The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is a
professional association
A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...
of
psychiatric-mental health nurses. Founded in 1986, it provides continuing education and a range of professional services to a membership of more than 9000 nurses. It publishes position papers on mental health issues and the care of persons with
psychiatric disorders
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
.
Membership
APNA is the largest psychiatric-mental health nursing organization, with more than 40 national and international chapters. Educational levels vary from basic to doctoral. The membership includes psychiatric
registered nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
s,
advanced practice registered nurses,
nursing student
Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other med ...
s, licensed practical nurses, and retired nurses.
Publications
APNA has an electronic newsletter entitled ''APNA News: The Psychiatric Nursing Voice'' that is emailed to all members monthly.
The ''
Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association'' (''JAPNA'') is published bimonthly by
SAGE Publications
SAGE Publishing, formerly SAGE Publications, is an American independent publishing company founded in 1965 in New York by Sara Miller McCune and now based in Newbury Park, California.
It publishes more than 1,000 journals, more than 800 books ...
. APNA membership includes a subscription ''JAPNA''. Members may also access ''JAPNA'' online. It includes
peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work (peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...
articles regarding psychiatric and mental health nursing, improving mental
health care
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
, and health care policy. It has a circulation of 10,809 subscribers. APNA also co-published ''Psychiatric-Mental Health: Scope and Standards of Practice'' with the
American Nurses Association and
International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses.
Continuing Nursing Education
APNA is an accredited provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. The organization offers live and online continuing nursing education programs.
The APNA Annual Conference is the largest gathering of psychiatric and mental health nurses in the US and consists of three days of continuing education specific to psychiatric mental health nursing.
The APNA Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute offers sessions which provide
psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology (from Greek grc, ψῡχή, psȳkhē, breath, life, soul, label=none; grc, φάρμακον, pharmakon, drug, label=none; and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none) is the scientific study of the effects drugs have on m ...
continuing education contact hours related to
psychiatric medications. This institute addresses the interaction of neurobiological and genetic mechanisms,
Axis I and II disorders and clinical syndromes, and current health care issues in
recovery
Recovery or Recover may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books
* Recovery (novel), ''Recovery'' (novel), a Star Wars e-book
* Recovery Version, a translation of the Bible with footnotes published by Living Stream Ministry
Film and television
* R ...
including
transcultural care delivery. Complex health issues,
polypharmacy, and recently approved medications are also addressed.
APNA worked collaboratively with the
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
on a three part series, Counseling Points - Caring for Patients with
ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inapp ...
Throughout the Lifespan. APNA is developing a three part series of Counseling Points on
tobacco dependence entitled "Breaking Barriers and Implementing Change".
See also
Grayce Sills
Grayce Sills (April 18, 1926 – 2016) was an American psychiatric nurse, educator, author, and nurse administrator. Sills was the co-founder of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, She was co-founding Editor of the Journal of the American ...
References
External links
* {{Official website, http://www.apna.org
Psychiatric nursing
Nursing organizations in the United States
Medical and health organizations based in Virginia