How do you become a PMHNP preceptor?
The short answer
PMHNP students are precepted by psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, certified as PMHNP-BC through ANCC or PMHNP-C through AANPCB, and by psychiatrists, in person or by telepsychiatry where the school accepts it. You need an active, unencumbered license and usually a year or more in practice. Our team prepares the affiliation agreement and the school’s forms, and you are paid at the rate you set.
- 750direct patient care hours each PMHNP student completes
- 2boards certify PMHNPs: ANCC (PMHNP-BC) and AANPCB (PMHNP-C)
- 2024the year AANPCB began taking PMHNP-C applications
- 120precepting hours toward ANCC or AANPCB renewal
What PMHNP students practice with you
PMHNP students care for psychiatric and mental health needs across the lifespan:
- Psychiatric evaluations and diagnostic interviews.
- Medication management and monitoring.
- Psychotherapy approaches, as the program teaches them.
- Care for substance use and co-occurring conditions.
- Telepsychiatry visits, where the school accepts them.
Who precepts PMHNP students
Certified PMHNPs and psychiatrists precept PMHNP students in outpatient psychiatry, community mental health centers, inpatient psychiatric units, addiction and recovery services, and telepsychiatry practices. The 2022 NP education standards name physicians among the clinicians programs may use, so psychiatrists often precept part of a student’s hours.
Telepsychiatry and supervised training
The NP education standards count care delivered through telehealth as direct patient care, which makes telepsychiatry a natural fit for virtual precepting. HIPAA also includes a provision for a practice’s own supervised training of mental health students, so students learn from the full range of their preceptor’s work.
How PMHNP precepting counts toward your renewal
AANPCB renews certification every five years: at least 1,000 practice hours as an NP in your population focus and 100 contact hours of advanced continuing education, 25 in pharmacology. Up to 120 precepting hours convert to as many as 25 non-pharmacology CE hours. ANCC also renews every five years: 75 contact hours, 25 in pharmacology for NPs, plus at least one of eight professional development categories, and a minimum of 120 preceptor hours completes the preceptor category.
Precepting PMHNP students with Preceptorate
Precept in your practice, by telepsychiatry where the school accepts it, or both. Our team runs the mentorship sessions for virtual students, prepares the affiliation agreement and the school’s forms, and you are paid per block of hours at the rate you set.
Sources
- National Task Force: Standards for Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, 6th edition (2022)
- AANPCB: PMHNP certification program accredited by NCCA
- AANPCB: 2024 Annual Report
- ANCC Certification Renewal Handbook (effective September 10, 2025)
- 45 CFR 164.501: definition of health care operations
Checked October 30, 2026. Schools build on these standards with their own guidelines, and our team tells you exactly what your student’s school asks.