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Nursing Field Experience:
6645 (PMHNP)

Program Outcomes

At the end of the MSN and Post-MSN APRN programs, students will be able to:

  • Synthesize organizational/systems leadership for cost-effective specialist nursing practice that contributes to high-quality healthcare delivery, advancement of the nursing profession, and social change.
  • Critique evidence-based literature drawing from diverse theoretical perspectives and pertinent research to guide decision making that demonstrates best practices for specialist nursing practice in a global society.
  • Integratively assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate cost-effective healthcare strategies that reduce health disparities by patient/population advocacy for access to specialist nursing care.
  • Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate using audience-specific oral, written, and information technology for professional delivery of specialist nursing care.
  • Evaluate health needs of diverse populations for necessary teaching/coaching functions based on specialist nursing knowledge to restore/promote health and prevent illness/injury.
  • Exhibit ongoing commitment to professional development and value of nursing theories/ethical principles (altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, social justice) in accordance with ethically responsible, legally accountable, specialist nursing practice.
  • Implement specialist nursing roles to promote quality improvement of patient-centered care in accordance with professional practice standards that transform health outcomes for diverse populations.

For the nurse practitioner programs, the College of Nursing uses the following guidelines and standards to inform the curriculum and professional behavior:

  • The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011)
  • The Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 2017)
  • Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, 2016)
  • Guide to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2015)
  • Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA, 2015)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Overview

Students in the PMHNP specialization engage in a wide range of mental health services including psychopharmacology and psychotherapy across the lifespan provided to patients, families, and groups in a variety of settings. The PMHNP content focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychological and substance use disorders and PMHNP role development.

PMHNP Clinical Checklist

General MSN Preceptor Requirements

Preceptor Requirements

Preceptors must be academically and experientially qualified to serve as a preceptor.  Preceptors must meet the preceptor requirements to be eligible to be approved as a preceptor.   Once a preceptor is identified, students must communicate with their potential preceptor and determine if the individual meets the requirements for their practicum course. 

Instructions on how to nominate a preceptor are provided in Section 6: Practicum Approval Process.
Students should contact the Office of Field Experience with questions about qualifications and requirements of preceptors and practicum sites.   

Note: Walden discourages students from paying preceptors, practicum sites, or site placement agencies, due to conflicts of interest that can arise.

Preceptor Requirements

Prior to approval, the nominated preceptor’s experience, education, licensure and certification (if applicable) is verified and reviewed along with the Preceptor Commitment Form by the Office of Field Experience. The specialization coordinator gives final approval of preceptor nominees. 

NOTE:  These are general preceptor requirements for all specializations and courses.  Some state boards of nursing have specific requirements for preceptors and practicum.  Students must check with their state board of nursing for specific practicum requirements of preceptors to ensure students are meeting their state board of nursing requirements along with Walden requirements.  

Approval of the preceptor is based on the following criteria:

  • General Requirements:

    • The preceptor has a minimum of one year of postgraduate unsupervised experience, based upon the original date of licensure for licensed practitioners. Their current job role must be relevant to the NP specialization. 

    • The preceptor is able and willing to commit to the preceptor role for the practicum experience.

    • The preceptor is employed at the practicum site where practicum takes place.

    • The preceptor is not the student's relative, family member, fiancé, roommate, significant other, personal friend, or primary care provider, and does not have any other relationship that would create an actual or perceived conflict of interest.

    • The preceptor is not the student's direct or immediate supervisor and does not report directly to the student.

    • The preceptor must not be a current Walden nurse practitioner student.

    • The preceptor has not reached the maximum number of approved students for the 1:1 preceptor to student on-site direct supervision ratio during the term.  Students must confirm with their preceptor that they will be the only student the preceptor will precept during the practicum experience.

  • Course-Specific Requirements: See the “Course-Specific Preceptor, Site and Practicum Requirements” section to review specific requirements for each nurse practitioner practicum course.

  • Educational Level Requirement: Preceptors must have the education degree.  
    Preceptors must also meet the educational level requirements for the specific practicum course.  See the “Course-Specific Preceptor, Site and Practicum Requirements” section to review specific education requirements for each practicum course. 

