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Continuing Education

From live conferences to on-demand podcasts, get the education you need to keep your practice current, earn contact hours for your certification, or gain expertise in a specific topic with APNA nursing continuing professional development!

Click on the links below to learn more about each evidence-based program in psychiatric-mental health nursing.

If you are an institution interested in providing access to any of APNA’s continuing education programs to a group of learners, please email apnagrouporders@apna.org.

 

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

APNA National Conferences

Get updates on psychiatric-mental health nursing while connecting with your community at APNA national conferences.

APNA Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute

Planned for Nurses, by Nurses for More than 20 Years
APNA 21st Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute
June 8-11 | Live in person in Reston, VA or virtually!
Earn up to 21.5 ANCC NCPD Contact Hours in Pharmacology
Register by May 15 and save!

APNA Annual Conference

APNA 37th Annual Conference
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses: Novel IDEAS Moving Whole Health Forward
INCLUSION. DIVERSITY. EQUITY. ACCESS. DE-STIGMATIZATION.
October 4-7 | Live in person in Lake Buena Vista, Florida or virtually!
Call for Abstracts is open through March 6

APNA Competency Based Training for Suicide Prevention

APNA Competency Based Training for Suicide Prevention: PMH Nurse Generalists

Contact Hours: 7
Learn to systematically apply the first suicide prevention competencies developed for PMH-RNs with this live interactive training.
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APNA PMH Nurse Suicide Prevention Training Renewal Course

Contact Hours: 3.5
If your APNA Suicide Prevention Provider card has expired, don’t worry! Complete this online-self-paced course to renew & ensure that your practice is safe & current...
Learn More

APNA Competency Based Training for Suicide Prevention – Acute Care Settings

Contact Hours: 1.5
This 1.5 hour in-person training empowers nurses in acute care settings with essential tools for identifying patients who may be at-risk and keeping them safe.
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16 Contact Hours available for nurses looking to increase confidence in the behavioral health setting 

The APNA Transitions in Practice (ATP) Certificate Program focuses on best practices and evidence-based nursing knowledge that will optimize success in nursing practice and improve healthcare outcomes for persons with mental health disorders.

“This was an excellent course and provided a breadth of knowledge that increased my confidence and ability to successfully transition into my new position as a psychiatric nurse.”

This course is self-paced with supplemental activities (content handouts, glossary of terms, references, and case examples) as learners progress through the program. Bulk purchase pricing is available for groups of 10+.  Email atp@apna.org for information.

“All of the sections were very engaging and provided very practical, useful information that can serve to improve my practice as a mental health nurse and it has certainly built my confidence in returning to the inpatient setting.”

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Browse Online Education

Access content like podcasts, online courses, and more to keep your PMH nursing knowledge up-to-date on your schedule.

View all Available Courses in the APNA eLearning Center

APNA PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses: Activating Our Voices as We Evolve in Our Profession

Contact Hours: 0.75
Learn how to articulate your unique nursing role to colleagues, communities, and stakeholders. Then, explore how to advocate for the support you and your PMH nursing colleagues need from supervisors,
Register Now

Addressing Unmet Needs in the Management of Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorder: New & Emerging Therapeutic Options to Enhance Treatment & Maximize Patient Outcomes

Contact Hours: 0.5 Pharmacology
Jointly provided by APNA and the PeerView Institute for Medical Education.
Register Now

APNA PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses: Revolutionizing Access to Person-Centered Care

Contact Hours: 0.75
Explore how psychiatric-mental health nurses expand access to person-centered care through innovative improvements at all levels in order to meet the needs of diverse populations.
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Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Contact Hours: 0.75 Pharmacology
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI083343 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

Maximizing Pharmacological Interventions for Treating Tobacco Use Disorders (TUD); Focus on Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Contact Hours: 0.5 Pharmacology
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no.1H79TI083343 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses: Proud Partners on the Journey to Whole Health

Contact Hours: 1
Examine the importance of caring for your own mental health and provide actionable strategies to foster well-being for yourself so that you can provide the best possible care to
Register Now

An Interprofessional Approach to Training Students in Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

Contact Hours: 0.25
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

The Acute Care Nurse’s Role in Harm Reduction for Persons with Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Contact Hours: 0.25
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

Substance Use Disorders and Co-Occurring Disorders: Essential Curricular Thread for Nursing Education

Contact Hours: 0.25
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

Healthcare Workers and Substance Use Disorder: One Nurse’s Story

Contact Hours: 0.5
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

Psychiatric Nurses’ Knowledge of Misused and Diverted Medications

Contact Hours: 0.5
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do ...
Register Now

APNA PMH Nurse Suicide Prevention Training Renewal Course

Contact Hours: 3.5
If your APNA Suicide Prevention Provider card has expired, don’t worry! Complete this online-self-paced course to renew & ensure that your practice is safe & current...
Learn More

APNA eLearning Center

Browse on-demand sessions on psychiatric-mental health nursing topics across the spectrum of care and start earning contact hours now.
Browse Now

Psychopharmacology

Contact Hours: 0.5-2.0
Cutting edge clinical updates eligible for pharmacology contact hours.
Browse Now

Annual Conference Session Archives

Contact Hours: 0.5-2.0
Recordings of PMH Nurse approved sessions from past conferences.
Browse Now

Effective Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder

Contact Hours: 1.5-3.5
Access free courses to support you and your fellow nurses as you provide care to individuals with Opioid Use Disorder.
Register Now

Understanding the Brain-Behavior Connection

Contact Hours: 5.0
Gain an understanding of the biological basis for behavior with this certificate program.
Register Now

Medications For Substance Use Disorders Training

Contact Hours: 8.0
Free training for nurses who wish to offer medication for substance use disorders.
Register Now

APNA Transitions in Practice

Contact Hours: 16.0
Onboard new PMH-RNs or build the skills needed succeed with this online certificate program.
Register Now

APNA 18th Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute Clinical Practice During COVID-19

Contact Hours: 0.5
A panel discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice and strategies for providing care to patients during this time.
View Training

Medications for Substance Use Disorders (MSUD) Training

Contact Hours: 8.0
Two free webinars which together meet the 24 hours of required education to apply to obtain a DEA waiver to prescribe MAT for opioid use disorders.
View Options

Psychopharmacology

Contact Hours: 0.75 - 2.75
Start earning pharmacology contact hours with sessions from the APNA Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute, APNA Annual Conference, and more.
Browse Now

APNA eLearning Center

Earn continuing education contact hours by accessing more than 500 sessions.

Visit the APNA eLearning Center

Introduction

This video covers the basics of the eLearning Center, including searching for sessions, using bonus points, and more.

Become an APNA member and share your expertise!

  • Bonus Points Program
    A member benefit, bonus points are used in the APNA eLearning Center to “purchase” content.
  • Mentoring Opportunities
    Mentors and mentees can find and connect with each other based upon experience, specialty, location, knowledge area, or even method of communication.
  • Continuing Education Program Reviewers
    Become a Peer Reviewer! Earn contact hours and bonus points by reviewing sessions and handouts, and completing the post test, evaluation and peer reviewing document.
  • Other Educational Opportunities
    APNA provides links to educational opportunities offered by other associations and governmental agencies at its discretion.

Your dynamic community of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses.

Connect with fellow psychiatric-mental health nurses, be the first to know about evidence-based resources and programs, and participate in exclusive opportunities to advance the care and treatment of those with mental health & substance use needs.

JOIN TODAY MEMBER COMMUNITY

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