This post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate prepares nurse practitioners to evaluate and treat patients suffering from mental health disorders by providing evidence-based therapies and medication management for patients of all ages. Qualified candidates will hold a Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as an advanced practice nurse practitioner along with current certification and prescriptive authority. This one-year, 18 credit certificate, taught by mental health experts, will help fill the urgent need for mental health providers. 

General Information

1. The post-graduate APRN certificate program at Concordia University Wisconsin is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
2. All students must maintain an unencumbered nurse practitioner prescribing license while in the program. As this is an online program, sometimes there are out of state requirements that apply to the clinical setting. If clinicals will take place outside the state of Wisconsin, it is the student's responsibility to make sure their program of study is eligible and meets all requirements within that state's Department of Licensing & Regulation.
3. Students must earn a minimum of a B in all courses. Policies regarding progression and retention will be applied if the the student earns less than a B in any course.
4. Students are expected to comply with the requirements as stated in the Student Responsibilities Agreement.
5. This certificate program requires a minimum of 500 clinical hours in the mental health field. Based on their level of performance, a student may need to complete additional hours to be successful.
6. Students will identify and secure clinical preceptors which then need to be approved for appropriateness by the graduate faculty. The Graduate Clinical Coordinator is available for assistance.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation the graduate student will be able to:

1. Integrates, translates, and applies knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences, nursing and other disciplines to enhance clinical judgment and implement innovation in advanced nursing practice.
2. Manages and coordinates holistic, compassionate, person-centered, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate care, aligned with Christian values, to individuals, families and important others within complex contexts in advanced nursing practice.
3. Implements disease prevention and management strategies to promote equitable population health outcomes through health policy advocacy and collaborative activities with traditional and non-traditional community partners.  
4. Synthesizes, translates, applies, and disseminates best evidence into advanced nursing practice to improve health outcomes and transform health care.
5. Implements strategies supported by established and emerging principles of safety and improvement science to enhance quality and minimize  risk of harm to patients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Models interprofessional collaboration with care team members, patients, families, and communities to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve outcomes.
7. Manages resources within complex systems of care to implement safe, high quality and equitable care for diverse populations.
8. Integrates information, communication technologies, and informatics processes to gather data, to support advanced clinical decisions for safe, high quality and efficient care in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
9. Expands a professional identity to include the advanced nursing practice role, which reflects professional values of accountability, ethics, and a collaborative disposition within a Christ-centered perspective.
10. Engages in activities and self-reflection to promote personal health, resilience, well-being, and life-long learning required to support advanced nursing expertise and assertion of leadership while also supporting others. 

Curriculum

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Core Courses
NURS 6500	Neuropathophysiology & Psychopharmacology for Advanced Nursing	3
NURS 6510	Psychiatric Mental Health Theory I	3
NURS 6515	Psychiatric Mental Health Theory II	3
NURS 6520	Psychiatric Mental Health Theory III	3
NURS 7510	Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum I	2
NURS 7515	Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum II	2
NURS 7520	Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum III	2
Total Hours		18

Entrance Requirements for the Graduate School of Nursing in Addition to Graduate School Requirements

• Current certification as an advanced nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Science GPA is evaluated as part of the admission process
• Successful completion of an MSN and/or DNP degree from an accredited nursing school
• Current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in the USA
• Current CPR certification
• Ability to perform Technical Standards for Registered Nurses

Application/Admission Process

Students must apply online through NursingCas. All students applying for admission must submit:

• All official college transcripts leading to the nurse practitioner degree
• A formal essay addressing the following topics:
  • Your rationale for choosing a career as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Your personal compatibility with the CUW mission
  • Your plans for academic success in the program, including time management, stress management, and professional communication
  • Address any previous academic issues
  • Upon completion of your degree, where do you envision yourself practicing and with what populations
• Professional resume
• Current unencumbered RN license
• Current certification as an advanced nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority
• Two recommendations: Must be professional and/or academic and one must be from an individual who has worked with the applicant in a professional capacity and has a minimum of a Master's Degree
• Applicants who have completed graduate level classes and wish to have them evaluated must submit these transcripts and the transfer credit form.
• GRE exams are not required.

The deadline for fall admission is July 1.

In addition to the graduate admission requirements, there may be a pre-admission telephone interview.

The admission committee will review applications and a formal letter/email of acceptance or denial will be sent to the student.

Transfer of Credit

The Graduate Nursing Program will accept up to 3 transfer credits of previous graduate level coursework into the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate based on the following criteria:

1. Courses transferred must be comparable in scope and subject matter to courses offered in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate. The student will need to provide a course description and the course syllabus for any course requested for transfer. A transfer credit form must be completed and submitted to the Graduate Nursing Office for approval upon admission.
2. All courses transferred in must be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. All transfer credits must be certified by the Registrar and approved for the degree by the graduate nursing program director.
4. Neuropathophysiology and Psychopharmacology will not be accepted as transfer credits.
5. Transfer credits will not be applied to the cumulative grade point average the student earns while in Concordia's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate .