PMHCNS-BC Certification: Overview and FAQ
If you’re a mental health clinical nurse specialist with board certification, you might be wondering how to renew your credential. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has discontinued new certifications for PMHCNS-BC, meaning that it is available for existing certification holders only. Let’s go over what this credential is and how to renew it.
A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is one of four types of advanced practice nurses (APRNs). CNSs typically specialize in a patient population and can serve as care providers, consultants, researchers, and more. Unlike nurse practitioners (NPs), they tend to take a more systematic approach to healthcare, assisting in program development and improving care delivery.
What Does PMHCNS-BC Stand For?
This credential stands for Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist – Board Certified. It’s offered by the ANCC and certifies that a nurse has the expertise to serve as a CNS for patients experiencing mental health issues. Depending on the state they live in, CNSs can independently assess, prescribe, and diagnose patients.
The 4,500 PMHCNSs in the United States work in a variety of clinical settings, including those below:
- Inpatient psychiatric units
- Outpatient mental health clinics
- Substance use treatment centers
- Primary care settings
- Correctional facilities
- Community mental health centers
- Veterans hospitals and healthcare centers
Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist: Salary Averages
The average CNS salary is about $106,600 per year. Depending on your experience and additional credentials, you could earn more.
What Training Does a Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist Have?
Mental health CNSs go through standard RN training, as well as additional education and credentialing. The process is similar to nurse practitioner schooling. Below are the steps for entering this role:
- Become an RN by completing a pre-nursing ADN or BSN program and passing the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
- Gain experience as a mental health nurse in clinical areas such as eating disorder recovery centers, inpatient mental health units, or others.
- Complete an advanced degree in psychiatric nursing. PMHCNS programs are offered at the master’s and doctoral levels.
- Earn board certification by meeting additional credentialing requirements, sitting for a specialty exam, and maintaining this credential via renewals.
How to Renew PMHCNS-BC: 3 Steps
This credential must be renewed every five years to remain valid. You can begin the renewal process up to a year before your credential expires. If your credential lapses for fewer than two years, you can still renew it via reactivation, which is a slightly different process. Running low on time? You can pay extra for an expedited renewal process.
Step 1: Complete Renewal Requirements
To be eligible to renew, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:
- Hold an active RN license.
- Complete 75 contact hours of continuing education, with 25 of those hours in pharmacology.
- Complete at least 1 of the renewal categories:
- 75 contact hours
- 5 academic credits or 5 quarter credits
- 1 or more specialty presentations totaling 5 hours
- 1 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) or Quality Improvement (QI) project
- 1 published specialty article in a peer-reviewed journal or book chapter, or 5 articles in non-peer-reviewed journals
- 1 specialty Institutional Review Board (IRB) project, completed dissertation, or thesis
- 120 hours or more spent as a specialty preceptor
- 2 or more consecutive years of volunteer service with a healthcare organization, such as serving on boards of directors, review boards, task forces, and medical missions
- 1,000 hours or more of specialty practice within the past 5 years
Step 2: Apply and Pay Renewal Fees
Once you meet renewal requirements, log in to your ANCC account to get started on your renewal application. You’ll need to complete the forms and pay a fee based on the membership category you fall into.
The fees for renewals are as follows:
- Nonmembers: $375
- American Nurses Association (ANA) members: $275
- National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) members: $295
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) members: $250
- International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) members: $295
Step 3: Receive Your Renewal Notification
When your credential renews, you’ll get an email. You can also check on the status of your renewal by logging into your ANCC account.
FAQs About Psychiatric CNS Board Certification
PMHCNS-BC vs PMHNP: What’s the difference?
PMHNP stands for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. These APRNs have overlapping scopes of practice with PMHCNSs, and both professionals serve as care providers to mental health patients. The main difference is that CNSs tend to focus on healthcare system improvements and the back end of medicine, while the primary role of an NP is to provide care to patients.
Why was this credential discontinued?
ANCC discontinued PMHCNS board certification in 2014 due to declining rates of certification applicants and the increasing popularity of the NP role.
Related Certifications
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC)
- Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS)
- Certified Addiction Registered Nurse – Advanced Practitioner (CARN-AP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC)
Find Mental Health Nursing Roles
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