Are you planning to pursue a career as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)? The journey to becoming a PMHNP is undoubtedly challenging, especially with the PMHNP certification exam looming in the distance. In this post, we’ll answer one of the most common questions about the exam: “What is the pass rate for the ANCC PMHNP exam?” and provide insights into eligibility requirements, options for certification renewal, pass rates, and effective strategies to enhance your chances of success.
Table of Contents
ANCC PMHNP Eligibility Requirements
ANCC PMHNP Certification Renewal
Additional Continuing Education Hours
Academic Credits
Presentations
Projects, Publications, or Research
Preceptor Hours
Professional Service
Practice Hours
Test
Pass Rates
Strategies for Success
ANCC PMHNP Eligibility Requirements
Before you set out to take the PMHNP board exam, make sure you meet ANCC eligibility criteria. Not only are these ANCC requirements, but they’re also great steps to gaining experience that will support your success on the PMHNP certification exam. Below is a brief overview of eligibility requirements, but you can also visit the ANCC website for more detailed information.
Applicants for the ANCC PMHNP exam must hold a current, active RN license. They must have a PMHNP master’s, post-graduate certificate, or DNP from an accredited institution. This must include a minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, and three separate, graduate-level, APRN Core courses in designated topics. Finally, applicants must have completed clinical training in at least two psychotherapeutic treatment modalities.
ANCC PMHNP Certification Renewal
ANCC offers a slew of options for renewing their certifications, which must be done every 5 years. To renew PMHNP certification, NPs must have:
- A current and active RN license
- 75 mandatory continuing education hours
- At least 1 of the 8 categories described below
Additional Continuing Education Hours
In addition to the mandatory continuing education hours, you can complete another 75. These also must be directly related to your certification role and specialty.
Academic Credits
At least 5 semester credits (or 6 quarter credits) must be completed.
Presentations
Completion of 1 or more presentations totaling 5 clock hours can be used for ANCC recertification. The presentation may not be repeated and must be in your certification specialty, but cannot be part of your employment responsibilities.
Projects, Publication, or Research
ANCC accepts completion of any of the following for recertification under this category:
- Evidence-Based Practice Project
- Quality Improvement Project
- Publication: there are several options for publications, including grant writing.
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Research: this includes completion of an IRB research project; a dissertation, thesis, or graduate-level scholarly project; service as a content reviewer.
Preceptor Hours
To receive this type of credit, you must complete at least 120 hours as a preceptor. This requires you to provide direct clinical supervision or teaching to APRN, medical, PA, or pharmacy students in an academic program related to your certification population.
Professional Service
Complete 2 or more consecutive years of volunteer service with a healthcare-related organization in which your certification specialty expertise is required. This could include serving on a board of directors, committee, editorial board, task force, or medical mission.
Practice Hours
Credit may be received for practice (work) hours completed during your certification period. For this category, a minimum of 1,000 hours must be completed and they must be at an advanced level in your certification specialty.
Test
Finally, you may sit for your board exam to recertify. You must take and pass the exam before your current credential expires.
ANCC PMHNP Exam Overview
Exam Content
The ANCC board exam covers a comprehensive range of material that reflects the practice of nurse practitioners. This material is organized into five key categories: scientific foundation, advanced practice skills, diagnosis and treatment, psychotherapy and related theories, and ethical and legal principles. The table below outlines the percentage and number of scored questions in each of these categories
|
Content Domain |
Number of Questions |
Percentage of Exam |
|
Scientific Foundation |
33 |
22% |
|
Advanced Practice Skills |
41 |
27% |
|
Diagnosis and Treatment |
33 |
22% |
|
Psychotherapy and Related Theories |
17 |
11% |
|
Ethics, Legal Principles, and Cultural Care |
26 |
17% |
Exam Scoring
After you take your exam, a raw score is generated; this is the total number of correct answers. That score is then converted into a scaled score, and in order to pass, you must get at least a 350. The process of converting raw scores into scaled scores adjusts for the difficulty of the exam. Since different versions of the exam may have slight variations in difficulty, scaling scores ensures that candidates are scored fairly. This means that candidates who take different versions of the exam should receive comparable scores, reflecting their true level of knowledge and skill.
Pass Rates
The ANCC board exam is made up of 175 questions of various formats. These include drag-and-drop questions, extended multiple-choice, and “hot spot” or image-based questions. But don’t forget, only 150 of these are scored. The remaining 25 questions are considered “pretest” questions, and are questions ANCC is assessing for use on future exams. To pass the ANCC exam, you must get at least a scaled score of 350.
So how many people pass the PMHNP exam? Here’s a look at two different years of ANCC PMHNP exam stats, provided by ANCC.
|
Year |
Total Tested |
Total Passed |
Pass Rate |
|
2016 |
1,550 |
1,364 |
88% |
|
2022 |
7,476 |
6,789 |
91% |
As you can see, the majority of well-prepared candidates achieve a passing score.
Strategies for Success
Preparing for the PMHNP exam requires a strategic and comprehensive approach. Here are some tips to help you navigate the preparation process successfully.
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Start Early and Plan Strategically
Begin your exam preparation early, ideally during your final semester of the PMHNP program. Develop a study schedule that covers all content areas, allowing for a comprehensive review without feeling overwhelmed. Allocate specific time slots for each domain to ensure a balanced and thorough review.
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Use Reliable Study Resources
Utilize reputable study materials, such as review books, practice exams, and online resources like LWES’s streamlined Last Minute PMHNP Review course! ANCC and AANP also provide valuable study materials. Investing in high-quality review materials specifically designed for the PMHNP exam can ensure that the effort you put into studying is maximized!
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Focus on Weak Areas
Regularly assess your knowledge and identify weak areas. After taking practice exams, focus on the areas where you struggled. Review relevant content, seek clarification, and reinforce your understanding of challenging topics.
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Collaborate and Seek Support
Join study groups or connect with fellow NP students preparing for the PMHNP exam. Sharing insights, discussing challenging concepts, and providing mutual support can enhance your understanding and motivation.
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Take Care of Yourself!
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a key part of the exam prep phase. Getting adequate sleep, exercising, and managing stress will set you up for success not only on long study days, but on exam day too!
Remember, success on the PMHNP exam is not just about memorizing information, but also about understanding the application of knowledge in real-world scenarios. By adopting a well-rounded approach to preparation, you’re sure to succeed on the exam and in your future role as a PMHNP!
