The Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse certification shows the advanced specialization in treating or offering nursing care to the patient suffering from mental illness. Such treatment requires over seeing of the treatment effectiveness on the patient and risk of side effects from such cures. These reasons make it necessary to monitor the condition of the patient frequently for such curing results.

Eligibility

In order to get the advanced certification, a RN must meet the educational and clinical practice requirements, as stipulated by American Nurses Credential Center. Nurses who meet all criteria for certification and pass the national certifying examination are granted Certified Specialist for 5 years in either Adult or Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. In order to maintain the certification beyond 5 years, a RN should complete the certification renewal process.

A nursing student planning to appear for the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse certification exam must hold a licensed Registered Nurse with an Associate Degree. A diploma from an accredited 2-year RN program also makes one eligible for the certification. Further eligibility for the certification exam includes,

• RN must have worked for 2 years as a psychiatric and mental health nurse or professional, legally recognized degree/diploma equivalent in another country, which meets the requirements of ANCC.
• Completed 2000 hrs working within the past 3 years in these health care centers.
• Completed 30 hours of continuing education in psychiatric and mental health nursing over the past 3 years.

The Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse certification exam are held throughout the year at various testing centers all over America. It is necessary for a RN to appear for the certification exam within 90 days, after receiving the test ticket.

Exam details:

• 175 multiple-choice questions
• 150 scored questions
• 25 non scored pretest questions
• Exam focus on specific psychiatric diseases.
• Nursing Interventions performed on psychiatric patient
• Questions include patient and family education
• Questions on frequent re-assessment of the psychiatric patient.
• Questions on evaluation psychosocial issues

Once a RN receives the certification, it remains valid for 3 years. Within this period a RN must complete 1000 hours of working as a psychiatric and mental health nurse including 75 hours continuing education or any other related education as stipulated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Psychiatric nurses who meet below given qualifications are granted prescriptive authority by the support of American Psychiatric Nurses Association:

• Listed with the State Board of Nursing as a registered nurse (or advanced practice registered nurse) by a
• Hold a Master’s Degree in the field
• Posses Certification as a specialist granted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center

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