OVERVIEW
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree program is a BSN to MSN degree for registered nurses (RN) wishing to become advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) with the Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner (PMHNP) population focus.
The program will prepare graduates to assess individuals, diagnose diseases, prescribe medications, devise treatment plans for mental needs of the patient, as well as provide therapy, and prescribe medications for patients with mental health disorders or substance abuse problems. PMHNP's may also provide physical and psychological assessments, emergency psychiatric care, and treatment effectiveness evaluations. Additionally, upon successful program completion, graduates will be qualified to sit for the PMHNP national certification examination and apply for licensure in the state of their choice.
Clinical Placement Process Overview
All information needed to successfully complete the Placement Approval Process for your Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internships is provided within this site.
You must be actively engaged with your assigned Placement Coordinator at CLPSPMHNP@wgu.edu one year prior to starting Clinical Internship I. If not, your placement and graduation will be delayed.
In Preparation of your Field Experience Hours you will:
- Network with peers, co-workers, and personal providers to identify potential preceptors.
- Attend the Clinical Information Session
- Complete the Clinical Information Session Knowledge Check
- Submit the PMHNP Student Clinical Profile
- Schedule an Intro Call with your Placement Coordinator
- Submit Placement Details for your Clinical Internships
- Complete compliance and site-specific requirements
- Obtain official clearance from Placement Coordinator before engaging in hours
Field Experience Requirements are completed through the Student Facing Field Experience Page, which is accessed through your Student Portal in the Student Support Tab or within your Degree Plan. Utilize this link to learn more about the Student Facing Field Experience Page.
To avoid delaying your degree progression, stay in close contact with your Placement Coordinator.
PMHNP Clinical Internship Preceptors
Students must engage a minimum of 2 Preceptors at two different Psychiatric Care sites for Clinical Internships throughout the program. Preceptors must have an active, unencumbered license, have earned national certification in their specialty area by a recognized credentialing agency, and have a minimum of two years of current experience in their current credentialing.
Appropriate Preceptors:
- Board-certified Psychiatrist
- Board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Board -certified Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) in Psychiatry
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Psychologist **counseling hours only**(these hours will be considered speciality hours)
Family members or close family or personal friends are NOT allowed to serve as preceptors for the students in the Psyciatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track.
Students must identify their own Preceptor
- As this is a volunteer (unpaid) position, we do not have a list of Preceptors for students to choose from.
- Working with a self-Identified preceptor ensures that you:
- Have a preceptor who is personally invested in your academic success.
- Have a preceptor who will be available at a time and geographic location most suitable to your needs within each Internship.
Below are talking points to provide confidence in expressing the Clinical Preceptorship clearly and professionally when networking to secure a Preceptor. Students should find their own style, but use the following information as basic content.
The Preceptor Role
- Have earned national certification in their specialty area by a recognized credentialing agency and have a minimum of two years of current experience in their specialty area in their current credentialing.
- Hold an unencumbered license in the state where the organization is located or hold a multistate license in another state which allows them to practice in that state.
- Orient me to the setting and provide information, contacts, and resources for completing my clinical internship.
- Facilitate experiences that immerse me in the provider role.
- Complete a brief online training module as well as work with my Course Instructors.
- Verify my hours and provide a mid-term and end of term evaluation of my progress.
- Receive no monetary compensation from WGU.
All clinical hours must be completed working with a preceptor.
Student Talking Points
Why: The WGU PMHNP program is preparing me to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner through required clinical internship experiences. These experiences, obtained during the clinical internship courses, provide me with an opportunity to apply what I have learned during my psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialty courses in a real-world setting.
What: These experiences are precepted learning opportunities that will help me develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the role of an Advanced Practice Nurse by delivering care to individuals across the lifespan.
When: I am required to complete a minimum of 650 direct patient care clinical hours distributed across 3 clinical internship courses.
- Clinical Internship I - minimum of 215 hrs.
- Clinical Internship II - minimum of 215 hrs.
- Clinical Internship III - minimum of 220 hrs.
How: The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program prepares graduates to assess individuals, diagnose diseases, prescribe medications, and devise treatment plans for mental and behavioral health conditions across the lifespan.
Overview of Clinical Internships
Expectation of Clinical Hours
Full-Time: To complete the three internship courses in one 6-month term, you will need to follow the standard pace of the program and dedicate four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days per week until you reach 650 total direct patient care hours. Limit is 10 hours a day, no more than 40 hours in a week.
Part-Time: If you choose to complete your clinical hours on a part-time basis, then you will spend two 10-hour days or three 8-hour days per week in precepted clinical practice until you reach the required 650 direct patient care clinical hours. It’s important to note that a part-time schedule will increase the length of your program by one additional 6-month term. Limit is 10 hours a day, no more than 40 hours in a week.
If you have questions about course content please reach out to your Program Mentor.
