About the Program

The Master of Science with a major in Nursing Program’s PMHNP track,  through an interprofessional learning model, will graduate PMHNPs who will be prepared to provide quality, holistic, scientifically sound, and patient-centered care while optimizing the health and well-being of diverse populations and communities for the betterment of humanity.

The focus of the PMHNP track is to prepare PMHNP graduates who will provide patient-centered quality care to individuals and families across the lifespan. The PMHNP role includes providing primary mental health care to patients seeking mental health services in a wide range of settings. Primary mental health care provided by the PMHNP involves relationship-based, continuous and comprehensive services, necessary for the promotion of optimal mental health, prevention, and treatment of psychiatric disorders and health maintenance. This includes assessment, diagnosis, and management of mental health and psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. (NONPF, 2013, 2014).

Through the values of leadership, scholarship, collaboration, innovation, excellence, global health, humanism, learning, courage and diversity, advanced practice nurses who complete the curriculum of the respective track of the Master of Science program will:

1. Integrate critical analysis from the sciences and humanities to improve advanced practice nursing and health outcomes.
2. Develop innovative practice by integrating principles of change throughout health care systems.
3. Apply investigative skills in the translation of new knowledge to improve practice and health outcomes.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of improvement sciences and peer review to achieve measurable health outcomes, including, but not limited to, value-based health care.
5. Apply technology and scientific health information to coordinate and deliver personalized health care to a diverse global population.
6. Advocate strategies to impact the ethical, legal, and social factors of global health care policy.
7. Collaborate as leaders and members of the interprofessional team to maximize communication and coordination of care to achieve optimal health outcomes.
8. Provide a full spectrum of evidence-based health care services throughout the life cycle of the population served to optimize health outcomes.
9. Demonstrate professionalism, accountability and ownership while providing patient-centered care that recognizes diversity and respects consumer preferences.

Admission Requirements

1. BS in Nursing from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for baccalaureate nursing degree and subsequent graduate work.
2. An unencumbered New York state RN license.
3. Nursing clinical experience: minimum of one (1) year current clinical experience. Psychiatric/behavioral health experience preferred.
4. Verification of a basic health assessment course.
5. Verification of a statistics course.
6. AHA Certification: current copy of BLS certification.
7. A resume that includes relevant work experiences (including dates of employment by month and year), evidence of community service, examples of leadership and commitment to the profession of nursing, and memberships in professional nursing organizations.
8. Three letters of recommendation submitted through the online recommendation form, accessible through the online application.  Letters can be from the following sources, attesting to the applicant’s capacity and potential for master’s study:
   1. The director or a faculty member from the most recent academic program attended (if applicant has been a nursing student in the last 5 years);
   2. The applicant’s current immediate manager; and
   3. A person who can attest to the applicant’s professional work.
9. A pre-admission interview.
10. One essay.
11. Comprehensive background check.
12. Student Health Requirements: Proof of physical examination within one year of application, student NP liability insurance and health insurance, current immunizations for MMR, Chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis.

Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria. The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a student’s potential for success in the program.

Total Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 48

Graduation Requirements

Students enrolled in the PMHNP track of the MS program are required, in accordance with regulatory and educational standards, to perform direct advanced practice clinical care hours. These credit-bearing clinical hours are a component of each of the four clinical courses in which the student is placed with an appropriate preceptor.  The PMHNP track of the MS program requires students to perform 720 direct care hours.

Project included in NUR 218  

With a focus on practice inquiry, the students will begin developing their research and evidence –based practice skills early in the program, during the Research Methods and Design course, in which they are introduced to types of research designs, data collection, analysis and presentation skills. Having the skills to manage a team, evaluate critical problems and execute solutions is required to be an effective advanced practice nurse.  This course engages students in designing a project of significant importance that is a current problem or initiative for their healthcare organization.

The evidence-based practice project includes:

1. Collaborate with a professional team to develop and implement the project.
2. Assess the needs and expectations of the learner’s organizational unit.
3. Identify a clinical problem.
4. Outline an appropriate evidence-based scope of work: formulating the evidence-based practice clinical question, evidence summary (search for research evidence, appraisal of the evidence), development of recommendations for practice based on gap analysis (current practice vs. evidence recommendations).
5. Propose evidence-based recommendations for implementing change. Present evidence-based practice change proposal for feedback from colleagues.  Identify key stakeholders, barriers and facilitators of recommended practice change.
6. Design implementation plan for practice change.
7. Disseminate EBP practice change by presenting project results in a poster format to colleagues.

Cumulative Exam upon completion of NUR 284