ANCC board certification covering the care of patients with psychiatric and mental health conditions across the lifespan.
Who it's for
Registered nurses with clinical experience in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice — ANCC's board certification recognizing nurses who work across the full range of psychiatric presentations, not a single diagnosis or setting.
What's covered
- Implementation — 46% (the single largest domain, covering therapeutic interventions and care delivery)
- Assessment and diagnosis — 22%
- Planning — 21%
- Evaluation — 10%
What to expect
Implementation alone makes up nearly half the exam, so expect heavy emphasis on therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, and treatment-delivery scenarios rather than assessment/diagnosis questions in isolation.
How to prepare
ANCC publishes the official Test Content Outline for free and sells practice questions through its certification portal; APNA (American Psychiatric Nurses Association) is the field's main source of review courses, and ANCC's fee structure gives meaningful discounts to APNA/ISPN members, which can be worth factoring into your prep budget.
Certification details
- Certifying body: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Eligibility: Active RN license, minimum 2 years of full-time-equivalent RN practice, 2,000 hours of psychiatric-mental health nursing practice within the last 3 years, and 30 continuing education hours in the specialty within the last 3 years.
- Exam format: 150 questions (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest), 3-hour time limit, computer-based testing.
- Content outline: Implementation (46%), Assessment & Diagnosis (22%), Planning (21%), Evaluation (10%).
- Fee: $220–$395 depending on ANA/APNA/ISPN membership; renewal $250–$350.
- Recertification: Every 5 years.