysiology, and neurophysiology); psychotherapy (individual, group, and family); and medication management (pharmacology and psychopharmacology). Other courses develop competencies in healthcare systems, best-practice research utilization and translation, and healthcare quality improvement. Graduates are prepared to sit for the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Exam.
To complete the DNP program, each student is required to generate a project that reflects their advanced coursework in leadership, research translation, and clinical knowledge and skills.
New Mexico State University is a full member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements consortium (SARA). Students will need to check the NMSU SARA website before applying to determine if NMSU has a reciprocity agreement with their home state before applying. State Boards of Nursing may regulate NMSU's ability to have APRN students in clinical practice in the home state of out-of-state students. Please refer to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's APRN Distance Education Requirements website and contact Nursing Graduate Advisor to confirm eligibility for clinical training in states outside of New Mexico.
For application information, visit the School of Nursing website or contact the Nursing Graduate Advisor for more information about application and admission requirements at (575) 646-2772.
Course Requirements
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DNP Core Courses | ||
| NURS 5120 | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6110 | Introduction to Population Health | 1 |
| NURS 6250 | Healthcare Policy and Ethics | 3 |
| NURS 6270 | Clinical Data Management and Analysis | 2 |
| NURS 6265 | Strategic and Financial Planning for Population Health Programs | 3 |
| NURS 6135 | Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence | 3 |
| NURS 6255 | Innovations and Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| NURS 6120 | Quality Improvement in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS 6125 | Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS 6260 | Population Health and the Environment | 3 |
| NURS 6305 | Introduction to the DNP Project | 1 |
| NURS 6130 | Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 2 |
| NURS 6310 | DNP Project I | 1 |
| NURS 6320 | DNP Project II | 1 |
| NURS 6330 | DNP Project III | 1 |
| NURS 6307 | DNP Project Practicum | 3 |
| NP Core Courses | ||
| NURS 6220 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6230 | Advanced Clinical Pharmacology | 3 |
| NURS 6224 | Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NURS 6226 | Advanced Health Assessment Practicum | 1 |
| NURS 6352 | Integrated Care for Diverse Populations | 2 |
| NURS 6210 | Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing | 3 |
| PMHNP Specialty Courses | ||
| NURS 6405 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6410 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan I | 3 |
| NURS 6411 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum | 3,4 |
| NURS 6420 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan II | 3 |
| NURS 6421 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum | 3-4 |
| NURS 6430 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan III | 1 |
| NURS 6431 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum | 3 |
| NURS 6432 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan Residency | 2 |
| Total Credits | 72-74 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| NURS 6110 | Introduction to Population Health | 1 |
| NURS 6120 | Quality Improvement in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS 6305 | Introduction to the DNP Project | 1 |
| NURS 6210 | Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS 6135 | Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence | 3 |
| NURS 6125 | Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS 6130 | Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 2 |
| NURS 6307 | DNP Project Practicum | 1 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| NURS 6270 | Clinical Data Management and Analysis | 2 |
| NURS 6265 | Strategic and Financial Planning for Population Health Programs | 3 |
| NURS 6310 | DNP Project I | 1 |
| NURS 6307 | DNP Project Practicum | 1 |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NURS 6220 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5120 | Nursing Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6255 | Innovations and Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| NURS 6320 | DNP Project II | 1 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS 6250 | Healthcare Policy and Ethics | 3 |
| NURS 6224 | Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NURS 6226 | Advanced Health Assessment Practicum | 1 |
| NURS 6260 | Population Health and the Environment | 3 |
| NURS 6307 | DNP Project Practicum | 1 |
| Credits | 11 | |
| Summer | ||
| NURS 6230 | Advanced Clinical Pharmacology | 3 |
| NURS 6330 | DNP Project III | 1 |
| Credits | 4 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NURS 6405 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6410 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan I | 3 |
| NURS 6411 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum | 3,4 |
| Credits | 9-10 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS 6352 | Integrated Care for Diverse Populations | 2 |
| NURS 6420 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan II | 3 |
| NURS 6421 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum | 3-4 |
| Credits | 8-9 | |
| Summer | ||
| NURS 6430 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan III | 1 |
| NURS 6431 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum | 3 |
| NURS 6432 | PMHNP Across the Lifespan Residency | 2 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 72-74 | |