A mental health, substance abuse and addiction crisis has been sweeping the nation in recent years, requiring an influx of clinicians educated to treat mental illness. To that end, the URI College of Nursing has introduced a new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner master’s program.

The program’s purpose is to educate psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners capable of providing psychiatric mental health care to individuals and families in a variety of  settings. The program will allow students to qualify to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam.

The program, which is based at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center in Providence, will offer such classes as psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, neuro-psychopharmacology, and integrated treatment for individuals throughout the lifespan, along with clinical practice in area hospitals, community health centers and private practices. The curriculum consists of courses totaling 49 semester credit hours. Of these, 14 credits are in nursing core courses consisting of philosophy and theories in nursing practice, research, leadership, and role development. Students also get course work in the pharmacotherapeutics of psychotropic medications. In addition, 26 credits in the area of psychiatric mental health and related courses are required. The program culminates with a written comprehensive examination.

The program will help fill a vital need in the health care community, according to Professor Ginette Ferszt, a psychiatric nurse who completed a needs assessment that garnered unanimous support in the mental health community for the program.

“We’re seeing a real gap in the need for psychiatric mental health care and the availability of mental health nurse practitioners in the field,” Ferszt said. “More and more people are presenting with mental health issues, and there is often a long wait time, sending people to emergency rooms, which is very costly. Going forward, there is a clear need to develop nurses who will be able to conduct psychiatric assessments across the lifespan, diagnose and offer a variety of treatment options. Clearly, there is a very large need in the community.”

Click here for more information on the program and how to apply.