Ashton Neelans, DNP, PMHNP-BC
UNMC Student Health Clinic Psychiatric Provider
Dr. Ashton Neelans is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Creighton University in 2015, followed by her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2017. She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Rush University in 2022, specializing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her doctoral project focused on workplace violence prevention and strategies to improve safety within healthcare settings.
Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Dr. Neelans worked as a registered nurse in child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric services and partial hospitalization programs. She also provided rural telehealth psychiatric care in Illinois before joining Student Health at UNO and UNMC as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in 2023.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Neelans teaches within the undergraduate nursing program at UNMC. Her professional interests include psychiatric nursing education, workplace violence prevention, de-escalation training, improving access to mental health care and helping shape how nurses interact with individuals experiencing mental health needs across all healthcare settings.
Dr. Neelans’ practice philosophy centers on collaboration, advocacy and patient empowerment. She believes patients should be active members of their treatment team and values partnering with individuals to help them navigate the healthcare system, advocate for their needs and build sustainable strategies for wellness and success.