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The mission of the School of Nursing is to facilitate the education of students as safe clinicians and leaders. As professional nurses, students are prepared to promote the ability of individuals, families, and communities to attain their highest level of wellness. As leaders, students are consumers of evidence-based practice and advocates for individuals, families, and communities.

The ��㴫ý (��㴫ý) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) provides graduate education for students with an earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The ��㴫ý PMHNP program aims to provide exemplary, accessible education and clinical training for students seeking to become credentialed PMHNP practitioners.

Students in the M.S.N. PMHNP Program will complete a total of forty-six (46) credits and seven-hundred and eighty (780) direct care clinical hours with a qualified PMHNP Preceptor or Psychiatrist. 

The PMHNP role is based on the Scope of Practice of Psychiatric – Mental Health Nursing. Specifically, the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner promoting integrated and comprehensive health and wellness through prevention and education, as well as assessment, diagnosis, care, and treatment of the full range of psychiatric-mental health disorders, across the lifespan. Psychiatric nurses practice transpersonal caring to promote the health and healing of humanity. The practice of PMHNP nursing is both a science and an art, based on evidence and the purposeful use of self and the therapeutic relationship. PMHNPs provide care at to the individual, family, community, and societal levels to promote well-being and quality of life, as well as to sustain positive health outcomes.

The goal of the ��㴫ý (��㴫ý) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) is to prepare PMHNP-APRN graduates to:

Be providers of advanced practice mental health services for persons across the lifespan in in-patient and out-patient rural and urban underserved settings and through demonstrating knowledge, skills, and competencies set forth by the American Nurses Association American Psychiatric Nurses Association Scope and Standards of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice (2022) and the additional competencies for which PMHNP-APRNS and graduate-level prepared nurses are accountable. 

Students who complete the ��㴫ý PMHNP M.S.N. are educated and eligible upon completion of the M.S.N. PMHNP or the Post Master’s Certificate Program to take the (American Nurses Credentialing Certification (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) national certification examination to become credentialed and accountable for functioning within the parameters of their education and training as PMHNPs as well as the scope of practice for PMHNPs as defined by their state practice acts. PMH-APRNs are responsible for making referrals for health problems that are outside their scope of practice.

Academic Criteria

• Students must maintain cumulative and term GPA of 3.0 or greater in all course work.
• Any student receiving a grade below B- on any individual course has failed that course must re-enroll and repeat the course to achieve a grade of B- or better.
• Students may repeat any course in the program once.
• Repeating a course will likely result in a delay in progression and/or program completion.
• Any student who receives a grade of F in one (1) or more more than one course may be subject to dismissal is dismissed from the program.

Department Policies

Attendance Policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the Westbrook College of Health Professions will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the AB term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office.

Leave of Absence 

Students may request a leave of absence from their program for up to one (1) academic year, defined as two (2) consecutive full terms. Requests must be submitted through the student’s assigned enrollment and retention counselor. Please note that the time spent on leave counts toward the overall time allowed to complete the program. During an approved leave of absence, students will be classified as “active/not enrolled”. 

To return from a leave of absence, students must request reinstatement within one (1) academic year. In certain cases, such as medical leaves, students may be required to provide appropriate medical documentation or clearance before returning. Students who do not return within the one (1)-year timeframe will be administratively withdrawn and must follow the readmission process to return. Readmitted students may be subject to the current catalog year, including any updates to program requirements and academic policies. These changes may affect degree requirements, time to completion, and overall academic planning, so careful review is strongly advised. 

Note: It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Enrollment and Retention Counselor and Student Financial Services to indicate a change of plans. Leave of absence time can affect financial aid eligibility and repayment.

Academic Integrity at ��㴫ý

The ��㴫ý values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty, in any form, undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the university community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy. Failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director and Dean of the College and may result in a failing grade on the assignment and a maximum of dismissal from the ��㴫ý. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Cheating, copying, or offering, receiving unauthorized assistance or information*
• Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers, reports, and patient care documents
• Actions that destroy or alter the work of another student
• Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor
• Plagiarism:
  • The appropriation of records
  • Research materials
  • Ideas
  • Language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one’s own.

*The School of Nursing considers the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in these instances as a form of academic dishonesty.

Please refer to the university Division of Student Affairs website for further information.

