Become a PMHNP: Online Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs, No GRE
Mental health issues touch all of us. In 2023, more than 50 million Americans, over 1 in 5, were living with a mental illness, according to a Mental Health America report. Despite the demand for care, many Americans aren’t getting the help they need.
In 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration found that more than half of the U.S. population lived in areas with few to no mental health care professionals. According to the MHA report, 28% of people with mental health issues said they did not seek care because they couldn’t afford it.
Comparing supply and demand for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) reveals a deep chasm. Of more than 213,512 U.S. nurse practitioners employed in the United States in 2023, only 5% were PMHNPs, yet 38,599 open job postings for PMHNPs remained unfilled, Zippia reported in 2023.
Prospective PMHNPs should consider earning a BSN degree and RN license as foundational steps, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner MSN as a second step.
Nurses who aspire to become PMHNPs can address the right of every person to access quality mental health care, advocating for patients with empathy, expertise and authority. Online psychiatric nurse practitioner programs with no GRE requirement are a valuable option for nurses who feel called to serve in this compassionate and rigorous career role.
What Is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?
A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse who has earned a master’s degree, doctorate degree or post-master’s certification and gained clinical experience specific to this specialty. But more than the mere sum of their education and expertise, a PMHNP plays a vital societal role, combating the stigma often associated with mental health issues.
MSN-prepared psychiatric nurse practitioners with advanced training, vision and dedication are working to alleviate suffering, improve well-being and empower all individuals.
Susie M. Adams, an American Psychiatric Nurses Association Psychiatric Nurse of the Year, finds the field a uniquely satisfying calling.
According to Adams, “People with mental health or substance use problems have the same hopes, desires and dreams that everybody else does. If we focus on helping people have productive, meaningful lives and being part of a community and giving them a purpose—that to me gives more satisfaction than anything.”
Psychiatric Nurses versus PMHNPs
The difference between psychiatric-mental health nurses and PMHNPs is significant. Psychiatric-mental health nurses, who may be ADNs or BSNs, can specialize in psychiatry and become certified at the RN level but they are not eligible for advanced practice certification and licensure in this specialty. Unlike a psychiatric-mental health nurse, a PMHNP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) with specialized training in mental health. Their scope of practice includes:
- Prescribing and monitoring psychiatric medications*
- Initiating and managing treatment plans
- Diagnosing conditions*
- Providing individual or group counseling or psychotherapy depending on practice site
- Intervening in mental health crises
- Tracking patient progress and communicating it to the health care team
- Educating patients, families and communities on mental health and well-being
*Some responsibilities may vary based on the practice authority of the PMHNP’s state.
With an MSN, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners Can Be Leaders
In addition, because a PMHNP has an advanced education, they can take on more responsibility in the mental healthcare field or even influence its trajectory. This can include:
- Providing clinical supervision
- Applying and assessing evidence-based solutions
- Making referrals
- Recommending preventive care screenings
- Advocating to improve public policy
PMHNPs often work in private practices, outpatient clinics, community clinics, addiction recovery centers, universities or schools.
However, regardless of their workplace setting, PMHNPs can use telehealth and digital tracking apps, helping patients access mental health care in their practice state remotely and helping providers monitor their progress.
Full Practice Authority
In many states, PMHNPs have the authority to operate their own independent practices. Known as full practice authority (FPA), this expanded autonomy enables them to evaluate, diagnose, test and treat patients—including prescribing medications—without direct supervision by a physician.
This autonomy allows PMHNPs to provide care at the full scope of practice. Benefits of FPA to patients include:
- Greater access to care in underserved areas
- Streamlined services at the point of care
- Decreased costs due to more efficiency
- Increased choice of available providers
What Are the Steps to Become a PMHNP?
Any aspiring PMHNP should start with an active RN license and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. To work in this highly specialized role, however, they will also need significant education to develop the necessary skills and competencies and to be competitive. RN experience in psychiatric mental health care is a plus.
