Program Description
The Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - BSN to DNP is an online doctoral program that prepares, supports, and empowers students for 21st century practice focused on interdisciplinary knowledge, leadership, innovation, along with the tools needed to positively impact nursing, healthcare systems, and population health change. Each of the program core courses begins and ends with leadership development. Using the principles of improvement science, students appraise and translate theory and evidence into a culminating project in their own practice. This online graduate degree in nursing will provide students with the academic knowledge, skills, and expertise to apply for certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
This program is for licensed registered nurses (current, unrestricted license) who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and are interested in advancing their careers through earning a DNP and becoming a certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Prior to enrollment, individuals considering a BSN to DNP program for this specialty should check with their applicable state board of nursing before enrolling in any graduate nursing program for any specific state requirements and required clinical courses for eligibility to apply for licensure. Students in this program are not eligible to receive a Master of Science in Nursing with this degree.
DNP Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate competency-based judgement and holistic caring concordant with an advanced nursing practice specialty or role in diverse populations.
- Generate, synthesize, translate, apply, and disseminate scientific evidence for advanced nursing practice.
- Apply ethical principles to shape the future of healthcare delivery with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; systems‐based practice; team-based care collaboration, informatics and technology; and career‐long learning.
- Demonstrate a professional identity which includes accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and comportment, that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values.
- Implement an advanced nursing practice specialty or role in selected practice settings.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate critical thinking and holistic caring as an advanced practice nurse.
- Analyze scientific literature for application to selected diagnoses and treatment plans.
- Synthesize ethical principles into the management and evaluation of healthcare delivery concerns in culturally diverse care settings.
- Articulate a personal philosophy and framework acknowledging professional and accrediting agency competencies relating to the role and scope of practice of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
- Implement the role of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in selected clinical settings.
Third Party Testing
Assessment and remediation are critical components of nursing education. Students in the graduate nursing program may be required to take proctored third-party, standardized exams in an electronic format throughout the curriculum. These standardized tests are valid and reliable predictors of success on certification examinations and provide valuable feedback concerning student strengths and weaknesses. Student learning outcome data identifies content areas that require remediation, allowing faculty to personalize student support and intervention. Courses that utilize third-party exams will incorporate the points based upon student performance as specified in the course syllabus.
Clinical Proficiency Exam and Policy
Students in the graduate nursing program are subject to a clinical proficiency exam following successful completion of the following courses: Advanced Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Pharmacology (3P’s). This exam is a comprehensive assessment of all content covered in the three courses completed.
The Clinical Proficiency Exam is administered, utilizing a proctoring program, while completing either NU611, NU 642, NU 671, or NU 664 depending on the student’s program.
If the “benchmark” score on the first attempt is not attained a plan for remediation will be developed in collaboration with the faculty/program chair/success coach and a second attempt will be provided. If the student is below the” benchmark” score on the second attempt, the student cannot enroll in the next semester clinical courses. The student will be enrolled in any outstanding didactic courses as well as a Nursing Remediation course to provide remediation of the content. At the end of the remediation course, students will be provided with a final attempt to demonstrate competency on the Clinical Proficiency exam.
If the student is unsuccessful on the final attempt to demonstrate competency, the student will be dismissed from the program and will not be eligible to re-enter into another practice program. A student who is dismissed may appeal to transfer into any other non-nursing program offered at Herzing University.
Students who are successful on the final retake exam will be rescheduled by Registrar Services in the next available clinical course.
Program Content
A minimum of 71.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.
