Advanced Nursing Practice (Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner), DNP

Program Overview

The ASU DNP - Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program prepares graduates to provide comprehensive mental health care to individuals across all age groups within diverse family settings. This hybrid program combines online learning with in-person immersion sessions, equipping graduates with advanced skills in assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based management of mental health disorders. The program emphasizes early interventions, psychopharmacology, and therapeutic skills, and trains graduates to lead multidisciplinary teams and engage in health policy and advocacy for enhanced patient outcomes.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The DNP - Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program prepares graduates to provide comprehensive mental health care to individuals across all age groups within diverse family settings. This hybrid program combines online learning with in-person immersion sessions.

Key Objectives:

• Equip graduates to provide holistic and client-centered care.
• Develop advanced skills in assessment, screening, diagnosis, and evidence-based management of mental health disorders across the lifespan.
• Emphasize early interventions and valid tools for identification of mental health issues.
• Foster expertise in psychopharmacology and therapeutic skills based on leading approaches like motivational interviewing, mindfulness, CBT, and DBT.
• Inculcate proficiency in individual, group, and family therapy techniques.
• Train graduates to lead multidisciplinary teams and engage in health policy and advocacy for enhanced patient outcomes.
• Equip graduates with doctoral-level competencies in systems-level thinking, complexity science, quality and safety, and evidence-based practice.
• Cultivate skills for translating research into practice and developing doctoral projects for improved patient, provider, or health system outcomes.

Outline:

Core Courses (13 credit hours):

• Principles of Evidence-Based Care in Advanced Practice
• Health Care Outcomes Management
• Systems Thinking in a Complex Healthcare Environment
• Individual and Innovation Leadership in Healthcare Practice

Concentration (29 credit hours):

• Advanced Neuropsychopathology Lifespan
• Advanced Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
• Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health Promotion Across the Lifespan Practicum
• Management of Common Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan
• Management of Common Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan Practicum
• Management of Complex and Chronic Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan
• Management of Complex and Chronic MH Disorders Across the Lifespan Practicum

Other Requirements (40 credit hours):

• Theoretical Foundations for Advance Practice Nursing
• Evaluating Research for Practice
• Advanced Human Pathophysiology Across Lifespan
• Advanced Health Assessment Across Lifespan
• Applied Pharmacotherapeutics Across Lifespan
• Advanced Practice Nursing Role
• Biostatistics: Principals of Statistical Inference
• Innovation in Communication-Scholarly and Professional Writing
• Healthcare Policy and Innovation
• Clinical Residency and Management
• Dynamics and Principles of Information in Health Care
• Culminating Experience (3 credit hours):
• Disseminating Evidence to Advance Best Practice in Health Care and Health Policy

Assessment:

• Ongoing coursework assessments:
Assignments, exams, projects, and presentations throughout the program.
• Clinical practicum evaluations:
Regular feedback and assessments by clinical supervisors.
• Culminating experience project:
A research-based project demonstrating the application of knowledge and skills to improve patient care or health outcomes.

Teaching:

• Blend of online modules and in-person immersive sessions.
• Faculty with extensive clinical experience and expertise in mental health care.
• Emphasis on interactive learning, case studies, and simulation activities.

Careers:

• Mental health nurse practitioner in various settings like hospitals, clinics, community centers, schools, and private practice.
• Potential to specialize in specific populations or mental health conditions.
• Opportunities for leadership roles, research, and advocacy in mental health care.

Other:

• The program is offered through a hybrid format with online modules and in-person immersive sessions.
• Students are expected to travel to the Phoenix area for orientation and immersive sessions.
• Clinical placements are arranged for students residing in Maricopa County, Arizona.
• The program offers opportunities for clinical rotations in underserved rural and urban areas throughout Arizona.
• The program requires 85 credit hours, including the culminating experience project.
• Completion of an evidence-based doctoral applied project focused on a clinical issue is required.
• The program exceeds the American Nurses Credentialing Center's recommendation of 1,000 post-baccalaureate practicum hours for DNP programs.
• The program offers opportunities to apply up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree.