Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP)
The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track of the DNP program is designed to prepare graduates to conduct psychiatric mental health evaluations and advanced health assessment and histories, develop therapeutic rapport with clients and families, promote mental health, develop and implement mental health treatment plans included medication management and counseling and provide leadership in interprofessional team management of clients with psychiatric and mental health conditions.
Curriculum
The Psychiatric Mental Health NP program is a blended format with both online and in-person instruction, including Immersion weekends at Loyola's Health Sciences Campus. Many students are working professionals with families, so we offer both part-time and full-time options to fit your schedule.
With our rigorous curriculum and significant number of credit and clinical hours, we seek to prepare you to successfully take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification board in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan).
The DNP can be completed in 74 credit hours or about four to five years.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| GNUR 404 | Theories & Concepts for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 405 | Introductory Statistics for Healthcare Professionals | 3 |
| GNUR 407 | Social Justice and Ethics in Health Care | 3 |
| GNUR 408 | Research for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 420 | Leadership and Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 521 | Population-Focused Health | 3 |
| GNUR 523 | Health Care Policy and Economics | 3 |
| GNUR 545 | Evidence Translation for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| Role (NP) Courses | ||
| GNUR 413 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| GNUR 425 | Advanced Health Assessment Across the LifeSpan | 4 |
| GNUR 442 | Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology | 3 |
| GNUR 476 | Basic Diagnostics for Advanced Practice | 2 |
| GNUR 529 | Family-Focused Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | 3 |
| Population (Psychiatric Mental Health) Courses | ||
| GNUR 436 | Psychiatric Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| GNUR 451 | Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| GNUR 456 | Psychotherapeutics Individuals Groups Families | 3 |
| GNUR 472 | Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Across Lifespan I | 3 |
| GNUR 474 | Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Across Lifespan II | 3 |
| Project Courses | ||
| GNUR 570 | DNP Scholarly Project: Planning | 1 |
| GNUR 571 | DNP Scholarly Project: Proposal and Pre-Implementation | 2 |
| GNUR 572 | DNP Scholarly Project: Project Implementation | 2 |
| GNUR 573 | DNP Scholarly Project: Analysis and Dissemination | 1 |
| Practicum | 15 | |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing Practicum | ||
| Total Hours | 74 | |
Clinical Experience
DNP students are required to complete practicums that focus on acquiring the advanced skills and knowledge to meet the competencies to practice as a psychiatric mental health NP. Faculty design clinical rotations and place students with preceptors. Loyola maintains academic-practice partnerships throughout the Chicago metropolitan area with a focus on working in underserved communities.
An RN license and a minimum of 2,000 hours of recent clinical nursing experience in psychiatric mental health is required before beginning your first practicum.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
PROGRAM GOAL
The goal of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is to prepare nurses to assume advanced roles in direct care and systems leadership domains at the highest level of nursing to improve health care outcomes through practice-based scholarship.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
At the completion of the DNP program, the graduate has the knowledge and skills to:
- Apply integrated scientific, knowledge and clinical judgements at the highest level of professional nursing practice.
- Evaluate health care delivery approaches and healthcare systems, with an emphasis on quality and safety.
- Apply best evidence in approaches to client and system-centered practices.
- Apply analytic approaches and information technology in the delivery and improvement of client-centered health care and health care systems.
- Employ ethics, leadership, and advocacy concepts to advance healthcare quality and equity for individuals, systems and populations.
- Implement intraprofessional and interprofessional leadership and collaboration competencies and methods, at the highest level of professional nursing practice in advancing health and health outcomes.