Telehealth and Specialty Hours
Telehealth Hours
- WGU allows a maximum of 75% of total hours from telehealth care visits during the entirety of the clinical internships.
- PMHNP students must be licensed in the state(s) where their preceptor’s telehealth clients are receiving care.
- Must be delivered synchronously whether the student is physically present with the preceptor or joining a session remotely after the preceptor starts the visit.
- The student cannot begin the session without the preceptor.
- The student cannot be physically present with the patient before the preceptor joins remotely.
Specialty Hours
A maximum of 65 hours is allowed for the entire program, not 65 hours per specialty or course, but 65 hours total for the program. Some examples of specialty placements include individual and group therapy psychotherapy. Counseling hours with a Licensensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Psychologist.
Note that specialty placements do not count towards the minimum number of required placements.
Quality Placements - students are required to find a minimum of two quality placement locations and a preceptor at each site.
- Students must have lifespan experience during clinicals (pediatrics through geriatrics).
- Clinical sites must provide sufficient experience in treating the wide variety of conditions and the full spectrum of complexity found in mental health care.
- Sites can be inpatient or outpatient in mental health care clinics, substance abuse treatment centers, and day treatment clinics.
WGU Affiliated Clinical Sites & Affiliation Agreements
A WGU affiliated clinical site is a health facility that has or is willing to enter into an Educational Affiliation Agreement with WGU.
You must secure placement a minimum of 2 quality, Clinical Sites. Due to availability and other factors, WGU may not be able to accommodate clinical placements in all areas. As a result, travel to surrounding areas may be necessary.
You will work with preceptors in psychiatric, behavioral health, or substance abuse clinics in inpatient or outpatient settings in your local community, as available, to train in the provision of mental healthcare. To do so, you will need to be in Clinical Sites that allow you access to patients across the lifespan, with sufficient experiences in treating the wide variety of mental health conditions and the full spectrum of complexity found in psychiatric care.
Compliance Requirements
Do not send any personal health records to WGU. We cannot accept, view, or store personal health information in accordance with HIPAA regulations. For compliance questions, students should email clpscompliance@wgu.edu with “ PMHNP Compliance Questions” in the subject line of the email.
NOTE: there is a $50 student-incurred fee for a 36-month subscription plus $15 each for the required OSHA and HIPPA trainings.
The COVID-19 vaccine, although not required by WGU for the PMHNP Program, may be required by your placement site.
Documentation of immunity to communicable diseases and screening for tuberculosis is stringently required for all PMHNP students at WGU. Even if a student is seeking placement with their employer, a fully compliant ADB account is required, as employment status and placement are not interrelated.
Placement requirements vary from site to site. The Clinical Learning and Placement Support Team ensure students meet site-specific compliance and documentation requirements at the selected site.
Compliance Steps
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
- Step 5
- Step 6
- Site-Specific Steps
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Acceptable Document Descriptions
1. Create or Update your Complio/American Databank Account.
You will complete these requirements by either updating an existing account you previously created upon enrollment or by creating a new account.
2. Order the "Nurse Practitioner Compliance Package".
Utilize the shopping cart in the top right of your Complio account to:
- Place an Order
- Select Program - Nurse Practitioner
- Select Your State of Residence
- Click on Load Packages
- Purchase the Nurse Practitioner Bundle
Utilize this link for access to step by step instructions: Ordering your Nurse Practitioner Immunization Tracking Package.
3. Upload proof of vaccination or proof of immunity (positive antibody titer) as well as a negative tuberculosis test.
- MMR
- TDAP
- Varicella
- Influenza
- Hepatitis B
Titer results for the above pathogens must be positive. A negative result will require additional boosters doses. Verification of immunity to communicable diseases may include documentation of vaccinations and/or serologic evidence of immunity via IgG antibody titer screenings.
- Tuberculosis
Verification of immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires negative skin tests, blood test, or chest x-ray.
Use this form as a reference on what is needed to complete each compliance item: Compliance Requirements Information Pages (ADB) - PMHNP.
Immunization records must have:
- Patient full name
- Date of test or vaccine
- Test results
- Facility or physician office where completed
We cannot accept handwritten immunization records/cards.
A declination form is not appropriate unless there is a documented medical limitation to a vaccine. In order to decline a compliance item, you will need to submit an Exception Request within American DataBank/Complio providing documentation of necessity with proof from your Physician. It will be reviewed by the WGU Compliance Team and if the exception is approved you may have a final declination form to fill out.
4. Proof of CPR and Health Insurance.
- CPR card BLS through AHA - front & back required
- Proof of Health Insurance - front & back required
5. HIPAA Training - WGU can only accept Training through American DataBank.
Purchase HIPAA ONLY Package
- HIPAA Training is included in the Nurse Practitioner Bundle
- Training modules must be completed within the American DataBank (1 HIPAA module)
- Once purchased, you will receive your training materials via email within1 - 3 business days from ADB. Please keep an eye out for those!
