Expand your career in nursing and help restore individuals to a higher level of mental health
The Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner serves as an educator, consultant, prescriber, therapist and researcher to enhance life quality for individuals with mental illness, and to prevent mental illness in high risk populations such as children, the elderly and those with co-occurring medical illness and/or substance abuse.
Shenandoah’s Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program prepares you with the necessary knowledge, skills, values, meanings and experiences to assume the role of a PMHNP in a variety of clinical settings. The program consists of didactic and clinical course content essential to provide psychotherapy to individuals, families and groups within hospitals and community settings.
Shenandoah University’s Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing’s pass rate on the American Nurses Credentialing Center Certification examination for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners was 100% in 2016, and has been 100% for the past three years. The national pass rate is 83.71%.
Learn More About Nursing at Shenandoah
Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing's programs are challenging, but the rewards of completing your degree and entering this critical profession are many. We are committed to providing an outstanding education to nurses at all levels— from people entering the profession with a Bachelor's degree in nursing, to advanced practice nurses seeking doctoral-level training. Our programs are dynamic and responsive to the needs of our students and the health care industry. Shenandoah Nursing offers classes in Winchester at the Health and Life Sciences Building, and in Fairfax at the Shenandoah Northern Virginia campus. We're excited to share our programs with you.
The curricula for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs combine important knowledge and skills with a friendly and caring spirit. Students like you share diverse backgrounds and personal and professional experiences with seasoned teaching faculty and clinical preceptors, who contribute to robust classroom discussions and enriching and exciting clinical interactions. Our goal is to prepare and challenge you for that next step in your professional career.
Career and Salary Possibilities
Our graduates work as educators, consultants, prescribers, therapists, researchers and in combined roles. Some work in military installations, community mental health centers, child and adolescent settings, private practice with community psychiatrists or as teaching faculty.
Classes
Shenandoah’s collaboration with partner universities allows you to complete your core MSN courses at your home university, and complete your PMHNP courses at Shenandoah. The program is fully accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and includes at least 700 clinical hours. You’ll learn:
- psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups within hospitals and community settings
- assessment, diagnosis and psychotropic medication management
- education for students, patients and staff
- health promotion/maintenance
Upon completion of the program, you’ll be eligible to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Certification PMHNP exam.
You’ll study with students and faculty from other disciplines such as pharmacy, social work, medicine and psychology; and gain valuable clinical experience for providing psychotherapy to a diverse range of populations in a variety of hospitals and community settings.
You can select your program of study based on your experience and area of specialization. Choose from RN-MSN with PMHNP focus, MSN with PMHNP focus, Certificate Post-MSN (post-NP), Concurrent PMHNP-DNP with Mental Health clinical focus, or PMHNP Initiative. Through the PMHNP Initiative, you can complete your core classes at your home university, and complete the specialty courses at Shenandoah through our hybrid distance–on-campus option. Clinicals are offered in your community of residence, and select courses are available online.
Alumni are eligible for a tuition discount.
Our partnerships/collaborative relationships with schools and the military enhance opportunities for you to attend Shenandoah University for your specialty and attend core courses at home, school or close to a military installation.
We offer clinical experiences at sites such as the National Institute of Health.
We support your interests. One of our students was interested in pet therapy as a therapy modality. She studied for an intense week in New England with a pet therapist who worked through a variety of healing animals such as horses, rabbits and dogs.
There are opportunities for therapies such as bereavement counseling, crisis intervention and suicide counseling. You will also have the opportunity to work with pregnant teens and women experiencing maternal depression.
Application Information
We’re excited you’re interested in one of our graduate nursing programs! Shenandoah reviews applications on a rolling basis, which means we will begin evaluating your application once all your documentation has been submitted. Students submitting completed applications before our priority deadlines will be considered first.