MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with a major in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at Indiana Wesleyan University, School of Nursing, prepares registered nurses as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP)  for independent and interprofessional clinical practice to treat psychiatric mental health conditions of people across the lifespan. Students learn decision making and direct accountability for diagnosing and treating individuals with psychiatric mental health and co-occurring medical conditions. Students accrue a minimum of 525 practicum hours, and attend an onsite course in advanced health assessment and two intensives. Those who earn this MSN degree are eligible to test for certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Upon completion of this program, students should be able to:

• Provide care for diverse populations with psychiatric mental health needs.

• Treat individuals with psychiatric mental health conditions across the lifespan.

• Collaborate with interprofessional healthcare teams and community organizations to provide care for individuals with multiple health needs.

• Serve as an advocate for vulnerable populations with psychiatric mental health conditions.

• Address the spiritual needs of the psychiatric mental health patient/client.

Admission Requirements

Admission to all Masters Nursing majors begins with submission of required application forms, letters of recommendation, and official transcripts of previous college and university studies.  Acceptance into any Masters Nursing program will remain valid for a period of 18 months.

To assist in the decision-making process, the Division of Masters Nursing reserves the right to require the applicant to:

• Interview; and/or
• Take the GRE.

Criteria for regular admission are:

• B.S.N. or B.S. degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program. Registered Nurse applicants who have a non-nursing bachelor's degree and a minimum of ten years of recent experience in nursing practice may also be considered for admission by Portfolio. These candidates may submit a Portfolio which includes a current CV/resume including evidence of accomplishments in nursing based on The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice.
• Undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from the baccalaureate degree granting institution at which at least a minimum of 30 hours was completed.
• Proof that all nursing licenses – whether current or inactive – are unencumbered. Potential students with encumbered nursing licenses will not be considered eligible for enrollment at Indiana Wesleyan University.
• All applicants must provide three letters of professional reference. References should be from faculty members, professional colleagues, work supervisors or a pastor who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for success in a graduate program. Recommendations from family members are NOT appropriate. These letters should be solicited from professionals who can address the applicant’s qualifications for the MSN or doctoral programs.
• Original transcript from the degree granting institution.
• At least one year of professional practice. Students applying for admission to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing program must have 500 hours of direct contact and/or care for patients within the year prior to admission.
• A criminal history background check (at the student's expense) must be completed before registration for any track of the Masters Nursing program. Letters of acceptance from the Division of Masters Nursing will include instructions for completing the criminal background check. The criminal background check must be completed no earlier than two weeks before the beginning of the first course. A second criminal background check and drug screen (at the student's expense) will be required for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing students no earlier than two weeks before the first practicum course begins. Instructions for the second criminal background check and drug screen will be sent to students by the Division of Masters Nursing. Progression in the program may depend on the results of these checks.

Program Requirements 

• All courses must be successfully completed in the sequence prescribed by the program's requirements.  Failure to successfully complete a course will result in an administrative withdrawal from the program.
• Any student found to have falsified clinical/practicum hours will be immediately dismissed and not allowed to re-enter any Masters Nursing program at IWU.
• Students must meet all practicum agency requirements.  Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing students must have health clearance and documentation of TB, Rubella, MMR, flu vaccine, and Hepatitis B and meet any other requirements of the practicum site before any client contact.  A second criminal background check and drug screen (at the student's expense) will be required for all Nurse Practitioner students prior to the first practicum course. Progression in the program is dependent on the results of the reports.
• Students who maintain continuous enrollment, who make normal progress toward a degree, and who earn their degree within the major program's maximum time from the date of enrollment may meet the graduation requirements as stated in the catalog under which they enrolled.
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing students will be academically dismissed upon receipt of a second unsatisfactory grade.
• Students must maintain an RN license that is active and unencumbered at all times during
  enrollment in the program. Students must have a valid unencumbered RN license in the state(s) of the practicum sites. If students have multiple state licenses, all must be unencumbered. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the School of Nursing if the status of his or her RN license changes. Students will be administratively withdrawn from the program at any point if this status is not maintained.

Re-enrollment Policy for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Majors

Any Nurse Practitioner student who is out of class for more than six months must meet the following criteria to continue in the program:

• If a student is out of a nurse practitioner program for more than six months, the student must take and achieve an 87% on the track specific competency exam(s) for advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment.
• The Advanced Physical Assessment exam is only offered onsite. The student will be required to conduct a complete history and physical on a client, including written documentation.
• If the student does not pass the appropriate competency exam(s) with a minimum score of 87%, s/he will be required to audit the pertinent course(s) and satisfactorily pass the appropriate competency exam(s) before being allowed to re-enroll in the Masters Nursing program.
• The student requesting to re-enroll is responsible to pay for each competency exam and course audit.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of all core, major, and clinical requirements for the specific program.
• Minimum grade of "C" in each core (GNUR prefix) course and "B" in each major course.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.00.
• The MSN  degree programs must be completed within a maximum of four years from the date of enrollment.
• Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing - Program of Study

All courses must be completed with a satisfactory grade in order to continue in the program.

Core Courses

All core courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.

GNUR-501	Evidence Based Communication	3
GNUR-510	Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
GNUR-525	Ethics and Health Policy	3
GNUR-528	Biostatistics and Epidemiology	3
GNUR-530	Utilization of Research for Evidence Based Practice	3

Major Courses

All major courses must be completed with a grade of "B" or higher.

PMHN-513	Introduction to Interprofessional Practice for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner	1
PYC-602	Professional Role Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse	2
PYC-614	Advanced Pathophysiology	4
PYC-612	Advanced Pharmacology	4
PMHN-620	Neuro-Psychopharmacology	2
PMHN-652	Advanced Health Status Assessment for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner	4
PMHN-622	Diagnostic Reasoning	2
PMHN-630	Psychotherapeutic Modalities Across the Lifespan I	5
PMHN-640	Psychotherapeutic Modalities Across the Lifespan II	5
PMHN-650	Psychotherapeutic Modalities Across the Lifespan III	5
PMHN-693	Interprofessional Development for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner	1