Program Overview

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Online MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

The Online MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program at Ohio University is designed to help students acquire the skills to provide advanced nursing care to individuals with mental health needs. The program combines 40 credit hours of online coursework with 750 hours of clinical experience, preparing students to sit for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The program is CCNE-accredited and ranked among the top 50 Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs.

Program Benefits

• 750 hours of clinical experience
• CCNE-accredited
• Top 50 Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs
• 15% scholarship available for eligible programs
• Transfer up to nine credits
• No GRE/GMAT required
• Low student-to-teacher ratio
• Ranked #1 for 2025 by Nurse Practitioner Online

Program Details

The program consists of 11 courses, including:

• NRSE 6846 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum I
• NRSE 7001 Professional Presence and Writing for the Advanced Nurse
• NRSE 7811 Foundations of Evidence-based Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice Students can complete the program in six semesters.

Admission Requirements

To apply to the program, students must:

• Have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00
• Provide three letters of recommendation
• Submit a resume or CV
• Provide proof of residence and evidence of valid, unrestricted RN licensure
• Complete a web-based admission interview with faculty
• Meet English proficiency requirements
• Have the equivalent of two years of full-time experience working as an RN within the past five years
• Meet pre-clinical requirements, including specified health status/clinical requirements and federal and state background checks

Tuition and Aid

The tuition for the program is $584 per credit hour for Ohio residents, with a total program cost of $23,360. Scholarships are available for eligible programs.

Career Outlook

Graduates of the program can pursue careers as psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners, consultants, or educators. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses made a median wage of $81,220 in 2022.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as a basis for clinical judgment, clinical reasoning, and innovative evidence-based education and practice.
2. Incorporate evidence-based practice in the delivery of person-centered care to enhance health outcomes and improve health systems.
3. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to select and apply principles of population health and advocacy strategies that optimize health outcomes for individuals, families, communities, and populations.
4. Integrate and evaluate evidence-based practice to inform and promote advanced clinical practice.
5. Analyze and apply quality improvement strategies to create a culture of safe, professional nursing practice that optimizes health and protects all.
6. Apply leadership skills as a member of the interprofessional team to optimize the health of individuals, families, and populations within complex health care environments.
7. Apply evidence-based, innovative strategies based on organizational and systems policies to enhance value, access, quality, and cost-effectiveness within complex health care delivery systems.
8. Integrate information technology systems to drive decision-making, health care change, and interdisciplinary communication in complex health care delivery systems.
9. Integrate the role of the advanced practice nurse by utilizing effective professional communication and presence to promote person-centered care.
10. Contribute to an environment that promotes self-care, personal health, well-being, and professional development in a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Faculty

The faculty who teach in the program are current health care professionals involved in numerous research and scholarly activities. Students benefit from faculty who are connected to the nursing field and its innovations, collaborations between faculty and students, and mentorship and individual support throughout the program.

Related Programs

Ohio University also offers related programs, including:

• Online Post-Graduate Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
• MSN Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP)
• Online MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)