University General Course Catalog 2025-2026 (DRAFT)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, M.S.N (Online)
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This is an online program.
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialization prepares advanced practice nurses to care for individuals and families with behavioral and mental problems. This specialty track within the MSN program prepares graduates to assess, diagnose, intervene (e.g., psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy), and provide follow-up to facilitate an ongoing level of wellness. The PMHNP is prepared to provide psychiatric and mental health care in a variety of treatment settings (e.g., hospitals, jails, home care, and outpatient clinics) and participate with other members of the health care team. With a shortage of mental health professionals and increasing demand for expert mental health care in rural health settings, the PMHNP’s scope of practice provides critically relevant skills to care for persons experiencing the full range of psychiatric and mental health problems.
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Program Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- create a systematic approach to clinical reasoning based on best evidence, research, and knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to make decisions which optimize the health of populations and the delivery of care across a range of sociocultural settings.
- role model communication strategies and teamwork to intentionally collaborate with interprofessional teams, individuals, groups, and populations across a range of sociocultural settings to advocate for diverse, equitable, and inclusive care in professional environments.
- assume leadership roles in the analysis, delivery and management of nursing practice and the micro through meso levels of health care systems.
- evaluate quality improvement principles, standards, methods, and strategies to identify health and systems problems and translate evidence-based change in practice settings.
- analyze systematic processes across settings using evidenced-based strategies and standards, to promote a just culture of safety, and to prevent or minimize risk to self, patients, and environment.
- appraise health care technology, data, and information literacy, while considering risks and ethical requirements, to plan, implement, and evaluate person and population-centered care and assist in system-wide best practice decisions in a variety of settings.
- integrate person and population centered care that is respectful of differing sociocultural needs based on best evidence, clinical judgment, and sound legal/ethical principles to maximize health for diverse individuals, groups and populations.
- expand professional identity through leadership and advocacy that promotes the needs of self, individuals, groups and populations and the nursing profession while improving the healthcare system.
Contact Information
Cameron Duncan, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC
Phone: (775) 784-6841
Fax: (775) 843-8428
Email: cgeneduncan@unr.edu
Admission Requirements
The applicant must meet the University’s Graduate School requirements as well as the Orvis School of Nursing MSN requirements. All application materials must be received in the Graduate School on or before March 1 for consideration for the fall semester.
- Have an overall undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.0.
- Complete a baccalaureate degree with an upper-division major in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited nursing school, OR
- Completed an Associate’s Degree in Nursing and a Bachelor’s degree (as example BS, BA) and have a minimum of 2 years of clinical nursing experience.
- Have verification of current, unencumbered licensure to practice as a registered nurse in the United States. Students must be eligible to practice as a registered nurse in Nevada.
- Submit a statement of intent including graduate-study goals.
- Provide with application:
- Submit a 500-word or less statement of intent that includes: Why do you want to study at UNR; Why do you want to be a PMHNP? What in your experiences prepares you for this plan of study? What do you want to do for your capstone project?
- Provide three professional letters.
- Successful completion of a graduate level applied statistics course prior to fall admission (EDRS 640 is recommended at UNR).
An interview may be required.
The total of required units for completing the degree varies according to the option the student selects. The minimum number of required units for completion of the MSN is 48. With graduate advisor approval, MSN students may apply more than 3 S/U units to the 48 units required.
Applicants who plan to apply graduate-level credit earned at another university to the University of Nevada, Reno may be able to satisfy specific course requirements in the nursing program. Applicants must provide specific course information for review to determine if the transferred curses are equivalent to university requirements. If approved, such courses may be included in the official program of study.
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