A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is a graduate-level nurse who provides psychiatric-mental health care to individuals across the lifespan. The role of the PMHNP is to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals who struggle with psychiatric and/or substance use disorders. This can include helping individuals cope with eating disorders, ADHD, anxiety, substance abuse, depression, and bipolar disorder.
The PMHNP also serves as an educator to patients, families, and medical peers in advancing the idea that mental health is a fundamental component of health care. Forming a strong therapeutic bond with patients and families is the foundation of the PMHNP’s psychiatric practice.