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
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Of public schools offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice.
$3.8M in funding
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147 DNP scholarships funded in 2023-24, totaling $3.8 million.
Pre-arranged clinicals
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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.
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?
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.