Nursing, D.N.P., Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PSH) concentration prepares advanced practice nurses to provide a full range of psychiatric care. Graduates are prepared to assess, diagnose, and manage, to include prescribing psychotropic medications, for people with chronic and acute psychiatric disorders. Graduates work in a variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient facilities such as hospitals; community-based or home care centers; local, state, and federal mental health agencies; long-term care facilities; private practices; substance abuse and detoxification programs; emergency psychiatric service centers; primary care offices; correctional facilities, home health agencies; and behavioral health care companies.

Expected Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

1. engage in evidence-based practice to optimize health outcomes;
2. engage in leadership activities to promote excellence in rural health care.

Admission

The University of Wyoming must receive complete application materials for the DNP Program by the application deadline to be considered for fall admission (the entire DNP application process is completed online). The applicant is responsible to make certain that UW is in receipt of all application materials/ fees. The number of students admitted is limited. Admission is a competitive process and applicants meeting minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission to the program. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the DNP program in the School of Nursing.

Criteria for admission as well as application instructions and deadlines can be found on the nursing website: www.uwyo.edu/nursing (click on Nursing Programs, DNP, Admission Criteria & Application).

Scholastic Requirements

University and College of Health Sciences policies governing scholastic requirements (e.g. major changes, probation and dismissal) apply to students enrolled in the School of Nursing. In addition to university/college requirements, the School of Nursing has further scholastic requirements for the DNP Program. These requirements can be found on the nursing website: www.uwyo.edu/nursing (click on Nursing Programs, DNP, DNP Program Student Handbook - section 6 Scholastic Requirements).

Curriculum 

All DNP students, regardless of concentration will take a set of core courses. In addition to the core courses a group of specialty courses are required for each NP concentration. Students earning the DNP degree will complete a final scholarly project which is integrated into the FMY and PSH curricula.

The DNP core and clinical courses will be delivered using a combination of online courses; synchronous video web-conferencing, and hybrid courses with periodic intensive on-campus experiences. Clinical placements will be arranged at health care facilities in Wyoming, north central Colorado, or southern Montana.

Program of Study 

A detailed, semester sequenced DNP-PSH Program of Study can be found on the nursing website: www.uwyo.edu/nursing (click on Nursing Programs, DNP, DNP-PSH Program of Study).