Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is a practice-focused doctorate comparable to advanced clinical degrees in other health disciplines such as Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The degree represents the highest academic preparation for nursing practice, focusing on expanded scientific knowledge related to providing comprehensive direct care across all settings. Grounded in clinical practice, the DNP moves the focus of advanced practice nursing from the level of the individual patient to the population level by using a cross-population perspective to assess, manage, and evaluate common problems.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), safe nursing practice in today's increasingly complex healthcare system requires improved translation of scientific evidence into practice. With a DNP, you'll be able to assume a leadership role in an increasingly complex healthcare system during this critical era of healthcare reform.

The future of nursing rides on the DNP, and the shift in the industry is occurring right now. Members of AACN voted in 2004 to support advanced practice nursing at the doctoral level. This means that the DNP is the preferred degree for students wishing to be a nurse practitioner (NP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), nurse midwife (CNM), or nurse anesthetist (CRNA); it will soon be required in some areas of advanced practice such as nurse anesthesia. For more information on the DNP, visit AACN.

The primary difference between the two is that a PhD is research-focused and the DNP is practice-focused. The PhD is specifically designed to teach students how to conduct original investigation that advances the knowledge of a discipline. In contrast, a DNP is comparable to clinical doctorates in other health disciplines such as pharmacy, physical therapy, and medicine. DNP students focus on advanced practice areas of specialization, acquiring a population perspective in addressing common patient problems within a specialty. DNP students complete a DNP Project that applies existing knowledge to address a clinical problem. The DNP Project results in a publishable paper that demonstrates the effectiveness of a clinical innovation on patient outcomes.

Fairfield University offers:

• Personalized attention & strong faculty-student mentorship opportunities
• A rigorous, experiential, and inspirational academic experience
• A reputation for graduating highly skilled nurse practitioners
• Stellar on-site technological resources
• A state-of-the-art simulation laboratory
• Exceptional media resources available onsite and remotely
• In keeping with our Jesuit mission, an emphasis on the ethical, legal, and socially just implications of patient-centered care

We accept applications for family or psychiatric nurse practitioner specialties as well as nurse-midwifery and nurse anesthetists.

The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties is responsible for developing the nurse practitioner competencies. This is true for both MSN and DNP preparation.

Upon completing the program at Fairfield University, a certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner can work with clients across the lifespan and in all clinical settings including acute care, community clinic, Federally Qualified Health Centers, corrections facilities, academic health centers, and private practice.

Students can transfer up to 6 core credits if the courses are similar. Evaluation of transfer credits are approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

BSNs who pursue the DNP on a full-time basis will take 3 years; and 4 years if they do so part-time. The approximate cost is $70-75,000 for the program, depending on the tuition rate per credit which could change slightly over those years.

Yes, many of our students attend school part-time while working full-time; we have both full-time and part-time curricular plans available.

View the Fairfield's Egan School of Nursing graduate admission requirements.

The GRE exam is not required for the Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Anesthesia Tracks. For BSN applicants that have earned a GPA below 3.0, or MSN applicants that have earned a GPA below 3.2, GRE scores may strengthen your application by demonstrating your ability to achieve the academic standards required at the doctoral level.

The Egan School has developed a special program allowing certified Family Nurse Practitioners to complete all required didactic and clinical coursework as well as DNP coursework as full-time students in 2 years and as part-time students in 3 years.

Email or call Dr. Karen Corcoran or (203) 254-4000, ext. 2708 for more information.