|
 Update on the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Exam Development
(Page 1 of 3)
Mary C. Smolenski, EdD, RN, CS, FNP
Director, Certification Services
American Nurses Credentialing Center
In February of this year the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Content Expert Panel resumed work on the PMHNP
exam. After many long months of discussions and input during 1999 from the leadership of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) and the International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health
Nurses (ISPN), ANCC made the decision to continue with the development of the PMHNP exam. It is the belief of ANCC that the role of the Advanced Practice PMH nurse (the CNS and the NP) is moving
toward one role (APRN-PMH) and will probably reach that goal within the next four to five years. The work of the PMH Scope and Standards
Committee is exemplary of this vision. It is also the belief of ANCC that this is not yet the reality. Educational institutions still vary in their
preparation of advanced practice PMH nurses and the majority of state boards of nursing still require separate recognition of the CNS and NP roles.
The exam that is under development is for the PMHNP who was
prepared for that role in either a master’s or post-master’s program which included academic preparation in advanced health assessment,
pathophysiology, pharmacology, and a clinical practicum which focuses on diagnosis and management of psychiatric illnesses from the nurse practitioner perspective. This is the first step in a multi-phased
approach toward the one role concept. This new exam is currently planned for administration via computer in mid to late October 2000. It
will probably be administered during a window of time (4-6 weeks), and then be held until 2001. This will allow us to test enough candidates to
obtain sufficient statistical information for scoring and data collection.
The next step will be to work with universities to develop a mechanism
for recognizing non-academically based continuing education and to identify and develop the components of a PMHNP module that already certified PMH CNS candidates can take if they so choose. If CNS
candidates meet the eligibility criteria and their programs or coursework covered the required components, they may already be eligible to sit the PMHNP exam if they so choose.
Definition of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
A Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse with a graduate degree in nursing who is prepared for advanced mental health practice in primary care throughout the lifespan in accordance
with ANA’s scope and standards of psychiatric and mental health nursing. This practice includes independent and interdependent decision-making and direct accountability for clinical judgment.
Graduate preparation expands the comprehensiveness of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner role to include participation in and use of research, development and implementation of health
policy, leadership, education, case management, and consultation.
Eligibility Criteria
- Currently hold an active RN license in the U.S. or its territories
- Have graduated from an accredited master’s or post-master’s degree program that prepared you as a psychiatric mental health
nurse practitioner/advanced practice psychiatric and mental health nurse which includes:
a. Advanced health assessment
b. Pathophysiology
c. Pharmacology
d. Diagnosis and medication management of
psychiatric illness (clinical practicum)
- Have supervised clinical training at the graduate or post-graduate level in two psychotherapeutic treatment modalities
Continued on Next Page • Return to What’s New
|