HIPAA Compliance

Before attending any experiential offering (clinical or community setting), it is mandatory that each nursing student documents yearly completion of the ��㴫ý training program explaining their legal responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Under this regulation, nursing students are permitted to have access to Protected Health Information (PHI) only when observing and performing direct client/patient care as a part of their training and must follow approved HIPAA policies on usage of PHI. More detailed information is available in ��㴫ý's School of Nursing PMHNP Student Handbook and will also be provided by the ��㴫ý HIPAA training program. Students requiring further clarification are referred to the faculty of this course. Students must comply with requirements and expectations for appropriate storage and transmittal of client information. No PHI can leave a covered entity site unless it is de-identified. All HIPAA violations will be reported to the ��㴫ý HIPAA Compliance Officer.

Student Access Center

The ��㴫ý will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students need to register with the Student Access Center and inform their instructors of any academic accommodations. Timely accommodations are dependent on early registration with the Student Access Center. Further information is available through the Division of Student Affairs website. This office is located in the Student Access Center Building on the Biddeford Campus, (207) 602-2119 and Linnell Hall on the Portland Campus, (207) 221-4302.

WCHP Course and Instructor Evaluation Policy

Course and instructor evaluations are important tools providing meaningful feedback to course faculty and evaluation of program outcomes. 

School of Nursing Academic and Progression Standards

Students accepted into the Westbrook College of Health Professions at the ��㴫ý are subject to two (2) sets of academic standards, one (1) to meet minimum qualifications for ongoing enrollment at the ��㴫ý and two (2) to meet specific School of Nursing PMHNP requirements.

Academic Requirements

In keeping with the minimum standards identified in the ��㴫ý student handbook, all students must achieve the minimum cumulative semester-end grade point average to meet University requirements found on the Academic Policy and Regulations catalog page.

• Failure to maintain the required GPA will result in university academic probation as described in the catalog of the ��㴫ý.
• Students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
• Students must comply with requirements for attendance and professionalism (See Technical Standards, ANA Code of Conduct, NSNA Code of Academic and Clinical Conduct).
• Students must acknowledge and comply with the policies stated in ��㴫ý and Nursing Student Handbooks.
• Students must receive a minimum of a B- in the clinical or experiential setting for each nursing course with a clinical/experiential component. A final evaluation resulting in any designation less than a B- for the clinical/experiential component, regardless of the grade in the classroom/didactic component of the course. Failure to obtain a minimum overall grade of B- in any nursing course necessitates that the student repeats the course to achieve the minimum grade a maximum of one (1) time.
• A student may enroll in nursing courses a maximum of two (2) times. Enrollment consists of receiving a letter grade. Receiving a W from a course is not considered being officially enrolled. A student may not withdraw (W) more than twice from a course without program approval.*

*Course Withdrawal Process

• Students who wish to withdraw from a course must consult their advisor and are encouraged to discuss their withdrawal with their instructor. To officially withdraw from the course, the withdrawal form should be completed and returned to the Registrar’s Office before the last day to withdraw.
  • Ceasing to attend classes or notifying the instructor does not constitute an official withdrawal.
• Late Withdrawal: Requests to withdraw from a course after the deadline will only be considered in extreme circumstances.
  • A student must consult with their advisor or program/academic director and submit a completed Academic Petition stating the extenuating circumstances and a letter of support for consideration. Late withdrawal petitions must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the last day of the class.
• Grade: A course withdrawal during the withdrawal period results in a grade of W, which appears on a student’s official transcript. The grade does not impact the term or cumulative GPA.
• Eligibility: Withdrawing from a course may affect athletic eligibility, veterans’ benefits, visa status, or financial aid. Please consult with the appropriate office regarding the implications of withdrawing from a course on your eligibility.

Dismissal from the Program

A student may be dismissed from the nursing program for one (1) or more of the following:

• Violations of the academic integrity policies.
• Failure to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
• Failure to achieve a grade of B- or higher in any nursing course after a prior failure to achieve a satisfactory/passing grade in the same course.
• A criminal background finding which results in clinical partner refusal to admit to the facility for clinical education.
• Discovery of falsification or omission of clinical background information on the application for admission.
• Failure to disclose pertinent criminal activity during course of enrollment in nursing program.
• Professional misconduct, including unsafe and unacceptable conduct, as stated in the Nursing Student Handbook (Technical Standards, University Academic Integrity Policy, ANA Code of Conduct, NSNA Code of Academic and Clinical Conduct).

Students dismissed from the nursing program related to academic deficiencies (low GPA, second failure of a nursing course) may file an Academic Appeal through an Academic Petition. Students must follow proper steps identified in the university student handbook.

Once submitted for review, faculty will submit their recommendation to the Director of the School of Nursing PMHNP program regarding the decision on readmission to the nursing program. 

