Skip to content
Priority deadline Jan. 15

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

A scientific approach to mental well-being

Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track within the DNP degree program prepares you to provide comprehensive care focused on prevention and treatment of psychiatric and mental health conditions for individuals across the lifespan and their families.  PMHNP practice focuses on holistic, trauma-informed care, individual and group psychotherapy, and psychopharmacological management. You will learn to work with individuals across their lifespans, from childhood through older adulthood.

#2 ranking

trophy icon

Of public schools offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Rankings

$3.8M in funding

dollar icon

147 DNP scholarships funded in 2023-24, totaling $3.8 million.

Pre-arranged clinicals

We manage your clinicals, setting us apart from most other DNP programs.

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are prepared to:

  • Take medical histories and conduct physical, psychological, and psychiatric assessments, including ordering and interpreting psychiatric-related diagnostic testing
  • Work with patients with psychiatric and mental health conditions such as mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dementia, and substance use disorders.
  • Generate differential diagnoses, provide psychotherapies with evidence-based intervention, and manage psychotropic medications.
  • Partner with patients and families, and interdisciplinary colleagues to promote mental health and prevention
  • Advocate for nursing and the role of the PMHNP

Graduates from our PMHNP track practice independently and within larger healthcare teams. They work in a variety of settings and with diverse populations, including:

  • Outpatient clinics (community mental health, private practice)
  • Community health centers (urban and rural)
  • Inpatient settings
  • Correctional facilities
  • Schools
  • Home health agencies
  • Veteran’s facilities
  • Integrated primary care and behavioral health settings

The DNP curriculum starts with a shared first-year core, offering a strong foundation in advanced practice and leadership, before transitioning into specialized coursework tailored to each track, allowing students to develop targeted expertise and drive advancements in healthcare.

View the current DNP Psych Mental Health NP curriculum grid

Successful graduates of the PMHNP Program are eligible to sit for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) examination through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Hear from current students Keondra Rustan and Eric Lao

 

What makes our program unique?

The University of Washington School of Nursing’s Centers for Research Excellence provide a variety of diverse research opportunities for students in an unparalleled multi-disciplinary research environment that ultimately improves health for the wider community.
Hone your skills in the safe and controlled environment of our leading-edge Simulation Center, where you will familiarize yourself with the tools and techniques you need to deliver excellent patient care in a psychologically safe environment.
The UW School of Nursing Office of Clinical Placements collaborates with an expansive network of partners to provide students with pre-arranged clinical placements with some of the country’s best care settings and hospitals. While we cannot guarantee specific placements, we work with the world-class UW Medicine system and countless clinical and community partners. Our unique placement process allows students to focus their full attention on learning, knowing that clinical training and patient care experience are fully integrated into their matriculation plan.

Interested in learning more? Join us for an upcoming online information session, or contact us at asknursing@uw.edu to find out if this program would be a great fit and how to create a quality application.

Alumni spotlight

Noah Weatherton, psychiatric nurse practitioner, shares his perspective on the mental health crisis of older men in the Seattle Times.

Read more