The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) was founded in 1986. In the ensuing 24 years, APNA has grown to be the largest professional membership organization committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNA is the only PMH nursing organization whose membership is inclusive of all PMH registered nurses (RN) including associate degree (ADN), baccalaureate (BSN), and advanced practice (APN) comprised of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and psychiatric nurse practitioners).

APNA carries out its mission through a member elected Board of Directors. The nine member Board governs the association through committees and task forces that address issues of importance to mental health in the areas of nursing practice, education, research, administration and policy. Each of these committees employs a structure to maximize member involvement. For example, more than 150 psychiatric-mental health nurses from across the country participated in the development of the APNA Position and Standards of Practice for Seclusion and Restraint. The committee and task force structure not only allows for excellent input but also provides a grass roots approach to augment the organization’s dissemination of information to the psychiatric nursing community.

APNA is guided by a strategic plan that calls for collaborative relationships with consumer groups that can help guide advances in recovery-focused assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of persons with mental conditions and substance use disorders. In accordance with this plan, APNA provides opportunities for its members to disseminate research at national forums and attend educational programs.

APNA membership totals more than 6500 in the US. All PMH nurses are eligible for membership at a reasonable cost. The membership is comprised of approximately 40% Psychiatric Registered Nurses and 60% Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Members practice in all settings including inpatient, community, academic, research, in public, private and public health institutions, and in high level administrative positions at state and federal levels.

Psychiatric-mental health nurses view APNA as a resource for networking, education, and dissemination of research. The APNA network consists of 40 state or local chapters that provide education to practicing PMH nurses in their local region. APNA also has a chapter for active duty military and one for international members. Chapter members communicate online, through conference calls and through live chapter meetings. APNA members have shared expertise in trauma-informed care, smoking cessation and preventing the use of seclusion and restraint with members in other states through APNA chapter programs. The chapter system allows for quick and wide distribution of standards, position papers, and materials to its 6300 members and other constituents.

APNA is committed to disseminating state-of-the-art information to the widest possible audience of PMH nurses. In addition to its state chapter system, interactive website, print and electronic newsletters, and peer-reviewed journal, APNA recently added a social networking website that provides discussion forums and member blogs. In the past six months there have been 92,985 visits to the APNA website and 402,684 page views. The association has a substantial infrastructure to obtain and disseminate information important to practicing PMH nurses.

APNA communicates with its members as well as 10,300 additional PMH nurses in its national database via an electronic newsletter, APNA News: The Psychiatric Nursing Voice, on a monthly basis. The newsletter reports on issues of importance to PMH nursing in the areas of legislation, regulation and policy. The newsletter is augmented by periodic emails to alert members to breaking news.

The Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (JAPNA) provides quality, up-to-date information to promote PMH nursing, improve mental health care for culturally diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities, as well as shape health care policy for the delivery of mental health services. JAPNA’s peer-reviewed articles provide the newest effective evidence based nursing practices, innovative therapeutic approaches, significant information trends, and useful, clinically-focused research in PMH nursing and its related subspecialties. JAPNA has a circulation of 10,809 subscribers.

APNA has a well-established program for providing education to all PMH nurses. APNA continuing education programs are aimed at bringing the latest developments in mental health research and practice to the entire PMH nursing community. The APNA Annual Conference is the largest gathering of PMH nurses in the US. In 2008 and again in 2009, APNA hosted more than 1000 nurses from 46 states who attended programs during each conference. In 2009, APNA added web streaming of selected sessions during the conference in order to reach as wide an audience as possible. The Annual Conference is an excellent vehicle to bring an issue into focus and initiate a program for change in practice or education.

PMH nurses receive targeted education on drug therapies at the APNA Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute. Cutting edge research and education related to psychiatric medications are provided to nurses many of whom have prescriptive authority.

APNA, as an accredited provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation, offers live and online continuing nursing education programs. Live activities at the national and chapter level are augmented by APNA’s online education. Online programs offer sessions from APNA national conferences and provide access to nationally recognized speakers for all PMH nurses.