Proposal For a Post Masters Certificate as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Curriculum and Application Overview
Dr. Rosalie Mainous, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research
I.
Educational Objectives and Rationale
1.1 Program Objectives:
a. To build on an existing knowledge base obtained in a prior Master of Science in Nursing
program.
b. To make Registered Nurses with a Master of Science in Nursing degree eligible for a
certification examination as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.
c. To provide essential course content as described by the National Organization of Nurse
Practitioner Faculties, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the
International Society of Psychiatric Nurses and the American Psychiatric Nurses
Association American Nurses Credentialing Center .
d. To prepare Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners to practice in a variety of practice settings
which include clients with acute and chronic psychiatric and mental health disorders
using independent clinical judgment for all aspects of care management.
e. The rational for this program is two-fold. First, Kentucky regulatory guidelines dictate
that post-masters students obtaining further training for clinical certification in a new
specialty area must obtain a program certificate recognized by the educational
institution. Secondly, the certifying bodies now require that simply obtaining
coursework to meet the criteria is insufficient, and instead students must obtain a
Certificate from a recognized Certificate Program to be eligible for the certification
exam. A standard curriculum will enhance student outcomes.
1.2 Internal/External Influences
a. Advanced Practice Nurses are critical in the new health care reform initiative and
providing specialty training in a post-masters certificate format is an expeditious
way to train nurses who already have a master of science in nursing degree but
wish to specialize further. This meets several of the universities goals within the
strategic plan.
b. Nurses who are currently psychiatric nurses, are nurse practitioners in another
area of specialization or those that have a generic MSN degree are candidates for
this certificate program. There is a growing field of job opportunities for PMHNP’s
across the country.
c. Employment prospects for PMHNP’s have risen dramatically in the last 5 years
due to a more visible presence and an attempt to integrate with primary care.
d. There will not be an increased need for faculty as current faculty will teach
existing courses to both the MSN students as well as the post-masters certificate
students.
e. This certificate program will have no impact on any other program within the
university.
f. This program is supported by the School of Nursing
g. This Certificate program is not proposed instead of a degree program, but in
addition to a MSN degree, to provide an added level of specialization.
II. Program Description
2.1 Admission
a. Applicants must currently hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree and have. It is
recommended that they have psychiatric nursing experience. They must also have
at least a 3.0 GPA from their Master’s program. They must be cleared by a
background check to enter the program and carry liability insurance.
Documentation of current immunization to the required immunizations for all
professional students that interact with patents must be presented.
b. Applicants must provide a transcript and complete an application to the SON and
the graduate school.
c. There may be some universities that grant a Master of Science degree (MS) instead
of a MSN and these students will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
d. Initial review of the admission documents occurs in the Office of Student Services.
Once the application is complete it is forwarded to the Graduate Academic Affairs
Committee for review. This committee makes a determination on admission and the
application then goes to the Associate Dean in charge of graduate programs for a
signature.
2.2 Curriculum
a,b c, d. The required curriculum can be found below. Total Credit hours=20
Prerequisites:
NURS 611 Advanced
Pharmacology
NURS 655
Pathophysiology
NURS 656 Advanced
Clinical Assessment
SUMMER 1
NURS 638 Integrated
Psychopathology and
Psychopharmacology (5
credits)
FALL 1
NURS 600 Genetics (2
credits)
NURS 641 Adv Practice
Psych I (3 credits)
NURS 645 Adv Practice
Psych I Clinical (3
credits)
SPRING 1
NURS 642 Adv Practice Psych II (3
credits)
NURS 646 Adv practice Psych II
Clinical (4 credits)
e. The PMHNP track courses currently run each year but may, if indicated, run every other year
to assure an adequate number of students in each cohort. May 2010 a group of 9 PMHNP
students will be graduating and 3 post- masters students will complete the program.
f. Course descriptions attached.
2.3 Experiential Components
a. This program has a strong clinical component. Nursing is a practice discipline at the
graduate level, advanced practice PMHNP students require at least 500 hours of
clinical time to master the skills necessary for advanced practice and to meet the
criteria for certification and licensure.
b. The clinical experiences are in NURS 645—3 credit hours at a 5:1 ratio resulting in
220 clinical hours. NURS 646---4 credit hours at a 5:1 ratio resulting in 280 clinical
hours.
c. There are a multitude and wide variety of clinical sites for this program. Some
examples include but are not limited to: Our Lady of Peace Psychiatric Hospital,
Kentucky Correctional Prison Complex, Prospect Counseling Center, Wellstone
Psychiatric Hospital, The Growth Center, Positive Connections, Central State
Hospital, Seven Counties Services, SCS Crisis Stabilization Unit, Rivendell Residential
Treatment Center, & Maryhurst Residential Treatment Center.
d. Students are each assigned to a single preceptor for a clinical day. Over the course
of a semester they may each have several preceptors. Preceptors include Psych
ARNP’s, psyc hiatrists, psychologists and Masters prepared social workers in
concert with an ARNP or psychiatrist. There are 2 faculty that share the
responsibility of 10-15 students.
2.4 Accreditation/Certification
Criteria from the following organizations and agencies guide and direct the curricular
components: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing, The International Society of
Psychiatric Nursing, The American Psychiatric Nursing Association, National Association of
Neonatal Nurses, the National Certification Corporation, the Commission on Collegiate
Nursing Education, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, and the
Kentucky State Statute on advanced practice nursing.
2.5 Evaluation
Evaluation is measured in 3 ways: program completion, the ability to pass the
certification exam, and ability to obtain a position in the field. To date, the PMHNP program
has a 100% pass rate on the certification exam and all gradates have found suitable
employment.
III. ADMINISTRATION OF CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
3.1 The Program
The office responsible for the administration of the program, record keeping, accountancy
and filing annual reports is the office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and
Research within the School of Nursing. Currently we collaborate with Western Kentucky
University (WKU) wherein they send students to the University of Louisville for the PMHNP
core and the WKU students take all other course work in their home institution and receive
a degree from WKU.
3.2 Reviews
All certificate programs will be reviewed in accordance with guidelines established by the
University Program Review Committee.
3.3 Programs Must be Approved by:
Programs should be submitted by the Unit Dean to the Provost. The Provost’s Office
coordinates the review process
IV. RESOURCES
4.1 Resources Required
a. The facilities to be used for this certificate program will the SON classrooms, the
Learning Resource Center, the Graduate Assessment Laboratory, local hospitals, the
computer laboratory on the fourth floor of the K Building, the Kornhauser Library,
faculty offices, and the Office of Student Services.
b. There are no additional resources required from the library for this Certificate
Program. This Certificate Program uses courses from the existing PMHNP program.
The libraries holdings are already sufficient in the area of PMH nursing and the
library liaison, Michel Atlas, is very responsive to the SON’s needs.
c. No new faculty will be hired. The track coordinator, Dr. Debbie Thomas, is a board
certified PMH ARNP and will direct the Certificate program (CV attached). Dr.
Thomas is full time.
4.2 Budget Request
There are no additional resources required.
4.3 Financial Aid
DOE approval is desired for the program.
V. MAJOR REVISIONS OF CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
5.1 Revisions
Revisions that will substantially alter the purpose of the program will be resubmitted as a
new proposal