To qualify for entrance to an MSN psychiatric nurse practitioner program, you must already have a bachelor's degree of nursing from an accredited nursing program. In addition, many graduate programs, such as Allen College and Drexel University, require a GPA of at least 3.0 for your undergraduate coursework for acceptance into their MSN programs. You must also have a current registered nurse license, required for the practical clinical MSN training. Some schools may also recommend you have particular recent work experience, such as in acute care or mental health. Many schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, also require completion of at least one undergraduate statistics course to qualify for admission to an MSN program.
Coursework for an MSN psychiatric nurse practitioner degree program includes both core MSN classes and well as those specifically for psychiatric nurse practitioner students. The MSN core curriculum includes courses such as professional roles in advanced practice nursing, theoretical foundations of nursing practice, policy and finance of health care, advanced pharmacology and pathophysiology, health promotion and disease prevention, and advanced nursing research. Examples of psychiatric nurse practitioner-specific required courses include psychiatric management, pathogenesis of mental health disorders across the lifespan, psychopharmacology, cognitive behavior strategies in health care, mental health and aging, and loss, grief and bereavement.
The clinical practicum component of the psychiatric nurse practitioner program is as integral to completion of the MSN degree as the coursework. Psychiatric nurse practitioner students must complete up to 20 credit hours in practice training before completion of the MSN program. Under supervision, students receive training in advanced psychiatric mental health nursing practice, providing care to children, teenagers and their families, adults, as well as elderly adults and their families in different health care settings. These may include hospitals, family practice, sleep disorder clinics, mental health crisis centers, addiction treatment facilities, and long-term care centers. The practical training helps nurses to hone their clinical assessment skills and develop their diagnostic and decision-making abilities.