PMH-BC - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse - Board Certified

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse - Board Certified (PMH-BC) certification provides credentials for registered nurses who work in a mental health setting. Eligible nurses can complete an exam online or in person to obtain this certification. This certification represents competence in mental health nursing skills such as assessment and intervention strategies. This certification is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC).

Professional certification in mental health nursing can help prove your competence to future and current employers. This certification is also a great addition to any resume and can be added to your nursing portfolio to help set you apart from other candidates when applying for future jobs and/or graduate school.

Cost:

• Non-member fee: $395

• American Nurses Association (ANA) member fee: $295

• American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) member fee: $220

• International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) member fee: $340

This exam is made up of 150 questions and takes up to 3 hours to complete. It is designed for registered nurses who are hoping to obtain a certification in psychiatric mental health nursing.

• You’ll first want to confirm your eligibility for the test by reviewing the requirements of the exam.

• Next, you can apply online to take the test and spend some time reviewing test prep material to ensure that you are ready for the exam. 

• Once you’ve received your Authorization to Test, you’ll need to decide on whether you’d like to take the test in person or online.

Results

The PMH-BC exam is scored electronically. Pass/Fail results are provided. If an examinee does not pass, an official score report provides feedback for each content area. Examinees who do not pass the examination may retest after 60 days from the last date tested. Candidates may not test more than three times in 12 months. Candidates must apply to retest.

To obtain a PMH-BC, you have to hold a current RN license and have at least two years of experience working as a registered nurse. You’ll also have to have logged at least 2,000 hours of clinical practice in psychiatric nursing and have completed 30 hours of continuing education material. If you meet the eligibility for this certification, you’ll need to apply to take the certification exam.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse - Board Certified (PMH-BC) is good for 5 years. To be eligible for renewal, applicants must:

• Have an active RN license in any U.S. state or the legal equivalent in another country

• Have a current, active PMH-BC certification from the ANCC

• Complete 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), 25 CE hours must be related to pharmacology. 60 CE hours must be formally approved by the ANCC

• Complete one of the 8 professional development categories 

• Pay renewal fee

The professional development component includes the mandatory 75 CE hours PLUS completion of at least one of the following 8 categories:

1. 75 CE hours in addition to the mandatory 75 CE hours

2. Academic credits: 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits

3. One or more presentations totaling 5 hours

4. One Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement Project (QI) or one qualifying publication or one Institutional Review Board research project, completed dissertation or thesis, or doctoral project

5. At least 120 hours as a preceptor for students in an academic program

6. Two or more consecutive years of volunteer service with an international, national, state, or local healthcare-related organization

7. 1,000 practice hours (not required to renew certification but option to fulfill professional development)

8. Pass the current PMH-BC exam

PMH-BCs must complete the professional development section before completing the online renewal application. Alternatively, renewal applicants may renew by mail by sending a request to [email protected].

Renewal Fees:

• Non-member fee: $350

• American Nurses Association (ANA) member fee: $250

• American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) member fee: $250

• International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) member fee: $295

The ANCC offers resources for exam candidates, including:

• Content Outline

• Practice Test (Cost: $85)

• Certification Handbook

• Sample Questions

• Reference List

• Test Prep Essentials (Cost: $299 for ANA members and $399 for non-members)

Nurse practitioners can also become certified in psychiatric nursing. If you plan to work towards a career as a nurse practitioner, then you’ll want to look into the ​​Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification (PMHNP-BC).

Other related certifications include:

• Certified Correctional Health Professional - Mental Health (CCHP-MH) validates the knowledge and skills of mental health professionals who have experience and demonstrated a passion for working with the incarcerated population.

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI): Teaches participants de-escalation techniques and risk assessment.

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention with Advanced Physical Skills Training (NCI-Advanced-CPI): Combines verbal and restrictive intervention strategies with advanced physical skills to manage high-risk situations.