If you need help studying for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (PMHN) exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free PMHN practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
How to Register
Exam Scores
Retaking the Exam
Online PMHN Prep Course
FAQs
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the PMHN exam, you’ll have to meet these requirements:
- You need a current RN license
- You need at least two years of full-time RN experience
- You need at least 2,000 hours of clinical PMHN experience within the last three years
- You need at least 30 hours of continuing PMHN education within the last three years
If you meet these requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 150 multiple-choice questions total, but only 125 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 25 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 3 hours. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the PMHN exam.
1. Assessment and Diagnosis
28 scored questions
- Developmental stages
- Physiological causes of psychiatric symptoms
- Psychiatric disorders
- Coping and defense mechanisms
- Assessment tools and techniques
2. Planning
26 scored questions
- Client-centered care
- Educational concepts
- Cultural competence
- Communication barrier management
- Treatment planning
3. Implementation
58 scored questions
- Treatment modalities
- Integrative interventions
- Neurostimulation
- Care coordination
- Therapeutic environment management
- Therapeutic communication
- Medication management
- Psychoeducational group facilitation
- Health promotion
- Emergent situation and crisis management
4. Evaluation
13 scored questions
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Process improvement
- Outcome measurement, ongoing assessment, and revision of care plan
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application to ANCC. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $395. If you’re an ANA, APNA, or ISPN member, your testing fee will be reduced:
PMHN Exam Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 1 and 500.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a 60-day waiting period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test.
Online PMHN Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online PMHN prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The PMHN course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 750+ PMHN Practice Questions
- More than 550 Digital Flashcards
- Over 30 Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The PMHN prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their PMHN exam. Click below to check it out!
FAQs
How many questions are on the PMHN exam?
The exam contains 150 questions.
What is the time limit for the PMHN exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the PMHN exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 350 to pass.
How much does the PMHN exam cost?
The testing fee is $395.