  • General Educational level requirements include:

    • AGACNP, AGPCNP, FNP, PNP: holds a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing.
    • PMHNP or Psychiatrist: holds a master’s or doctoral degree in area of practice and licensed to practice in their specialty.
    • MD or DO: holds an earned doctoral degree.
    • PA: holds a master’s or doctoral degree.
    • Psychiatrist: holds an earned doctoral degree in area of practice, licensed and board-certified in psychiatry.
    • Psychologist: holds an earned doctoral degree.
    • Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Professional Counselor; or other appropriately licensed/certified mental health professional: holds a master’s degree in the area of mental health.
  • Licensure & Certification Requirements: Preceptors must have an active, unencumbered license to practice in the particular area of specialization and in the specific state where practicum will occur and where the patients are located. Preceptors must also meet the licensure and certification requirements for the specific practicum course.  See the “Course-Specific Preceptor, Site and Practicum Requirements” section to review specific licensure and compliance requirements for each practicum course.
  • General Licensing and Certification Preceptor Requirements Include: 
    • Nurse Practitioners: The preceptor is currently a registered nurse to practice as an NP in the particular area of specialization. The preceptor has national certification in an area of advanced practice nursing specialization (i.e., FNP; AGACNP; AGPCNP; PMHNP; certified nurse midwife [CNM]; adult, women’s health, or pediatric NP).
    • MD or DO: The preceptor is licensed as an MD or DO to practice medicine in the particular area of specialization.
    • PA: The preceptor is licensed as a physician’s assistant.
    • Psychiatrists: The preceptor is licensed as an MD or DO to practice medicine and is board-certified in psychiatry.
    • Psychologist: The preceptor is licensed as a psychologist.
    • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Professional Counselor, or other appropriately licensed/certified mental health professional: The preceptor is licensed by the appropriate state board in the particular area of specialization.

More information: Preceptor to Student Ratio

If it is found that a student’s preceptor is a supervisor, direct report, relative, family member, fiancé, roommate, significant other, personal friend or primary care provider, the practicum hours will be rejected and not counted toward the practicum hour requirement. If a student utilizes a preceptor inappropriately as noted above, this may lead to an academic integrity violation up to and including dismissal from the university. Students are responsible for nominating preceptors that fully meet all requirements for preceptors.

Note: Please refer to the “Course Specific Requirements” section for more course-specific requirements for preceptors.

Important Note for Preceptor and Site Requirements

To learn the role of the nurse practitioner, it is required that at least two preceptors be NPs in an area of practice clearly relevant to meeting the objectives of the NP program/specialty. The two NP preceptors must cover two separate practicum courses. Having two NP preceptors for one course does not meet this requirement. Following are additional preceptor requirements:

  • Students may only use the same preceptor for two of their four practicum courses.
  • Students cannot use the same preceptor at the same practicum site when they are doubling up practicum courses during the same quarter.
  • Physicians (MDs, DOs) and physician assistants (PAs) may serve as preceptors but must be credentialed and licensed to practice in the population-focused and/or specialty area of practice in the state where the practicum will occur. In addition, this area of practice should be clearly relevant to meeting the course objectives of the student’s NP program and meet the course specific guidelines. Students are not allowed to use MDs or PAs for all four courses as at least two preceptors must be NPs.
  • Special notes about Physician Assistants (PAs) as preceptors:
    • PAs do not count as meeting the requirement of having two NPs as preceptors.
    • PAs may not serve as preceptors in the PMHNP program.
    • PAs may not serve as preceptors in some states due to specific state board of nursing regulations. Students should verify with their state Board of Nursing for requirements. Examples of some states that do not allow PAs as preceptors:  Alaska, Arizona, Florida, and Alabama.
    • Preceptors who are an APRN or MD/DO are the best options. However, if you are considering using a PA or other professional as a preceptor, it is helpful to contact your Board of Nursing and the Office of Field Experience to determine whether the preceptor is acceptable.

    Note: Approval of the preceptor must occur prior to the student starting the practicum course and logging hours. Students cannot begin logging practicum hours until their practicum application is fully approved, and they have been registered for the course.

Course Specific Requirements

PRAC 6645: Psychotherapy With Multiple Modalities

  • Types of Patients: Patients receiving care for psychiatric and substance-use disorders, across the lifespan, to include children, adolescents, adults, and older adults*
  • Types of Services: Psychotherapy with each of the three populations to include individuals, groups, and families
  • Possible Preceptor Choices: Licensed clinical social worker, license mental health counselor/professional counselor, licensed psychologist, other appropriately licensed mental health professionals if the license requires a minimum of a master’s degree in the area of mental health and the preceptor is licensed to practice independently (not supervised) and provide clinical psychotherapy services with multiple modalities.
    Note: Every state has different license categories for mental health professionals, so students should be aware of the different license categories in the state and verify the qualifications with the Office of Field Experience prior to nominating a preceptor if there are questions regarding the qualifications. The licensee must have completed supervised clinical experience as part of the requirements along with a master’s or doctoral degree in the area of practice within the field of mental health. 

