The aim of the Mental Health Concentration is to provide a unique opportunity for the development of advanced practice mental health nursing skills. Students will explore areas pertaining to services offered in the first, second and third line to become familiar with several roles, encompassing one of communicator, collaborator, manager, scholar/professional advocate and leader. This will be of importance when caring for individuals experiencing mental and physical distress, with or without addictions across the lifespan. A systemic, collaborative and strengths-based approach with the family is central, as thorough mental health evaluation, pharmacotherapy and prescriptive authority for invasive exams may become part of treatment. Education, crisis intervention, planning, liaison and follow-up are strong components of this multifaceted role.
In Québec, the Mental Health NP role corresponds to the title of Infirmière praticienne spécialisée en santé mentale (IPSSM). For additional information on the Mental Health NP scope of practice, visit the OIIQ’s Pratique clinique de l’infirmière praticienne spécialisée en santé mentale document (available in French).
The McGill Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration, along with its University of Quebec collaborators, is one of six training programs in the province of Québec. Thus far in Canada, the role of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner only exists in the province of Quebec. This program started in September 2017 with the support of the Ordre des Infirmières et Infirmiers du Québec and the Collège des Médecins du Québec.
Course of Study, for students admitted PRIOR to Fall 2021
Course of Study, if you have a Bachelor in Nursing Degree
MScA Mental Heath Nurse Practitioner (Full-time Studies)
Year 1 |
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Fall Term (Term 1) |
Winter Term (Term 2) |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
3 |
3 |
||
|
Total credits: |
12 |
Total credits: |
12 |
Year 2 |
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Fall Term (Term 3) |
Winter Term (Term 4) |
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|
3 |
4 |
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|
3 |
4 |
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|
4 |
3 |
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|
Total credits: |
10 |
Total credits: |
11 |
| * this course and its description are currently in review | |||
Graduate Diploma Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
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Summer Term (Term 5) |
Fall Term (Term 6) |
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|
4 |
14 |
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|
4 |
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|
8 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
16 |
Total credits: |
14 |
MScA Mental Heath Nurse Practitioner (Part-time Studies)
Year 1 |
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Fall Term (Term 1) |
Winter Term (Term 2) |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
Total credits: |
6 |
Total credits: |
6 |
Year 2 |
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|
Fall Term (Term 3) |
Winter Term (Term 4) |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
3 |
3 |
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|
Total credits: |
6 |
Total credits: |
6 |
| * this course and its description are currently in review | |||
Year 3 |
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Fall Term (Term 5) |
Winter Term (Term 6) |
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|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
4 |
||
|
4 |
4 |
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|
Total credits: |
10 |
Total credits: |
11 |
Graduate Diploma Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
|
Summer Term (Term 7) |
Fall Term (Term 8) |
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|
4 |
14 |
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|
4 |
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|
8 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
16 |
Total credits: |
14 |
Course of Study, if you have a Master’s in Nursing Degree
Special Student Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
|
Fall Term (Term 1) |
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3 |
|
|
3 |
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4 |
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Total credits: |
10 |
**Credits for course NUR2 692 - Reasoning in Mental Health 3 will be transferred into the Graduate Certificate Theory in Mental Health program. In order to progress to the Graduate Certificate program, students must formally apply through uApply by the application deadline for the Winter Term.
Graduate Certificate Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
|
Winter Term (Term 2) |
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|
3 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
4 |
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Total credits: |
11 |
Graduate Diploma Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
|
Summer Term (Term 3) |
Fall Term (Term 4) |
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|
4 |
14 |
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|
4 |
|||
|
8 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
16 |
Total credits: |
14 |
Course of Study, for students admitted AS OF Fall 2021
Course of Study, if you have a Bachelor in Nursing Degree
MScA Mental Heath Nurse Practitioner (Full-time Studies)
Year 1 |
|||
|
Fall Term (Term 1) |
Winter Term (Term 2) |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
Total credits: |
12 |
Total credits: |
12 |
Year 2 |
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|
Fall Term (Term 3) |
Winter Term (Term 4) |
||
|
6 |
6 |
||
|
6 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
12 |
Total credits: |
12 |
Year 3 |
|||
|
Summer Term (Term 5) |
Fall Term (Term 6) |
||
|
3 |
12 |
||
|
12 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
15 |
Total credits: |
12 |
| * this course and its description are currently in review | |||
MScA Mental Heath Nurse Practitioner (Part-time Studies)
Year 1 |
|||
|
Fall Term (Term 1) |
Winter Term (Term 2) |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
Total credits: |
6 |
Total credits: |
6 |
Year 2 |
|||
|
Fall Term (Term 3) |
Winter Term (Term 4) |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
3 |
3 |
||
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
Total credits: |
6 |
Total credits: |
9 |
Year 3 |
|||
|
Fall Term (Term 5) |
Winter Term (Term 6) |
||
|
6 |
6 |
||
|
6 |
3 |
||
|
Total credits: |
12 |
Total credits: |
9 |
Year 4 |
|||
|
Summer Term (Term 7) |
Fall Term (Term 8) |
||
|
3 |
12 |
||
|
12 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
15 |
Total credits: |
12 |
| * this course and its description are currently in review | |||
Course of Study, if you have a Master’s in Nursing Degree
Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Year 1 |
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|
Winter Term (Term 1) |
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|
3 |
|||
|
3 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
6 |
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Year 2 |
|||
|
Fall Term (Term 2) |
Winter Term (Term 3) |
||
|
6 |
6 |
||
|
6 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
12 |
Total credits: |
6 |
Year 3 |
|||
|
Summer Term (Term 4) |
Fall Term (Term 5) |
||
|
3 |
12 |
||
|
12 |
|||
|
Total credits: |
15 |
Total credits: |
12 |
Pre-Requisites & Admission Requirements
Consult our Applications to Graduate Programs page for more information and detailed instructions regarding program-specific requirements.
Application Process
Consult our Applications to Graduate Programs page for more information and detailed instructions regarding program-specific requirements.
Clinical Practicum, Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Internships
By the end of the program, the student will have completed 950 hours of clinical practicum. The supervision of students in the clinical setting is done by psychiatrists and advanced practice nurses. Internships take place in a variety of mental health settings (psychiatry emergency department and brief intervention unit, inpatient unit, outpatient clinic/day hospital, CLSC and with a variety of populations (from children to older individuals).
Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program can practice in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings. In Quebec, the ministerial plan to integrate 2,000 nurse practitioners by the year 2025 has led to the creation of a number of positions for mental health nurse practitioners.