At Franklin, you’ll become an APRN equipped with the capabilities to diagnose acute, episodic and chronic mental health illnesses and provide treatment options that include medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two.
Through Franklin’s DNP-PMHNP, you’ll gain an essential understanding of cognitive processes, behaviors, and how life events affect the mental health of patients.
Progress quickly with practicum hours and a scholarly project embedded within the program
Franklin’s DNP-PMHNP track combines learning and practicum hours to accelerate the completion of your degree program to about 3 years for RNs with an MSN. If you take advantage of Franklin’s BSN to DNP pathway, you’ll be able to complete the program in 4 years.
Designed for the busy, working nurse and aligned to address the existing mental health crises, online courses will challenge and advance your skills. Even better, you’ll make the most of your time because our online Doctor of Nursing practice degree features course-based practicum.
For the DNP with PMHNP concentration, you’ll apply and demonstrate your competency for a total of 1,100 practicum and clinical hours, starting with your major area courses, continuing through your DNP seminar courses and PMHNP clinical hours. Eligible MSN-holders may be able to transfer up to 500 practicum hours and up to 12 credit hours in coursework. BSN to DNP students who complete the required bridge courses can earn up to 125 practicum hours for those courses.
Be a high-achieving APRN with a scholarly approach to bridging mental health gaps
Prepare yourself for an advanced role as a nurse practitioner by earning a clinical doctorate and completing a DNP scholarly project using evidence-based practice that leads to a problem-solving intervention. Throughout the program you’ll engage in simulated and live patient experiences that mimic clinical practice for a seamless transition into the PMHNP role upon certification.
Embedded with an evidence-based change model used by a top-ranked health system, Franklin’s DNP program is rooted in evidence- and systems-based quality improvement and clinical practice, application and translation. You’ll study in several distinct areas, including major area courses, DNP seminar courses and concentrated Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) courses. Built-in learning outcomes mean you are evaluated and measured as you progress through your program of study.
Succeed by pairing an in-demand DNP degree with a therapeutic communication style
Demand is rising for the profession’s highest clinical credential: the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Franklin’s DNP program lets you rise up to meet emerging professional standards of nursing, all the while practicing the techniques and testing quality improvement frameworks and theories you learn along the way.
The DNP-PMHNP mental health assessment lab enables you to hone your skills in observation, interviewing, mental health assessments and screening mechanisms as treatment modalities for individual, group and family psychotherapy. Build your familiarity with the most current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM 5), and you’ll learn to formulate a differential diagnosis and pair it with age-appropriate, evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment.
Earn your DNP degree from a university built for busy adults
Earn your DNP degree on your terms by taking classes 100% online. Accredited and nonprofit, Franklin was built from the ground-up to satisfy the needs of adult learners. Our seamless transfer process and team of academic advisors will help ease your transition to becoming a student, while our flexible course schedules help to balance your education with work, family and life. Get started on your future today.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Franklin University are pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
As part of the initial accreditation for the programs, Franklin University hosted an on-site evaluation in September 2022. Franklin anticipates receiving CCNE’s accreditation decision for the programs in Spring 2023.