AANPCB PMHNP-C study guide
AANPCB PMHNP-C · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) certification examination is offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), which operates as the Nurse Practitioner Certification Board (NPCB). It is an entry-level, competency-based examination that tests clinical knowledge of psychiatric mental health across the life span, and it is intended for nurse practitioners seeking national certification in psychiatric mental health practice. The AANPCB PMHNP-C study guide has 4 sections and about 1,190 words.
01Assess: Building a Defensible Psychiatric Database
Assessment questions test whether you can gather and organize data before naming a disorder. Know the components of a complete psychiatric evaluation: chief complaint in the patient's words, history of present illness (onset, duration, course, severity, triggers, function), past psychiatric and medical history, substance use, medications and adherence, family history, social/developmental history, trauma history, and mental status examination.
331 words, about 2 min02Diagnose: Applying DSM Criteria Precisely
This domain tests criterion-level accuracy. Know duration thresholds, required symptom counts, exclusion criteria, and specifiers for high-yield disorders: major depressive disorder (2 weeks, 5 of 9 symptoms, one must be depressed mood or anhedonia), bipolar I (7 days or hospitalization for mania; 4 days for hypomania in bipolar II), schizophrenia (6 months total, 1 month active symptoms, functional decline), GAD (6 months), panic disorder (recurrent unexpected attacks plus 1 month of worry/behavior change), PTSD (1 month, trauma exposure, four symptom clusters), OCD, ADHD (symptoms before age 12, two settings), and personality disorders.
316 words, about 2 min03Plan: Choosing Safe, Evidence-Based Next Steps
Planning questions ask for the next best action: diagnostic workup, pharmacotherapy choice, psychotherapy referral, safety planning, or level of care. Know first-line agents and their monitoring: SSRIs for depression/anxiety (black-box suicidality warning in youth, serotonin syndrome, hyponatremia in elderly), bupropion (avoid in seizure/eating disorders), lithium (levels, renal/thyroid monitoring), valproate (teratogenicity, LFTs), atypical antipsychotics (metabolic monitoring), stimulants (cardiac and misuse screening), and buprenorphine/methadone for opioid use disorder.
267 words, about 1 min04Evaluate: Measuring Response and Adjusting
Evaluation questions test whether you can measure outcomes, recognize adverse effects, and adjust the plan. Know expected timelines: antidepressants take 2–4 weeks for early effect and 6–8 weeks for full response; antipsychotics show response over days to weeks; lithium levels are checked about 5 days after initiation and after dose changes.
276 words, about 1 min