The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) College of Nursing and Health Sciences has announced a new mental health nurse practitioner program aimed at addressing the mental health challenges in Texas. The Master of Science in Nursing–Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program was recently approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The new program will be offered primarily online with facilitation of clinical experiences taking place in students’ local communities. Program curriculum will highlight telehealth, mobile medical clinic management and disaster management, and provide rural health clinic opportunities so students can effectively prepare to meet the healthcare needs of vulnerable populations with limited resources.
Dr. Yong “Tai” Wang, UT Tyler College of Nursing and Health Sciences dean, tells jacksonvilleprogress.com, “As has been well documented, forecasts are predicting significant increases in psychiatric/mental health care needs. Rural areas will be even more at risk due to the misdistribution of health providers who choose to live and work in urban locations. The Master of Science in Nursing-Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree will meet a crucial need in East Texas and the state.”
The PMHNP program will prepare students to diagnose and treat common psychiatric disorders across the lifespan and offer short-term psychotherapy. Graduates will have advanced physical assessment skills, including being able to administer prescriptive psychotropic medications, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, case management, and consultation.
With more than 500,000 Texans suffering from serious and persistent mental illness and one in five Texans experiencing a mental health condition each year, the PMHNP degree is uniquely prepared to bridge the gap between physical and mental health care.
To learn more about the new mental health nurse practitioner program being offered at UT Tyler to address a critical need in the state, visit here.
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