The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program will start January 2017, applications are due Oct. 10 for inaugural class.

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced today a new program for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners seeking a post-master’s certificate in psychiatric-mental health nursing. The inaugural class will start January 2017. Applications are now being accepted and are due Oct. 10.

Psychiatric-mental health nurses work with individuals, families and groups to assess mental health,diagnose and treat disorders, and ensure mental health care needs are being met. They work in a variety of health care settings including hospitals, primary care offices, mental health centers and government facilities.

“As with many areas of nursing, there is a shortage of nurses who specialize in mental health, particularly in rural areas,” said Dr. Susan Stone, president of Frontier Nursing University. “Our goal is to improve access to care by educating and offering advanced degrees to more nurses. It’s important to focus on both body and mind as we work to achieve better health and wellness for underserved women and families.”

Frontier Nursing University’s inaugural psychiatric-mental health track, launching in January 2017, is being offered as a post-master’s certificate for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who have a master's degree and are seeking an additional specialty certification. Starting in January 2018, FNU will admit qualified applicants seeking a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) into the psychiatric-mental health program. All students will also have the option to complete a companion Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

FNU coursework is offered online and clinical rotations are completed in the student’s home community. There are two required on-campus sessions: an orientation called Frontier Bound that will take place in Hyden, Ky., Dec 8-11, 2016, for the inaugural class, and a five-day on-campus skills intensive experience called Clinical Bound that will take place prior to clinical rotations.

The psychiatric-mental health program will admit students four times a year. Application deadlines and admissions requirements are available at Frontier.edu.