A psychiatric nurse practitioner assists
physicians with the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients. In
many states, nurse practitioners may also treat patients independently
of a physician's supervision. Online master's degree programs for
psychiatric nurse practitioners prepare students for national
certification, state licensure and practice in the field. These programs
combine online courses with hands-on clinical work.
Overview of an Online Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Master's Degree Program
Students in an online psychiatric
nurse practitioner
master's degree program study the applications, theories and practices
used to diagnose and treat mental health patients. A bachelor's degree
in nursing is required for enrollment. Almost all programs require that
students have a current registered nursing license. Previous experience
as a registered nurse in a psychiatric or mental health setting is
encouraged.
Some programs require an on-campus orientation session. In addition,
as many as 500 clinical, practicum and residency hours are required.
This requirement is normally scheduled towards the end of the program.
Full-time programs can be completed in as little as 1-2 years, while
part-time programs may require an additional semester or two of study.
Some schools use an educational delivery system like Blackboard,
while others have their own online learning software. These tools are
home to all course materials, libraries, discussion forums, exams and
other resources. Students need a high-speed Internet connection to view
streaming videos and to take advantage of other online resources.
List of Common Online Courses
The courses in an online graduate-level program for aspiring
psychiatric nurse practitioners focus on science, social science, health
practices and psychiatric nursing. Students may also study research
methods and pharmacology.
In this class, students learn to identify, treat and implement
strategies used to prevent disease and promote health. The course also
examines research methods, data collection techniques, and data analysis
and interpretation.
Advanced Nursing Practice Pharmacology Course
Students in this class study the drugs commonly used in psychiatric
nursing nursing. Students learn the therapeutic uses of a variety of
medications, as well as contraindications, appropriate dosages,
potential side effects and other factors to consider when prescribing
and administering medications.
Advanced Nursing Phathophysiology Course
In this course, students study the changes that cells undergo
throughout a person's life, as well as the health patterns, conditions
and syndromes associated with these changes. The class focuses on
studies of genetics, cellular dysfunction and biochemical processes.
After completing a nurse practitioner master's degree program,
graduates must pass a licensing exam. A psychiatric nurse practitioner,
also known as a psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner
(PMHNP), can work for a hospital, private clinic or other mental
healthcare provider.
Salary.com reported that as of November 2010, the median salary of a nurse practitioner in the United States was over $87,000 a year.
Students interested in continuing their education can pursue a Ph.D.
in Nursing, which may be offered online. In addition, the American
Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) offers a variety of continuing
education courses. These courses are also approved for the continuing
education credits needed to maintain national certification.
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