Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate Programs

Updated: Aug 11, 2024

Nurse practitioners (NPs) have many career options. For NPs who want to specialize in one area of medicine rather than general practice, psychiatric/mental health nursing is an interesting field that can allow NPs to have a long-lasting impact on patient well-being. Psychiatric/mental health NPs (PMHNPs) can work in a number of settings with specific or general populations. Some NPs who earn their online graduate certificate (also commonly called a post-master’s certificate) in psychiatric/mental health nursing find that even in their general practice careers, the information they learn from their certificate completion allows them to provide a higher level of patient care.

What Are the Online Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate Requirements?

While some nurses immediately begin post-graduate work upon graduation from an MSN program, many prefer to work for a few years before taking the leap back into school. Working in a variety of settings/with a variety of patients can provide nurses with insight on the specialty field that makes the most sense for them.

Typical requirements for an online post-master’s certificate in psychiatric/mental health nursing include:

Active, unencumbered RN license (school may require the nurse to be licensed in the same state as the school)
MSN from an accredited university with a GPA of at least 3.0
Letters of recommendation
Interview(s) with faculty members

What Type of Classes Are Included in the Online Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum?

Prior to applying to a post-master’s certificate program in psychiatric/mental health nursing, it’s important for nurses to consider any subsets of psychiatry in which they’d like to specialize, such as specific mental health issues (addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dual diagnosis, crisis treatment, etc.). A close examination of the curriculum and/or conversations with faculty members can provide insight into whether the program is a good fit.

Classes in an online psychiatric/mental health nursing graduate certificate program may include:

Advanced practice roles
Advanced Pathophysiology
Variations in Health Assessment for Pediatrics and/or Older Adults
Differential Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
Psychotherapeutic Frameworks and Modalities

Upon completion of the certificate program, nurses are able to sit for the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.

What Type of Career Can I Pursue with an Online Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate?

Nursing is a high-demand field, and nurses who complete their post-master’s certificate in PMHNP are likely to have several career options. Potential job titles include:

Mental Health Treatment Facility Nurse Practitioner: Some facilities cater only to mental health needs. Psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners in these areas may have the opportunity to specialize in a specific area of interest, such as schizophrenia, dual diagnosis, adolescent mental health care, and more.
Rehabilitation Nurse Practitioner: Addiction care facilities offer many opportunities for nurses. At a drug or alcohol rehabilitation facility, a nurse practitioner may see patients, prescribe medications as a part of medication-assisted treatment, work with families to help them understand how they can support their loved one as they begin recovery, and more.
Acute Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner: Mental health care is necessary in all departments of hospitals, but acute care units offer nurses the opportunity to work with patients who are in crisis or are experiencing a severe mental health episode.