Program Overview

Program Overview

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track of the DNP program is designed to prepare graduates to conduct psychiatric mental health evaluations and advanced health assessment and histories, develop therapeutic rapport with clients and families, promote mental health, develop and implement mental health treatment plans included medication management and counseling, and provide leadership in interprofessional team management of clients with psychiatric and mental health conditions.

Curriculum

The Psychiatric Mental Health NP program is a blended format with both online and in-person instruction, including Immersion weekends at Loyola's Health Sciences Campus. Many students are working professionals with families, so we offer both part-time and full-time options to fit your schedule.

• Core Courses:
  • GNUR 404: Theories & Concepts for Advanced Clinical Practice (3 hours)
  • GNUR 405: Introductory Statistics for Healthcare Professionals (3 hours)
  • GNUR 407: Social Justice and Ethics in Health Care (3 hours)
  • GNUR 408: Research for Advanced Clinical Practice (3 hours)
  • GNUR 420: Leadership and Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 hours)
  • GNUR 521: Population-Focused Health (3 hours)
  • GNUR 523: Health Care Policy and Economics (3 hours)
  • GNUR 545: Evidence Translation for Advanced Clinical Practice (3 hours)
• Role (NP) Courses:
  • GNUR 413: Advanced Pharmacology (3 hours)
  • GNUR 425: Advanced Health Assessment Across the LifeSpan (4 hours)
  • GNUR 442: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology (3 hours)
  • GNUR 476: Basic Diagnostics for Advanced Practice (2 hours)
  • GNUR 529: Family-Focused Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3 hours)
• Population (Psychiatric Mental Health) Courses:
  • GNUR 436: Psychiatric Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (2 hours)
  • GNUR 451: Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3 hours)
  • GNUR 456: Psychotherapeutics Individuals Groups Families (3 hours)
  • GNUR 472: Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Across Lifespan I (3 hours)
  • GNUR 474: Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Across Lifespan II (3 hours)
• Project Courses:
  • GNUR 570: DNP Scholarly Project: Planning (1 hour)
  • GNUR 571: DNP Scholarly Project: Proposal and Pre-Implementation (2 hours)
  • GNUR 572: DNP Scholarly Project: Project Implementation (2 hours)
  • GNUR 573: DNP Scholarly Project: Analysis and Dissemination (1 hour)
• Practicum:
  • GNUR 482: Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing Practicum (15 hours)
• Total Hours: 74

Clinical Experience

DNP students are required to complete practicums that focus on acquiring the advanced skills and knowledge to meet the competencies to practice as a psychiatric mental health NP. Faculty design clinical rotations and place students with preceptors. Loyola maintains academic-practice partnerships throughout the Chicago metropolitan area with a focus on working in underserved communities.

An RN license and a minimum of 2,000 hours of recent clinical nursing experience in psychiatric mental health is required before beginning your first practicum.

Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations

Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.

Learning Outcomes

Program Goal

The goal of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is to prepare nurses to assume advanced roles in direct care and systems leadership domains at the highest level of nursing to improve health care outcomes through practice-based scholarship.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of the DNP program, the graduate has the knowledge and skills to:

• Apply integrated scientific, knowledge, and clinical judgments at the highest level of professional nursing practice.
• Evaluate health care delivery approaches and healthcare systems, with an emphasis on quality and safety.
• Apply best evidence in approaches to client and system-centered practices.
• Apply analytic approaches and information technology in the delivery and improvement of client-centered health care and health care systems.
• Employ ethics, leadership, and advocacy concepts to advance healthcare quality and equity for individuals, systems, and populations.
• Implement intraprofessional and interprofessional leadership and collaboration competencies and methods, at the highest level of professional nursing practice in advancing health and health outcomes.