Technical Standards

Technical standards consist of functional abilities essential for the delivery of safe and effective nursing care. These basic abilities make up the core components of nursing practice. An increased risk of untoward consequences may result in clients cared for by nursing students who fail to demonstrate these functional abilities. In compliance with state and federal laws, nursing education programs must attend to these essential functional abilities in the teaching and evaluation of students preparing for the practice of nursing. This statement of technical standards identifies the functional abilities deemed by the graduate nursing faculty at the ��㴫ý to be essential to the practice of nursing, and as such, are reflected in the requirement for satisfactory progression through the program and in the performance-based outcomes which are the basis for teaching and evaluating all nursing students. The technical standards can be found in the School of Nursing PMHNP Student Handbook.

M.S.N.-Specific Learning Outcomes

These collective guidelines, standards, value statements, and competencies informed the development of the M.S.N. end-of-program student learning outcomes and serve to guide the curriculum. The eight (8) M.S.N. end-of-program student learning outcomes are as presented below:

At the conclusion of the PMHNP M.S.N. program, the student will be able to:

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to inform high-quality, person-centered nursing practice, education, and research.
2. Advance continuous quality improvement strategies to foster cultures of patient safety, workplace well-being, and system effectiveness.
3. Apply a systematic and scientific approach to address practice-related problems across diverse clinical settings.
4. Utilize information and communication technologies to deliver care, coordinate services, and analyze data to improve patient, population, and system outcomes.
5. Engage in advocacy and policy development to promote achievement of equitable health outcomes, cost containment, and to advance the profession of nursing.
6. Demonstrate advanced interprofessional communication and collaborative leadership skills to foster teamwork and positive clinical outcomes.
7. Appraise social, cultural, economic, legal, ethical, and political factors which inform person- centered and population-focused care.
8. Appraise professional responsibilities and ethical conduct characteristic of advanced practice nursing.

PMHNP Specific Learning Outcomes

In addition to the eight (8) M.S.N. end-of-program student learning outcomes, there are ��㴫ý’s five (5) PMHNP role-specific end-of-program student learning outcomes for the program that students in the PMHNP M.S.N. and PMHNP Post Master’s Certificate programs must meet.

At the conclusion of the program, the student will be able to meet the following five (5) PMHNP role-specific end-of-program student learning outcomes for the program:

1. Provide holistic mental health care inclusive of comprehensive assessment, diagnostic reasoning, treatment planning, psychopharmacology, and delivery of therapeutics with populations across the life span.
2. Evaluate patient outcomes and revise treatment plans using individual and aggregated data, clinician expertise, patient preference, and best practice evidence.
3. Appraise the legal, ethical, and cultural care considerations in the role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
4. Engage patients, families, and communities in health promotion, disease prevention, risk assessment, and risk reduction strategies through psychoeducation and resilience training across the lifespan.
5. Synthesize mental health theories and research, clinical practice guidelines, and evidence-based practice using a scientific and ethical framework.

Transfer credits for courses completed prior to application to the ��㴫ý PMHNP M.S.N. or PMHNP Post Master’s Certificate will be reviewed and determined on an individual student case-by-case basis.

For example, applicants wishing to transfer the three courses of Advanced (Lifespan) Physical Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology, and/or Advanced Pathophysiology must provide evidence of meeting the following criteria: 

• NSG 500 — Advanced Pharmacology
• NSG 505 — Advanced Pathophysiology
• NSG 510 — Advanced (Lifespan) Physical Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

Transfer course requirements:

• Must be listed as separate course on the transcripts and part of an advanced practice licensure program.
• The course description and course syllabus must have specific language that the course is both graduate level and part of an advanced practice licensure program.
• Students must have earned a grade of B- (2.65) or better in each of these three (3) courses. 

Admission Criteria

• Students must provide the following:
• Proof the applicant holds an active, unencumbered RN license from an authorized state
• A current resume or CV
  • Applicants are encouraged to have some level of psychiatric nursing experience, whether through courses in undergraduate work or experience in the field of psychiatric nursing. Students should outline their experience with the field in their resume or essay.
• Official copy of nursing degree transcript from an ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution.
  • BSN is required
    • A recommended GPA of 2.65 or higher
• Goal Statement

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other program expenses include books, special laboratory fees, and housing during the on-campus immersion, in Year 2. For more detailed information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog. 

Financial AID

Detailed information and applications are available on request from the Financial Aid Office. Call (207) 602-2342 or visit the Financial Aid website.