Nursing: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, D.N.P. - CHHS, UNH

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. DNP graduates are innovative leaders prepared to translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care and measure health outcomes in diverse settings. Students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project customized to support their unique aspirations.

The Bachelors of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP) program is for nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who are seeking leadership development and certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.  This program will prepare the experienced Registered Nurse (RN) with the knowledge, skills,and competencies to assess,diagnose, and manage mental healthcare patients across the lifespan. Foundational core coursework to prepare the advanced practice nurse is completed prior to transitioning into specialty content.

Courses are competency-based, founded on evidence-based approaches to care management and learning strategies with commitment to student success and continuous quality improvement embedded within the process. Synchronous, asynchronous, low and high-fidelity simulation,virtual and on-campus intensives,and clinical immersion will reinforce didactic content and afford the student the opportunity to transition to an active member of a collaborative mental health care team.

Admission Requirements

1. Registered Nurse licensure: An unencumbered registered nurse license in the United States
2. Letters of recommendation: Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character are required.
3. Updated resume
4. Professional statement: The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following:

   1. Discuss the DNP PMHNP program, what experiences have contributed to your interest and how do you visualize yourself in this role after graduation?

   2. How will a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of New Hampshire help you attain your professional goals?

   3. This is a graduate program that requires a high cognitive load, explain in detail how you are going to prepare yourself and manage throughout the program.

5. Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 750*

*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 986, NURS 987, NURS 988, NURS 989.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner builds upon the skills of the baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse.

At the completion of the DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, the graduate student is prepared to:

• Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
• Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
• Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
• Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
• Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
• Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety.
• Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
• Applies leadership principles that support inter-professional practice.

In addition to the Outcomes above, the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduate will:

• Utilize advanced practice knowledge, skills, and competencies to assess, diagnose, and coordinate and manage mental health care patients across the lifespan.
• Recommend and prescribe evidence-based developmentally appropriate treatment modalities to manage psychiatric conditions in patients across the lifespan defined by shared decision-making and patient concordance within state and federal scope of practice regulations.
• Engage in professional, bias-free, quality, safe, collaborative, and ethical, evidence-based practice across all mental healthcare practice settings.

Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

The University of New Hampshire offers a number of academic programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification in New Hampshire. However,  completing a UNH degree/program does not guarantee professional licensure or certification. Eligibility may also depend on factors like years of work experience, professional examinations, passing a background check, and other criteria.

UNH does not guarantee that its professional licensure programs will satisfy the criteria of professional licensure boards in other states. Some states maintain different requirements for professional licensure or certification and requirements can change frequently. Federal regulations require the University to make public disclosure of certain information regarding professional licensure or certification programs, regardless of the modality the program is offered (i.e., in-person or online). The University provides guidance below but recommends students contact their state/territory licensing or certification board to ensure a program meets specific state/territory requirements.

Visit the Office of the Registrar's website for information about whether this program meets professional licensure requirements in your state.

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: Recommended April 1, Final Deadline if space available August 1 - Part-time students only
• Spring: Recommended August 1, Final Deadline if space available December 1 - Full-time students only
• Summer: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following.

1. Describe a clinical experience that demonstrates your critical thinking and readiness to enter doctoral study.
2. Explain how you use a nursing theoretical/conceptual lens to improve care.
3. Tell us about a U.S. policy or health issue you are passionate about and why.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.