Mount Carmel College of Nursing’s Post-Graduate Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate Program is designed for those who currently hold a master's degree in nursing and are looking to specialize in caring for those in the psychiatric-mental health population across the lifespan. This program is designed for both novice and experienced master-prepared nurses who are looking to advance their nursing career. The PMHNP prepares the advanced master-prepared nurse to care for individuals, groups, and families in both counseling and psychopharmaceutical management.
Career Information and Technical Skills
The role of the PMHNP is to assess, diagnose and treat the mental health needs of patients. Many PMHNPs provide therapy and prescribe medications for patients who have mental health disorders or substance abuse problems. PMHNPs may also provide physical and psychosocial assessments, emergency psychiatric care and treatment effectiveness evaluations. This program will prepare the PMNP to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, primary care, schools, telemedicine, public health, substance abuse clinics, outpatient psychiatry, correction facilities, and private practice. The program is offered in an online format with direct clinical experiences and three immersive experiences. Students will complete a total of 22-25 credit hours (depending on their previous educational experience) and 500 direct clinical hours.
Criteria for Admission
To be considered for admission to any of the Graduate Program tracks at Mount Carmel, the following is required:
- Completed application ($30 fee)
- Master’s degree in nursing (MS or MSN) from an accredited program; accreditation by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (formerly NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Current, unrestricted RN license or eligibility for Ohio RN licensure as indicated
- Current APRN specialty certification
- Two letters of recommendation (from individuals such as work supervisor, professional colleagues, and former faculty members who hold a minimum of a Master’s degree)
- A comprehensive well-written goal statement is an essential component of a successful graduate application. The goal statement essay is used as a source of information and as a sample of your writing ability. You should focus on your professional goals and how you envision these goals can be achieved through graduate study. Your goal statement should be approximately two, double-spaced pages (approximately 400 words).
- The goal statement should include:
- Professional and academic background, skills, and accomplishments
- Describe your academic and career goals
- How did you decide to seek graduate education in this specialty area?
- Qualities you possess that would make you a good practitioner in the specialty for which you are applying
- A cumulative graduate point average (GPA) of 3.0, on a 4.0 scale
- Interview at the discretion of the interview committee
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- Please refer to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Master’s Track for more information on admissions criteria and materials
Application Deadlines
- Fall Cohort Start: August 1
- Summer Cohort Start: March 30
* Start date dependent on previous academic credits
* Pharmacology courses must be completed within the last (5) years to be accepted for transfer credit.
One Program Option Available
* Due to the fast pace of the post-graduate certificate programs, students must have a preceptor(s) and site in place prior to starting their first clinical course. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to find a preceptor for each clinical experience. The Graduate Clinical Coordinator is available to provide resources, guidance, and assistance with affiliation agreements for students as they secure an appropriate preceptor/site. The Graduate Clinical Coordinator can be reached at graduatecpe@mccn.edu.