The APNA Annual Conference is the largest gathering of psychiatric-mental health nurses in the U.S. Each fall, it brings together PMH nurses from all settings and levels of practice in a new destination to learn, connect, and share ideas that advance the profession.

The APNA Annual Conference program is formed through an open call for abstracts and peer review process. The result is a comprehensive program that speaks to the most urgent needs and current evidence in psychiatric-mental health nursing administration, education, practice, and research.

With registration including live attendance (in-person or livestream) and on demand recordings, it offers up to 115+ ANCC NCPD contact hours.

Through a mix of sessions, discussions, and networking , attendees earn nursing continuing professional development contact hours and explore the latest developments and innovations in the field. Whether you’re a student, educator, clinician, or advanced practice nurse, the APNA Annual Conference offers inspiration, evidence-based insights, and a sense of community you won’t find anywhere else.

The APNA Annual Conference is appropriate for all psychiatric-mental health nurses, as well as other nurses and clinicians interested in advancing their care. It is attended each year by thousands of psychiatric-mental health RNs, NPs, PMHCNSs, and more.

Because the program features hundreds of sessions and poster presentations, it includes nursing continuing professional development applicable to a diverse range of settings, experience-levels, and specialty areas within psychiatric-mental health nursing, including:

• Addictions/Substance Use
• Administration
• Child & Adolescent
• Community Care
• Complementary & Alternative Therapies
• Graduate Education
• Inpatient Units
• Integrated Care
• Medication Management
• Military & Veterans
• Older Adults
• Private Practice
• Psychotherapy
• Recovery
• Research
• Special Populations
• Undergraduate Education
• Violence Prevention

Attendees can choose from hundreds of sessions and poster presentations that cover a wide range of topics relevant to psychiatric-mental health nursing.

Because the program features hundreds of sessions and poster presentations, it includes nursing continuing professional development applicable to a diverse range of settings, experience-levels, and specialty areas within psychiatric-mental health nursing, including:

• Addictions/Substance Use
• Administration
• Child & Adolescent
• Community Care
• Complementary & Alternative Therapies
• Graduate Education
• Inpatient Units
• Integrated Care
• Medication Management
• Military & Veterans
• Older Adults
• Private Practice
• Psychotherapy
• Recovery
• Research
• Special Populations
• Undergraduate Education
• Violence Prevention

Registered participants can earn up to 115+ ANCC NCPD contact hours by attending live sessions and accessing on-demand recordings after the conference. Materials are available in the APNA eLearning Center for continued learning.

Nursing continuing professional development contact hours are earned based on the sessions attended and evaluations completed. Contact hours are calculated on 60 minutes of instruction. To receive full credit for a session, you must attend the entire session and complete an online evaluation. Attend the sessions of your choice during the conference, then complete online evaluations and generate your Certificate by the deadline.

The total number of contact hours available for session recordings is subject to change. Final contact hours may reduce after the conference related to session availability, content edits, and accreditation review. 

View more information on contact hours here.

Attendees gain:
• Current evidence-based education and tools to enhance practice
• Professional networking opportunities with peers and leaders
• Access to sessions for viewing and earning contact hours during the live conference and after in the APNA eLearning Center
• Inspiration and collaboration within the PMH nursing community

More benefits of attending here.

Psychiatric-mental health nurses are invited to submit abstracts that reflect innovative, evidence-based projects or scholarship. Submissions are peer-reviewed and considered for various presentation formats at the conference by the APNA Scholarly Review Committee.

Learn more on the Call for Abstracts page.
For guidance, see the Submitter Toolkit.

• All levels of practitioners and researchers are encouraged to submit abstracts. Each submission must include author information, a clear, concise abstract (≤250 words), at least one learning outcome, and meet APNA’s submission guidelines.
• Each submission must include author information, a clear, concise abstract (≤250 words), at least one learning outcome, and meet APNA’s submission guidelines.
• PMH nurses deliver the majority of presentations, but we also welcome submissions from interprofessional teams relevant to PMH nurses.
• Submissions are peer-reviewed by the APNA Scholarly Review Committee.

Learn more on the Call for Abstracts page.
For guidance, see the Submitter Toolkit.

Abstracts have a fixed submission deadline, and authors are notified via email in mid-April. Presenters must confirm acceptance and meet all presenter guidelines by the deadline in order to secure their spot.

Abstracts are due Monday, March 2.

See a full list of deadlines here.

You can view the presenter toolkits here:

View the Podium Presenter Toolkit

View the Poster Presenter Toolkit

Yes. All recorded sessions are available on demand in the APNA eLearning Center 2 months after the conference, allowing you to earn contact hours and review materials at your convenience.

Past conference sessions can be found on the APNA eLearning Center here.

The APNA Annual Conference, held each fall in a new destination, is the largest gathering of psychiatric-mental health nurses in the U.S. each year. It covers a wide range of psychiatric-mental health nursing topics, from clinical practice and education to leadership, policy, and research. The program is created through an open call for abstracts and peer review process. With hundreds of sessions and poster presentations to choose from, it offers nursing continuing professional development for every PMH nurse, no matter their licensure, level of experience, or work setting.

The APNA Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute(CPI), held each spring in the DC area, focuses specifically on the science and application of psychopharmacology within a nursing context. It offers a curated program planned for nurses, by nurses that dives deep into evidence-based medication management and neuroscience. It is especially valuable for advanced practice nurses, such as PMHNPs, seeking to deepen their expertise and earn pharmacology contact hours, as well as other clinicians who prescribe.

Both conferences can be attended virtually or in person and registration includes access to on demand session recordings afterwards.

Yes. The conference includes virtual livestreaming options where attendees can view selected sessions as they are happening. Selected sessions will also be available on demand for registered attendees 2 months after the conference.