What makes our program distinct?
- Students benefit from institution-arranged clinical placements, secured with trusted preceptors that align with individual interests, aspirations, and personalities.
- The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty utilizes an integrative mental health framework for providing whole-person, patient-centered care, with an emphasis on reflective practice and provider self-care.
- Students experience learning and mentorship from nationally acclaimed and doctorally-prepared faculty who are dedicated to student success.
- Graduates from the program have a 100 percent pass rate on the certification exam.
Outlook for Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
- Our program equips students to provide high-quality, evidence-based care across the lifespan to meet the growing demand for qualified mental health care providers.
- Graduates of our program are prepared to work across the full continuum of mental health care, including community mental health, private practice, integrated primary care, hospitals, inpatient psychiatric units, crisis stabilization, schools, correctional facilities, telehealth, substance use treatment programs, veterans affairs, and more.
- Starting salaries average about $144K annually for new graduates in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, and graduates often have multiple employment opportunities from which to choose.
Our graduates are prepared to:
- Practice independently and in interprofessional teams in a variety of different clinical settings to address the multi-system health and mental health care needs of people who experience acute and chronic psychiatric illnesses
- Graduates are prepared to work effectively with people across the lifespan and their families
- Examine mental health organizational systems to identify leadership opportunities for improving clinical practices and outcomes
- Maintain personal balance in their own lives to be accountable for their own health and mental health and be present for their patients
Get to Know Us
A Doctor of Nursing Practice student specializing in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
"So much emphasis is put on trauma-informed care of patients but in my educational experience, almost none on the nurse, the one doing the caring."
Frequently asked questions
When do students start their clinicals?
For 3-year students: Fall of second year. For 4-yr students: Fall of third year
Can students pursue specialized clinical interests?
Yes! We can match student interests to specific clinical sites and preceptors
Can I work while in the DNP program?
We strongly recommend working no more than .5 FTE starting at the beginning of the second year (third year for the 4-yr track students)
How many clinical hours are required?
A total of 960 direct clinical hours during the entire program are required. Fall of 2nd year: 120 hrs, Spring of 2nd year: 240 hrs, Summer of rising 3rd year: 120 hrs, Fall of 3rd year: 240 hrs, Spring of 3rd year: 240 hrs. 120 hrs equates to about 1 eight-hour clinical day per week. 240 hrs equates to about 2 eight-hour clinical days per week.
When do students begin the DNP project?
They will begin the three-part DNP project series in Spring of their 2nd year (spring of 3rd year for the 4-year track students). The second course in the series is Summer of rising 3rd year and the final course in the series is Fall of 3rd year. Presentations occur in late Spring of their final year.
Certifications
Upon graduation, students are eligible to take the certifying exam through the American Nurses Credentialing Center to become certified as a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner.