PMHNP's: How long after graduation until you can sit for boards?

Specialties Psychiatric

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I'm doing my budgeting for the year and was curious how long the process takes between graduating and taking the boards is.

Thanks!

Congratulations. You better save a little money because the whole thing will happen in just a few short months. Graduate, apply for your license, get that, then start filling out all the paperwork for the boards. Multiple proofs of your transcripts and such. Pay all the the fees, in my day it was around 500 dollars. Probably the shortest time frame for all of it is 3 months. Today there are multiple testing sites near you , and don't forget your passport and your firstborn child. OK, it's a joke, but don't worry too much about the test and let us know how it went.

Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

(posted in error)

I was able to take the boards (ANCC) after finishing my final courses, but before I had my final degree conferred. I didn't want to wait too long, so I studied for about a month after my final exam. I went ahead and submitted my application for the ANCC (signed by my program director) before I graduated, because it takes them at least 3 weeks to just review the application. Even though my graduation date was in August, it took them quite a few weeks to actually process and submit the final degree for our school. I was told that is the usual process for graduate schools, it will say the graduation date, but be prepared to wait a few weeks past that to get the documentation.

After my final degree and ANCC was final, it took approximately 2 weeks to get my nursing license, then it took 1.5 weeks to get my state CDS, and just 2 days to get my DEA license.

To finish everything it took approximately 2 months from the date my classes ended.

My fees were about 1600-I paid 200 for study materials (get the pink ANA book, it's awesome!), 400 for the exam, DEA is 750, CDS was 200, and then the board of nursing fees.

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