PhD in Nursing Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Fairfield University, renowned for its dedication to academic excellence, ethical values, and a strong commitment to social justice, Fairfield offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields. At Fairfield University, the integration of a Jesuit education with academic pursuits is central to its mission. The university's emphasis on critical thinking, ethical leadership, and community engagement creates a dynamic learning environment that prepares students to navigate complex challenges in their future careers. With a dedicated faculty and a vibrant campus culture, Fairfield fosters an atmosphere where students can excel academically and personally. Through its commitment to academic rigor, values-driven education, and a dedication to making a positive impact on the world, Fairfield University prepares graduates to become ethical leaders who contribute to their communities and the broader society while upholding the Jesuit values of cura personalis (care for the whole person) and a commitment to the greater good.

Fairfield University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) is a clinically focused doctoral degree. The PMHNP is the only advanced practice specialty that prepares nurses to assess, diagnose and treat acute and chronic psychiatric disorders in children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. Students develop competency in leading therapeutic groups, crisis and case management, prescribing psychotropic medications and conducting psychotherapy. This program is designed to meet the national competencies for PMHNP set forth by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). Students learn to evaluate and apply existing evidence to improve practice outcomes. Taught as a cohort program, students are educated in the fundamental skills necessary to make a difference in healthcare: population-level healthcare, organizational systems, leadership, business management, clinical scholarship, information technology, and policy-making. With this knowledge, DNP PMHNP graduates are prepared for leadership roles in a variety of settings some of which include academia, inpatient psychiatry, psychiatric emergency rooms, outpatient community health centers, integrated behavioral health, home care, substance abuse, skilled and extended care nursing facilities, juvenile and criminal justice, emergency or crisis, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitals, federal facilities, and private practice. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program at Fairfield University Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This program was the first PMHNP program in Connecticut and one of the first in the U.S.