How to Become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

1. Become an RN

The first step to becoming a PMHNP is to work as an RN—if you don’t already (if you do, go ahead and skip to step 2).

Do I need to be an RN to become a PMHNP?

You are required to have a registered nurse license to become a PMHNP.

Education and employment requirements may vary depending on the state in which you practice. You may not need to be a registered nurse to qualify for enrollment into some entry level nurse practitioner programs. These programs will educate you as a nurse eligible for the NCLEX and then proceed with education as a PMHNP. Upon graduation and during the job search, you may find that some employers may require a minimum amount of RN experience from job applicants prior to practicing as a PMHNP.

Reasons it’s worth starting as an RN

Beginning your nursing career as an RN, as opposed to committing to the graduate-level PMHNP pathway from square 1, has practical benefits, including increased eligibility for a wide variety of PMHNP programs and opportunity for certification/licensure.

For instance, in order to apply for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification (PMHNP-BC) and become board certified, you will need to hold a current, active RN license in the U.S.

If you are currently not in nursing and/or hold a non-nursing degree, you may find it’s hard to go right from non-nursing to PMHNP. Some schools offer “direct entry” programs which may not require you to hold a nursing degree or RN license. However, availability can be limited, and the scope of these programs can be very demanding over a short time period. Direct entry programs aren’t right for everyone.

There’s a lot you can learn by first becoming an RN. You’ll learn the fundamentals of nursing through both your undergraduate education and direct experience on the job, becoming more familiar with how healthcare practitioners work together to deliver patient care. You’ll discover your strengths and weaknesses and develop a clearer understanding of what career path is right for you.

As a registered nurse, you will also have the benefit of working in the healthcare environment and continue earning while you learn.

You may find your calling outside of psychiatry or mental health—or earn valuable experience and skills you can leverage into a very successful career as a PMHNP.

All programs can be completed online, and you can potentially lower the cost by transferring college credit from prior coursework.

4. Complete clinicals

Your preparation to work as a PMHNP goes beyond academic classes. Practical training and experience are key components of your education.

One of the eligibility requirements for PMHNP-BC exam is a minimum of 540 faculty-supervised clinical hours as part of your PMHNP program.ⁱ

We believe the best preparation for an advanced practice role is real, prescriptive learning through every day experience. As part of our PMHNP program options, every experience counts, including both direct patient care and telemedicine/virtual care. If you discover an opportunity to further develop your skills as a PMHNP, you can apply credit towards your clinical hours.

After completing your education and earning valuable experience in clinicals, the next step is to get certified.

i. Our program options range from 540-585 total clinical hours.

6. Become eligible to practice in your state

Note the difference between being licensed and certified: becoming certified shows employers you are capable of patient care in a psychiatric setting, while licensure determines if you are legally allowed to practice in your state of residence.

Each state has their own requirements for licensure as an advanced practice nurse. You will need to locate the requirements and they can be found on your state’s board of nursing website as well as the current process for licensure.

Keep in mind employers may require board certification before hiring a PMHNP even if practicing without certification is legally permissible in your state.