Bradley Launches Online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Programs

Beginning in the fall 2021 semester, Bradley University's Department of Nursing will launch a new Advanced Practice Nursing degree track to prepare Registered Nurses to become Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP).

PMHNPs play a vital role within the healthcare community by helping clients cope with psychiatric disorders. Using a holistic approach to deliver care, Bradley University’s PMHNP curriculum will prepare students to use psychotherapy to diagnose and treat mental health illnesses such as mood disorders, addiction, substance abuse, anxiety and depression.

In the U.S., almost one in every five individuals has a mental health illness and the need for patient help continues to outpace the number of qualified providers in the field, according to Dr. Jessica Clark, Associate Dean and Director of the Bradley University Department of Nursing.

“The pandemic has only amplified this gap in resources,” said Clark. “We hope our new PMHNP programs offer students the flexibility of returning to school to combat the mental health shortages within their own communities. We need providers in every area of the country, particularly those within rural settings where little to no access to mental health treatment exists.”

Graduates of the program are eligible for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric–Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Board Certification (PMHNP-BC). Program offerings include tracks in RN-MSN, MSN, BSN-DNP and Post-Master's Certificates.

The PMHNP program is delivered asynchronously and entirely online as part of the suite of programs Bradley offers for advanced nursing certifications. For more information about the PMHNP or our other degree offerings, visit our website at https://www.bradley.edu/academic/departments/nur/.

Bradley offers several other advanced degree online programs including programs in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration and Doctor of Nursing Practice with FNP and Leadership concentrations.