Graceland’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program provides benefits to both rural and urban communities in a field that is not only growing, but extremely needed in today’s world. Nearly one in five individuals in the United States has been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
There is a severe deficit of mental health providers in the United States. More than half of the counties in the United States are without a mental health professional of any kind, leaving 111 million Americans living in areas with a shortage (US Dept. of Health and Human Services). By 2025, the projected demand will outweigh available mental health providers by 16,000 cases. 60% of currently practicing psychiatrists are over 55 years old which means as they retire the future gap of available providers will grow wider (Weiner, 2018).
A Master of Science in Nursing - PMHNP degree will be a valuable asset in filling the mental healthcare gap. This type of nurse practitioner works across the lifespan with pediatric to geriatric patients providing mental health care and substance abuse treatment in all types of healthcare settings.
The psychiatric mental health field has outpaced growth among all United States occupations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field will expand by 35% by 2024 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). As a high demand field, PMHNP's will have high earning potential up to $135,000 per year.
Graceland University provides scholarships & Aid.
There may be an additional academic and living expences by this University.