Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC™) — Requirements & Free Practice
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Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC™)
Initial ANCC board certification awards PMHNP-BC after eligibility and a passing certification examination.
Licensing authority: American Nurses Credentialing Center
Initial by examination
- Eligibility
- Current active US state or territory RN license or a professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country; accredited PMHNP master's, post-graduate certificate, or DNP program with three separate graduate-level APRN core courses, at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, health promotion and/or maintenance, differential diagnosis and disease management including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, and clinical training in at least two psychotherapeutic treatment modalities. For post-graduate certificate applicants, only PGC APRN program accreditation is accepted. A final, degree-conferred official transcript is required for certification release.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) (PMHNP-BC™) Board Certification Examination
- Format
- Computer-based test
- Exam questions
- Total questions: 175; Scored questions: 150; Unscored questions: 25; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.
- Time limit
- 3.5 hours
Examination outline
Scientific Foundation (22%)
- Knowledge
- Skill
Advanced Practice Skills (27%)
- Skill
Diagnosis and Treatment (22%)
- Knowledge
- Skill
Psychotherapy and Related Theories (11%)
- Knowledge
- Skill
Ethics, Legal Principles, and Cultural Care (17%)
- Knowledge
- Skill
Examination sources
- ANCC PMHNP certification page
ANCC Study Aids / Test Content Outline
- ANCC PMHNP test content outline
page:1/title and effective date
- ANCC PMHNP test content outline
page:1/scope statement
- ANCC PMHNP test content outline
page:1/domain allocation table
- ANCC PMHNP test content outline
page:1/question count
- ANCC PMHNP test content outline
page:1/scoring explanation
- ANCC PMHNP certification page
Apply / Initial Certification Application