A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is a specialized healthcare role nurse practitioners can fulfill with advanced training and experience. If you want to know how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, continue reading.
We’ll discuss PMHNP nuances and responsibilities. We’ll also share the psychiatric nurse practitioner requirements to launch your PMHNP career.
What Is a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?
Before learning how to become a mental health nurse practitioner, it’s important to understand the profession. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners are specially-trained mental health practitioners who provide cognitive care to patients of all ages. They help patients through assessment, diagnosis, education and treatment of mental ailments.
What does a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner do? They regularly:1
- Assess and diagnose patients to better understand their mental well-being. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners perform comprehensive health assessments to learn about a patient’s routine behaviors, family health history and psychiatric history.
- Create treatment plans to help address a patient’s psychiatric needs. Treatment plans often assess patient medications, their psychiatric history and any mental health symptoms that a patient may be exhibiting.
- Prescribe medication to help address specific symptoms or conditions and modify prescriptions as needed.
- Provide therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Promote educational tools and information to improve a patient’s overall understanding of mental health and self-care principles.
There is a growing demand for mental health practitioners in the United States, which is leading more aspiring medical professionals to learn how to become psychiatric nurse practitioners. This demand also allows PMHNPs to work in various settings. They assume positions at clinics, hospitals and recovery centers once they’ve gained experience.
How to Become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in Six Steps
Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners need extensive medical training, psychiatric knowledge and hands-on experience to excel in their roles. The following six steps to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner offer a general overview of how to become a PMHNP.2
1. Become a Registered Nurse
The first step of how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner is to fulfill educational requirements. There are multiple options to consider when completing this step. Some options may include:
- With a high school diploma or GED, you may be eligible to join an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, which typically takes two years to complete.3
- A high school diploma or GED allows you to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)—a four-year degree that’s a requirement for many levels of nursing.3
- Institutions like USAHS also provide RN to MSN programs, which help you gain an MSN within 10 to 11 trimesters.*
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam
The next step in how to become a psych NP is completing this critical exam. You must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, the NCLEX-RN, to become a registered nurse.4
The number of questions on the exam varies between 75 and 265, and it’s exclusively a pass-or-fail test. In the process of how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, students can retake the NCLEX-RN exam up to eight times a year, with a 45-day wait period between each attempt.
It’s vital to get hands-on experience once you earn your RN license. You can gain experience through hospital work, an internship and a first-aid certification.
3. Earn Your MSN or DNP
Earning a graduate degree, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), is the next step in how to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. A DNP prepares nurses for leadership roles in healthcare, and programs often take 2.3-4 years to complete.*
The MSN with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) role specialty is relevant for nurses who wish to focus on clinical work, and programs typically take three to 3-3.7 years to complete.*
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers the following:
- An MSN with PMHNP role specialty typically takes 9 trimesters for BSN-entry and 11 for RN to MSN.*
- The Post-Graduate Nursing Certificate typically takes 5-6 trimesters.*
4. Apply to Take Your Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Exam
Next, in the process of how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, students must take another exam. Once you’ve earned your graduate degree and have completed 500 hours of clinical experience, you can take the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).5
USAHS offers a robust PMHNP role specialty with two entry paths and a streamlined post-graduate nursing certificate program:
- RN to MSN: 64 credit hours and 630 practicum contact hours
- BSN-entry: 55 credit hours and 630 practicum contact hours
- Post-Graduate Nursing Certificate: 28-37 credit hours and 585 practicum contact hours
5. Obtain Your State-Specific PMHNP Certification
After passing the ANCC exam, apply for state-specific PMHNP certification where you intend to practice. PMHNP requirements vary across states.
Once certified, renew your PMHNP license every five years through the ANCC and your state board, which may require continuing education. This step is crucial in understanding how to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner and maintain your credentials.
6. Apply for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Jobs
Once you’ve completed all of the steps in how to become a mental health nurse practitioner, start applying for jobs. Find jobs by creating profiles on healthcare career job boards.
Those who previously interned or volunteered at certain facilities may be able to ask for recommendations from former colleagues. Practicing for interviews can also help you stay ahead of the curve in the final step in how to become a PMHNP.
Benefits of Being a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The process of how to become a mental health nurse practitioner is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. Some benefits of taking on this role include:
- Helping diverse communities: Medical professionals help people from all walks of life and provide mental health care to various communities. Become a psychiatric nurse practitioner to positively impact countless patients.
- Career opportunities: Working as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner is a fantastic way to gain experience and provide psychiatric care in a clinical setting.
- Job security and competitive pay: Earning potential is another reason to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that employment for nurse practitioners will grow by 40% between 2023 and 2033. The median hourly wage for this role is $62.25.6
Launch Your Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Career with USAHS
Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners provide vital mental health care to diverse groups of patients. This role requires extensive academic and professional experience. USAHS offers dynamic graduate nursing programs for aspiring nurse practitioners. Enrollment advisors are always available to help you find resources and courses in how to become a PMHNP.
*Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, traditional vs. accelerated pathway, credits transferred and other factors.
Sources:
- Ayana Dunn, “How to Become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner,” NurseJournal.org, “May 3, 2024, https://nursejournal.org/careers/psychiatric-nurse/how-to-become/,
- Nursing License Map, “How to Become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)”, Nursing License Map, https://nursinglicensemap.com/advanced-practice-nursing/nurse-practitioner/psychiatric-and-mental-health-nurse-practitioner-pmhnp/.
- Nurse.org Staff, “How to Become a Registered Nurse | Salary & Programs 2024,” Nurse.org, July 24, 2024, https://nurse.org/resources/registered-nursing/.
- Nursing License Map, “National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX),” Resources, September 2021, https://nursinglicensemap.com/resources/nclex/#:~:text=The%2520NCLEX%2520is%2520a%2520nationally,of%2520Nursing%2520(NCSBN)%2520open_in_new.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center, “Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC™),” ANCC, 2023, https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners,” BLS, April 17, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm.