Some state boards of nursing only allow for APRNs and/or MDs to serve as preceptors. We recommend students to check with their state board of nursing for requirements of preceptors (e.g. Alaska, Arizona, Pennsylvania, etc.). If a state board of nursing only allows for APRNs and/or MDs to be preceptors, PMHNP and Psychiatrists are permitted as preceptors ONLY if they provide psychotherapy and not supportive therapy with medication management.  Psychiatric evaluation and medication management sessions are not encounters permitted for this course. Psychotherapy practices must include multiple psychotherapy modalities under the definition of billable psychotherapy per Medicare guidelines. 

  • Possible Site Choices: Psychiatric private practice; community psychiatric and/or counseling center; crisis center; drug/alcohol rehabilitation center; college counseling center; behavioral health employee assistance program (EAP) sites; assisted living/Alzheimer’s facility; psychiatric inpatient hospital or specialty psychiatric-/substance-use care facility; jails/prison under behavioral health treatment providers; long-term care; hospice; palliative care; or any other site where students have access to all three (individual, families, and groups), across the lifespan, for psychotherapy interventions (to be determined on an individual basis)*
  • Nonacceptable Sites: Any form of community and/or home visits
  • Nonacceptable Preceptors: PMHNP, Psychiatrist, FNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP or any other NP, PAs, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, or social workers that do not hold a valid state license to conduct clinical services for psychotherapy, Other nonacceptable preceptors include:  
    • No practitioners who are “spiritual” or “religious-based” counselors will NOT be permitted unless they possess a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and are licensed to provide psychotherapy services in their state 
    • No practitioners who have graduate-, associate-, or intern-level licenses are not acceptable preceptors because they are not practicing as unsupervised practitioners. If required to be supervised as part of their licensure requirement, they are not an acceptable preceptor. 

Note: No preceptors who are “spiritual” or “religious-based” counselors will be permitted unless they possess a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and are licensed to provide psychotherapy services in their state.
Also Note: Practitioners who have graduate-, associate-, or intern-level licenses are not acceptable preceptors because they are not practicing as unsupervised practitioners. If required to be supervised as part of their licensure requirement, they are not an acceptable preceptor.

  • Requirements: 160 hours; a minimum of 80 patient encounters are required (these are minimums, not maximums, you must log every hour and every patient encounter for PRAC for accountability and legal reasons) 
    Note: Of those minimum 80 encounters, students must see at least 5 pediatric patients, 5 adolescent patients, 5 adult patients, and 5 older adult patients. Students must be in a practicum setting for a minimum of 8 weeks to ensure varied learning experiences. 

No minimums are set for individuals, groups, and families sessions conducted but you must have experience documented with all three categories for individuals, groups and family sessions. 

*Students must be able to see patients across the lifespan to include children, adolescents, adults, and older adults AND all three individuals, families, and groups. (Ages for categories:  Children 0-12, Adolescents 13-17, Adults 18-64, and Older Adults 65+) If the primary preceptor only sees one age range or population, a secondary preceptor will be needed in order to complete the requirements for the PRAC/PRCM experiences. Sometimes this can be another provider in the same office as the primary preceptor. Or multiple sites may be required to see the types of patients and services required for this course. Students would need each preceptor and/or practicum site approved applications. 

PMHNP Course Sequence

NRNP/DRNP & PRAC/PRCM 6635: Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning

  • Must complete first.
  • Cannot take concurrently with any other didactic (NRNP) or practicum (PRAC) course. 

NRNP/DRNP & PRAC/PRCM 6645: Psychotherapy With Multiple Modalities

  • Must be taken second.
  • Cannot take concurrently with any other didactic (NRNP)or practicum (PRAC) course.

NRNP/DRNP & PRAC/PRCM 6665: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Care Across the Lifespan I

  • Must be taken third.
  • Cannot take concurrently with any other didactic (NRNP) or practicum (PRAC) course.

NRNP/DRNP & PRAC/PRCM 6675: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Care Across the Lifespan II

  • Must be final course.
  • Cannot take concurrently with any other didactic (NRNP)or practicum (PRAC) course.