The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who addresses the mental health needs of children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. The PMHNP performs mental health evaluations, diagnoses issues, and develops and monitors treatment plans. These treatment plans may include medications, crisis intervention, case management, consultation, and psychotherapy in individual, group, and family settings.
The PMHNP‘s area of practice overlaps with Social Workers, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists, with whom they often collaborate.
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner conducts a wide range of patient care functions that include:
- Screening and diagnosing of psychiatric conditions,
- Performing ongoing evaluation of severe and persistent mental illness,
- Evaluating psychosocial behavior patterns,
- Prescribing psychotropic medications and ordering drugs for specific therapy regimens,
- Addressing psychiatric emergencies through face-to-face and telephone intervention, treatment and referral, and
- Making referrals to medical specialists as necessary.
Visit the Nurse Practitioner (NP) job description overview for more information about NP practice.
Practice Specialties
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner works with a highly diverse patient population, including individuals who are:
- Dealing with traumatic events,
- Older adult patients at risk of cognitive or emotional challenges,
- Children or adolescents at risk of behavioral or emotional disorders,
- Homeless,
- Incarcerated,
- Substance abusers,
- Suffering from serious or chronic mental or physical illness, or
- Victims of abuse, neglect, or violence.
Working in a Primary Care setting, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners can usually spend more time with their patients than other mental health providers. This extra time enables them to develop trusting relationships, resulting in long-term and more comprehensive care plans.
Practice Settings
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner may practice in a wide range of Acute and Primary Care settings:
- Clinics – Community Mental Health,
- Correctional Facilities,
- Domestic Violence Shelters,
- Hospitals and Medical Centers – Inpatient, Outpatient, and Emergency Services,
- Psychiatric Facilities – Inpatient, Outpatient, State or Veterans Affairs,
- Public Health Departments,
- Substance Abuse Facilities,
- Schools, and
- Independent Private Practice.
Scope of Practice
Scope of Practice refers to the degree to which a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner may practice independently of oversight by a Physician. Aspects of PMHNP practice independence vary by state and include:
- Practice Autonomy, and
- Prescriptive Authority.
The ability of a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to practice with little or no physician involvement distinguishes the PMHNP from the Physician Assistant (PA). Licensing restricts PAs to practice only under the direct supervision of a Physician. Prescriptive Authority varies by state and is regulated closely in the case of controlled substances.
Scope of Practice varies by state, depending on state legislative and regulatory rules. Visit the Color Coded Map and Sortable List to view how NP Scope of Practice varies by state. For more detailed information, visit the Board of Nursing for the state of interest.
Education
The ability to practice as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner requires a graduate-level nursing education. There are several degrees or certificate types:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Science, Nursing Major (MS-NM), or Master of Nursing (MN) – The master’s degree has been the most commonly offered degree type and is the minimum degree required for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner education. These degree programs are offered widely by public and private schools. The master’s degree in nursing focuses on advanced nursing theory and care practice. Read more...
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – In addition to studying advanced nursing theory and care practice, the DNP emphasizes using research results to improve the NP‘s nursing practice. DNP programs also emphasize the application of Evidence-Based Practice to improve the quality of patient care. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties is committed to transitioning all entry-level NP programs to the DNP by 2025. Read more...
- Post-Master's or Post-Doctorate Certificates – Eligibility is limited to individuals with a graduate-level or doctoral-level nursing degree. For example, someone holding an MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) would be eligible to enroll in a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate program. Read more...
Prospective students should verify that the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program they are considering is accredited. Proper accreditation ensures that graduates are eligible to sit for the certification exams required to become licensed to practice.
Use the Nurse Practitioner Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Specialized Programs
In addition to Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs, some schools offer Psychiatric-Mental Health degrees with a different patient population focus:
- Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – adolescent, adult, and elderly patients,
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – patients of all ages within a family group, and
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – general practice across all age groups.
Accelerated Degree Programs
Accelerated Degree Programs generally cost less and can be completed more quickly than enrolling in consecutive BSN–MSN or BSN-doctoral programs. Use the Accelerated Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Certificate Programs
Most schools that offer a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner master’s or doctoral degree may also provide a PMHNP post-master’s or post-doctoral Certificate Program. These programs are open to individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in another nursing specialty. These Certificate Programs should not be confused with certification offered by Certification Boards and Professional Associations.
Dual Programs
Some schools offer Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner study in Dual Degree and Dual Practice Programs. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework.
Dual Degree Programs
Dual Degree Programs award two degrees in separate but related areas of study. Students enrich their nursing education with study in another academic department. These programs award a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree with an additional non-nursing degree, such as:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – PMHNP, paired with a:
- Master of Arts in Religion (MAR),
- Master of Divinity (MDiv), or
- Master of Public Health (MPH).
Graduates from these Dual Degree Programs are eligible to sit for the appropriate national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Dual Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Dual Practice Programs
Some schools offer Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner study in a Dual Practice Program. These programs award a single degree that combines the PMHNP with an additional clinical practice role. Education in Dual Practice roles enables graduates to work in an expanded range of practice settings and patient populations. This versatility provides the graduate with more career flexibility and growth opportunities.
PMHNP Dual Practice Programs may offer these additional practice roles:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP),
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP),
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP),
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, see PPCNP and PPCNP, or
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP).
Graduates from these Dual Practice Programs are eligible to sit both sets of national certification exams and become licensed in both practice roles.
Use this Dual Practice Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Tandem Degree Programs
Tandem Degree Programs award two degrees in the course of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner study. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework. Some schools offer PMHNP Tandem Degree combinations, such as:
- Bachelor of Science, Nursing Major (BS-N), followed by a:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), followed by a:
- Master of Science, Nursing Major (MS-N), followed by a:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), followed by a:
- Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC), followed by a:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), followed by a:
Graduates from Tandem Degree Programs are eligible to sit for the appropriate national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Tandem Degree Program Search Tool to identify Tandem Degree Programs from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Top 10 Degree and Certificate Offerings
This table displays a count of the Top 10 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degrees and certificates offered by more than 710 graduate nursing programs. This count includes degrees awarded singly, as the higher of two degrees in a Tandem Degree Program, or as part of Dual Practice and Dual Degree Program offerings.
Certification
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (PMHNP-BC) certification. This certification is a prerequisite for a state license to practice as a PMHNP.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners often obtain additional certifications in areas of practice specialization. Review this site’s survey of more than 300 nursing and related healthcare certifications.
License to Practice
The Board of Nursing for each state issues licenses to practice as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in their state. The PMHNP scope of practice, including Practice Autonomy and Prescriptive Authority, varies by state.
States participating in the APRN Compact and Nurse Licensure Compact have multistate APRN and RN license agreements. These Compacts ease the transfer of PMHNP licenses and the ability to practice among participating states. Participation in these Compacts varies by state. Check with your state’s Board of Nursing for more detailed information.
Professional Associations
The National Association of Psychiatry Mental Health Nurse Practitioners is the primary professional association for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. Another national association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) provides representation and resources for all nurse practitioners.
Additional psychiatric-mental health nursing associations at the national level include:
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) ,
- American Psychological Association (APA) ,
- Association for Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH), and
- National Association of School Psychologists .
PMHNPs often belong to associations that provide resources and representation in specific areas of practice specialization. Other associations of interest at the state and local levels enable members to organize with their neighboring peers to address more localized issues. These associations may be chapters of national or international associations or organized independently.
This site includes an extensive survey of more than 1,800 international, national, regional, state, and local nursing and related healthcare professional associations. These associations provide professional development resources and representation in numerous nursing and affiliated healthcare specialties.