Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

This speciality track prepares nurses for advanced practice through a course of study focused on the primary health care of individuals and families across the lifespan. The courses in this specialty focus on advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology, as well as health promotion and management of acute and chronic illness in families. These courses are combined with specialty seminars and clinical experiences that emphasize health assessment and physical exam, differential diagnosis, prescribing therapeutics and other therapies.

The FNP program at NMSU has a special focus on integrated primary and mental health care, with opportunities for training in the area of substance use disorder prevention, evaluation and treatment.  

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Family Nurse Practitioner certification exams. 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

This specialty track prepares nurses for advanced practice with a focus on mental health issues across the lifespan. The curriculum builds upon four core PMHNP competencies: advanced health assessment (physical and psychosocial); diagnosis (diagnosis of mental disorders, pathophysiology, and neurophysiology); psychotherapy (individual, group, and family); and medication management (pharmacology and psychopharmacology). 

The PMHNP program at NMSU has a special focus on integrated primary and mental health care, with opportunities for training in the area of substance use disorder prevention, evaluation and treatment. The School of Nursing currently has a federal training grant as part of the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Opioid Workforce Education Program. 

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.