- You must complete the training within 90 days of purchase(no refunds will be issued if it expires)
- Please visit this link for more information about HIPAA training
- Upon completion of the training, you must upload your Certificate of Achievement to the HIPAA Category in your Complio account. If you are unable to find your Certificate of Achievement you can access the link below for step by step instructions. Accessing your Certificate of Achievement
6. OSHA Training - WGU can only accept Training through American DataBank.
- OSHA Training is included in the Nurse Practitioner Bundle
- Training modules must be completed within the American DataBank (13 OSHA modules)
- Once purchased, you will receive your training materials via email within1 - 3 business days from ADB. Please keep an eye out for those!
- You must complete the training within 90 days of purchase(no refunds will be issued if it expires)
- Please visit this link for more information about OSHA training
- Upon completion of the training, you must upload your Certificate of Achievement to the OSHA Category in your Complio account. If you are unable to find your Certificate of Achievement you can access the link below for step by step instructions. Accessing your Certificate of Achievement
ONLY complete the items below if advised to do so by your WGU Placement Coordinator.
Add-on Compliance Packages have an additional fee associated.
Background Check
Please renew before it expires. It must be current throughout your entire program. Your site may require you to renew your background check sooner than two years (some sites may require a background check to be within six months, one year, etc.).
(Additional Fee)
Please note you may have completed this upon admission to WGU. Your background check expires after two years and must be current throughout your entire PMHNP program. There may also be a site-specific requirement of an additional background check. You will be notified, by your Placement Coordinator, if your placement requires an additional or updated background check.
Physical Exam
Site-Specific. Only needed if advised to do so by your Placement Coordinator.
(Additional Fee)
The WGU Physical Exam Form must be completed by a licensed M.D., N.P., C.N.M., or P.A. Once you have completed your physical examination, you will upload the signed form into the Miscellaneous Sub-Category within your American Data Bank account.
10 Panel Drug Screening
Site-Specific. Only needed if advised by your Placement Coordinator. (Additional Fee)
To order a drug screening within your ADB/Complio compliance account, please complete the following steps:
- Log into your Complio account at wgucompliance.com
- Select Place Order in the top right of your Complio account next to the shopping cart icon
- Select Program from the drop-down menu
- Select Location/State from the drop-down menu
- Click the Load Packages button
- From the Screening Section – Select Drug Screening 10 Panel
After you purchase the drug screening package, you will receive an email with materials and directions guiding you to complete the screening at a testing center nearest you. Your drug screen voucher expires 30 days from purchase. Some clinical sites require drug screening to be completed within a certain time frame in relation to your start date. I.e 30 days from your start date.
WGU cannot accept a drug screening from any other source besides our affiliate.
NOTE: Your drug screening sample can take up to 3 days to process, so please plan accordingly. The results will automatically post to your Complio account. However, please email clpscompliance@wgu.edu when you have completed the screening so we can update your compliance status.
If you need assistance within the American Databank - Complio Account, please check the video links below for frequently asked questions or contact ADB Customer Service at (800) 200-0853.
Review for Approval & Confirmation Email
Clinical Sites and Preceptors are approved for their ability to provide students with clinical experiences consistent with the course, certification requirements, and the mission of the school. You cannot engage in any Clinical Internship hours prior to receiving a Clearance Confirmation email from Clinical Learning and Placement Support Team.
Student Facing Field Experience Page
You will access and complete the placement requirements within the student facing Field Experience Page. You can access the page within your Student Portal within the Student Support Tab under "Field Experience" or within your Degree Plan by clicking the Field Experience Button in the top right corner.
On the Field Experience Page, you can access key information regarding your Internships including:
- Health Field Experience Start Date,
- Current Placement Progress notes from your Placement Coordinator
- A Field Experience Toolbox with links to key resources
- Contact information for your Placement Coordinator and Program Mentor
- Deadline Dates & Status of all Field Experience Requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding WGU’s PMHNP Clinical Internship, Sites and Preceptors
Who is Involved? Placement Connections
Documents and Forms:
Clinical Internship Documents:
Explanation of Clinical Internships
PMHNP Clinical Information Session PPT
PMHNP Clinical Information Session Video Recording - Coming Soon
Depending on the Agreement that WGU has with your Clinical Site, there may be additional requirements for you to complete. Your Placement Coordinator will guide you through the steps required for placement at your chosen Clinical Site. Every site has different requirements, and requirements often change. Please note that many of these requirements or 3rd party sites have additional student fees associated with them.
3rd Party on-boarding:
- ACEMAPP
- Castlebranch
- My Clinical Exchange
- San Diego Consortium
Site-Specific Documents and Forms:
- Confidentiality Agreements
- Criminal History Reports
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approvals
- Site Orientation and Badges
Have questions? Send an email to:
CLPSPMHNP@wgu.edu