Doctor of Nursing Practice, D.N.P. (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration)

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the DNP curriculum, the new graduate will be able to:

1. Integrate science from nursing and other disciplines to identify, develop, and evaluate practice change initiatives that improve individual and population health.
2. Demonstrate leadership within health care systems to adopt strategies to improve quality and safety.
3. Incorporate knowledge of evidence-based practice into advanced decision-making through the evaluation and translation of evidence into practice.
4. Analyze, apply and integrate appropriate information and technology that will improve and transform care at the individual and population level.
5. Critically analyze health policy to develop and implement health care reform that advocates for social justice and equity.
6. Engage in advanced decision-making within an inter-professional environment that results in culturally aware, ethical, and comprehensive systems of care.
7. Demonstrate high levels of skills in health promotion and disease prevention strategies for individuals, populations and systems.

Holistic Based Admission Requirements

• Degree Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution.
• GPA: overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. A GPA as low as 2.75 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Transcripts and Prerequisite Courses: Transcript will demonstrate successful completion of academic credits in undergraduate community health, health and physical assessment, nursing research, and statistics. One official transcript is required from each US post-secondary institution attended.
• Licensure: Must have a valid unrestricted North Carolina registered nurse license or a compact state license to complete clinical hours in North Carolina.
• Three professional references. Recommender will submit survey through the online application tool. An additional letter is not required.
• Resume: 1) Include the 600 hours of Registered Nurse work experience prior to beginning any clinical courses in the BSN to DNP program; 2) Clinical work history (1-page only).
• Further criteria specified in application.
• Interview, Video and/or Personal Statement may be required per the Application.
• International Applicants: must present evidence of professional standing in their home countries. This requirement excludes US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents.
• Differential tuition: differential tuition applies to this program.

Degree Requirements (70 total credit hours)

The program of study for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP) Concentration) includes 22 courses including NSG 699 which is taken twice. Students must fulfill the requirements for the program as they work closely with advisors to plan their course of study. The focus of the DNP program core is leadership in nursing practice. Skills will be developed for translating research to impact practice and population of outcomes at an in-depth level. Emphasis is placed on managing information systems, using appropriate technology for health care delivery, assessing and managing health risks, enhancing inter-professional communication, and designing and developing health care systems. Successful completion of all courses in the curriculum core is required for graduation. The focus of the PMHNP Concentration is on advanced practice nursing skills.

• NSG 601 - Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nurses Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 602 - Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 603 - Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 630 - Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology Credit Hours: 4
• NSG 631 - Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 632 - Psychiatric Mental Health Disorders, Disease management and Psychotherapeutic Treatment Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 633 - Group and Family Therapy Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 634 - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 635 - Management of Complex Psychiatric Mental Health Issues Across the Lifespan Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 680 - Population Health Promotion and Clinical Epidemiology Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 682 - Genomics for Advanced Practice Nursing Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 683 - Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 685 - Theoretical Approaches to Evidence-Based Practice Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 686 - Methodologic Approaches to Evidence-Based Practice Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 688 - Health Care Systems Leadership and Quality Improvement Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 689 - Health Care Policy and Financial Management Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 692 - Health Care Information Systems and Technology Credit Hours: 3
• NSG 699 - DNP Project Credit Hours: 3 (taken twice)
• NSGL 643 - Clinical Group and Family Therapy Credit Hours: 3
• NSGL 644 - Clinical Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care Credit Hours: 3
• NSGL 645 - Clinical Management of Complex Psychiatric Mental Health Problems Across the Lifespan Credit Hours: 3
• NSGL 681 - Residency in Advanced Nursing Practice Credit Hours: 3

Exit Requirements

All DNP students must:

1. Complete and pass a written and oral comprehensive examination of the DNP Project.
2. A DNP student must have a grade of B or better in each required course. If a student earns a C, he/she must repeat the course must earn a B or better to progress. A student will only be allowed to repeat one course during the program. A student with 2 or more C’s will be dismissed from the program. A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
3. Total of 1,000 clinical hours (500 direct patient care clinical hours and 500 non patient care clinical hours).