Earn an Advanced Education
In 2021, 90% of PMHNPs held either a master’s degree, doctorate degree or post-master’s certificate, according to O-Net. Online psychiatric nurse practitioner programs with no GRE requirement can offer a streamlined path for nurses who want to become PMHNPs. Nurses have several degree options for becoming PMHNPs.
MSN Degree
To become a PMHNP, individuals can obtain a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a recognized program. In the state of Ohio, nurse practitioner programs like the one offered by Walsh University are an excellent choice.
Students’ learning is focused on gaining knowledge and training in mental health care. A typical PMHNP specialization is extensive, covering a broad range of neurobiological, psychosocial and nursing studies.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree
Not every PMHNP holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, but earning one can deepen expertise and increase competitiveness. According to O-Net, in 2021, 7% of PMHNPs had a doctoral or professional degree.
These degree programs prepare nurses to become high-level leaders who improve patient outcomes and apply research at the practical level. A DNP program is a PMHNP’s opportunity to contribute to mental health care advancement that can include proposing solutions to help meet the health care needs of the underserved, exploring the impact of genetics or trauma on mental health, or researching the effects of social media and technology on mental health.
PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate
Nurses who have already completed an advanced degree can choose to pursue a post-master’s certificate program. A post-master’s certificate provides students with specialized education in a specific area of nursing, such as psychiatric mental health nursing. It also prepares students to take the national certification exam and apply for licensure as a PMHNP.
Obtain PMHNP Certification
Once nurses who aspire to a PMHNP career have earned an advanced education, they need to pass the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) (Across the Lifespan) Certification exam, administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This competency-based exam assesses candidates for APRN entry-level clinical knowledge and skills for all PMHNPs.
After certification is acquired, the candidate can apply for an APRN (NP) license. The certification and subsequent licensure are valid for stipulated timeframes and are renewable by paying associated fees and meeting recertification and licensure requirements, such as completing a certain amount of continuing education hours in specified topic areas.
Develop Experience and Knowledge
A PMHNP has the opportunity to form strong bonds with patients of all ages by learning their stories and empowering them to transform their lives. Preparing to embark on these close therapeutic relationships includes clinical training and in-depth coursework.
Supervised Clinical Experience
As a graduate student, an aspiring PMHNP gains hundreds of hours of supervised clinical experience in real-world settings—such as addiction recovery centers or community clinics—working with patients whose needs may range from routine medication management to crisis intervention.
As students gain experience, they deepen their competency as caring experts equipped to guide patients along their mental health journeys. They may assist patients as they walk through the daily challenges of a chronic mental illness, such as schizophrenia. They may counsel clients on coping with major life crises, such as a cancer diagnosis or the death of a loved one.
In-Depth Coursework
In addition to gaining experience through supervised clinical work, students take extensive coursework in online psychiatric nurse practitioner programs. They can hone in their skills and knowledge in subject matters such as the following to prepare to meet the challenges of this demanding field.
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Psychotherapy
- Genomics
- Behavioral health
- Population health
- Health care, equity and social justice
- Evidence-based project management
Develop Important PMHNP Skills
During the course of working with patients, families and colleagues, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must rely on many sophisticated skills to help people achieve stability and healing in situations that can be sensitive, emotionally charged or complex in scope. Some important PMHNP skills include the following.
- Active listening
- Social perceptiveness
- Cultural literacy
- Clinical judgment and decision making
- Service orientation
- Complex problem solving
- Instructing
- Monitoring
- Negotiation
- Time management
Advance Your Career While Advocating for Patient Mental Health
If you are a nurse who feels called to a rewarding career fostering mental well-being while advocating for each individual’s right to affordable and equitable care, learn more about how to become a PMHNP.
Walsh University’s online psychiatric nurse practitioner programs with no GRE requirement are designed for aspiring PMHNPs with an RN license and at least a BSN degree who seek to play a vital social role while advancing their career autonomy and salary potential.
Discover where Walsh University can take you.
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