NP accredidation, examination and clinical experience

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  1. This is a discussion on NP accredidation, examination and clinical experience in Advanced Practice Nursing ... Hi I am a BSN student set to graduate in December. I am interested in becoming a Psychiatric Mental...

    by May 3, '09
    Hi I am a BSN student set to graduate in December. I am interested in becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

    Where can I find information on accredited programs? Where can I find more information on the PMHNP exam?

    Drexel University (in Prennsylvania) has a program that is almost all online. However, I have to find my own clinical sites AND I cannot do my clinicals in NY. Does that sound surreptitious to anyone? Is it likely to be difficult for me to find a clinical in NJ and Pa while working in NY?

    Thanks for any and all suggestions!
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    by PrinceBartholomew May 3, '09 2:55 pm
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    May 12, '09 by
    Quote from PrinceBartholomew
    Hi I am a BSN student set to graduate in December. I am interested in becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

    Where can I find information on accredited programs? Where can I find more information on the PMHNP exam?

    Drexel University (in Prennsylvania) has a program that is almost all online. However, I have to find my own clinical sites AND I cannot do my clinicals in NY. Does that sound surreptitious to anyone? Is it likely to be difficult for me to find a clinical in NJ and Pa while working in NY?

    Thanks for any and all suggestions!
    Accreditation of NP programs are granted through CCNE or NLN as part of institutional accreditation for all Master's Degree-granting schools of nursing. You can check whether an institution is CCNE accredited by clicking here: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/accprog.asp, or NLN accredited by clicking here: http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm. Institutions are either CCNE or NLNAC accredited.

    If your interest is in Psych Nursing, a good way to find info is to look through the website of the professional organization that pertains to the specific specialty you are interested in. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association website lists schools that offer grduate studies in Psychiatric Nursing (NP or CNS) and this information is located here: http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3311.

    Finally, the certification exam for Psych NP's are offered by ANCC and that information is located here: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification.aspx
    Cauliflower and Getgoing like this.
  5. May 30, '09 by
    Did you check out SUNY Stony Brook. The had a distance learning psych/mental health NP program. I just graduated from their family program. You do have to find your own clinical sites, however the local programs in my area require that as well. Since it is a SUNY school it is very affordable.

    I would guess with the current shortage of psych NPs you would have preceptors fighting over you hoping to convince you to work for them after graduation.
  6. Sep 3, '09 by
    Quote from Sheri FNP-C
    Did you check out SUNY Stony Brook. The had a distance learning psych/mental health NP program. I just graduated from their family program. You do have to find your own clinical sites, however the local programs in my area require that as well. Since it is a SUNY school it is very affordable.

    I would guess with the current shortage of psych NPs you would have preceptors fighting over you hoping to convince you to work for them after graduation.
    Thanks, but I've read horror stories here on allnurses.com of NP students dropping out of on-line programs due to the very real inability to locate willing preceptors...does SUNY Stony Brook have a stable of NPs in NYCity willing to prcept NYC students so that we can....like, actually....graduate?? Thanks
  7. Sep 3, '09 by
    Sorry, I don't live in NYC so I am not completely sure what they do have. The students I met at graduation that lived near the college used the instructors as preceptors.

    I know on-line education is not for everyone, but I am so very happy that I chose that route.

    Good luck to you.
    nyforlove likes this.
  8. Sep 6, '09 by
    Quote from Sheri FNP-C
    Sorry, I don't live in NYC so I am not completely sure what they do have. The students I met at graduation that lived near the college used the instructors as preceptors.

    I know on-line education is not for everyone, but I am so very happy that I chose that route.

    Good luck to you.
    Thanks Sheri; allnurses.com is a wonderful resource thanks in large part to members like you who are willing to provide assistance...That's why I gladly pay to be a premium member and, as I always say, knowledge is power and helping one another is happily contagious Best.
  9. Dec 17, '09 by
    I went on-line at UAMS in Arkansas, which is a huge university that consists of colleges of medicine, pharmacy, etc. My program was accreddited, but was brand new and I basically taught myself on-line at two in the morning.I also had to find my own preceptors, which was difficult in this area of the country. I did however find a wonderful Psychiatrist who taught me well (about real practice, not the exam)I was the very first graduate in May of 2007 ( I did have a lapse between graduation and taking the exam the first time due to illness) My history is basically critical care, I worked one year in a psychiatric hospital, and have spent the last year teaching for a BSN program of UAMS off campus, I am the new psychiatric coordinater there as well (Oh, and I have also taught WebCT in the psychiatric master's program from which I graduated). I graduated with a 3.8 GPA; I am a mature student and grandmother. I have studied non-stop for the certification exam, with all of the study programs that I can find and can not make more than 344. If your background is not in psych. make sure you check into that part as well. The exam is changing in March of 2010; personally I do not know if that is for the best or worse.
    Good luck,
    Phoenix2010
  10. Dec 18, '09 by
    Wow! Nice accomplishment; god luck on the exam!

    Quote from Phoenix2010
    I went on-line at UAMS in Arkansas, which is a huge university that consists of colleges of medicine, pharmacy, etc. My program was accreddited, but was brand new and I basically taught myself on-line at two in the morning.I also had to find my own preceptors, which was difficult in this area of the country. I did however find a wonderful Psychiatrist who taught me well (about real practice, not the exam)I was the very first graduate in May of 2007 ( I did have a lapse between graduation and taking the exam the first time due to illness) My history is basically critical care, I worked one year in a psychiatric hospital, and have spent the last year teaching for a BSN program of UAMS off campus, I am the new psychiatric coordinater there as well (Oh, and I have also taught WebCT in the psychiatric master's program from which I graduated). I graduated with a 3.8 GPA; I am a mature student and grandmother. I have studied non-stop for the certification exam, with all of the study programs that I can find and can not make more than 344. If your background is not in psych. make sure you check into that part as well. The exam is changing in March of 2010; personally I do not know if that is for the best or worse.
    Good luck,
    Phoenix2010
  11. Jan 3, '10 by
    Thanky you, I need the luck!
    Phoenix2010
  12. Feb 26, '10 by
    Good Luck!! I know how discouraged you must have felt. I took the PMHNP exam in December and did not pass. The ANCC online review and the text did not provide info or vignettes similar to what was on the test. I even reviewed with Barkleys, and there was one perhaps one or two questions asked to the way the material was presented. I've been told the best way to prepare for the exam is with practice questions, to help one get used to the question styles. Does anyone know of a manual for psychnp testing like that? I know they exist for fnp, but not sure about my specialty. Thanks.