APNA 40th Annual Conference

Format

hybrid

CME

Up to 24.75 ANCC contact hours — ≈ $3/credit at the lowest rate; covers roughly a full year of a typical 25-hr/yr state requirement

Registration

$79 – $935

Early-bird deadline

September 14, 2026

Official website → · Add dates & deadlines to calendar

Registration pricing

Who this conference is for

The professional home for psychiatric-mental health nursing at every level. First-choice meeting for PMHNPs seeking ANCC contact hours and nursing-specific practice content; hybrid attendance available.

At a glance

Primary audience

Psychiatric nurses & PMHNPs — RN and APRN psychiatric-mental health nurses; the PMHNP home meeting

Orientation

Mostly clinical

Industry funding

Moderate industry presence

Typical attendance

~2,000

Program highlights

6 of 63 major sessions from the official program — excludes posters, exhibits, and social events.

• WorkshopViolence PreventionBeyond the Code: Transforming Nursing Confidence in Behavioral Health Emergency Management

  Alirio Olmedo, DNP, MSN, RN, MICN, CEN · Sonny Okundolor, DNP, PHN, APRN, PMHNP-BC · Maria Capiral, DNP, MSN, RN · LaShonna Jackson-Freeman, PhD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, PMHNP-BC

  Deep dive on de-escalation training and behavioral emergency response team competencies to build nurse confidence in crisis situations and improve workplace safety.

• WorkshopSpecial PopulationsInfertility and IVF: A Clinical Primer for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice

  Allyce Jones, DNP, MSN, PMHNP-BC, APRN, CNE, NCMP, PMH-C · Joni Lybbert, DNP, PMHNP-BC, APRN

  Walks through the psychological stages patients experience during infertility treatment, with trauma-informed assessment and safety strategies for PMH nurses.

• WorkshopQuality ImprovementBeyond the Basics: Navigating Bias, Comorbidities, and Nuance in Adult ADHD

  Naomi Myrick, MSN, PMHNP-BC

  Interactive clinical workshop preparing PMH-APRNs to recognize, evaluate, and manage adult ADHD, including diagnostic bias and comorbid conditions.

• WorkshopPracticeDecoding Deprescribing Guidelines: Best Prescribing Practices 2026

  Joanne Iennaco, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, FNYAM

  Synthesizes current deprescribing recommendations across drug classes and age groups, integrating both RN and APRN roles. Pharmacology-eligible.

• WorkshopAddictions/Substance UseAn Addiction Primer for the Psychiatric Provider

  Justin Alves, RN, FNP-BC, ACRN, AACRN, CARN, CNE · Megan Hudson, RN, PMHNP-BC · Vanessa Loukas, RN, FNP-BC, CARN-AP · Annie Potter, RN, FNP-BC

  Crash-course workshop on folding addiction treatment into everyday psychiatric practice, taught by an addictions nursing faculty team. Pharmacology-eligible.

• WorkshopArtificial IntelligenceTeaching with AI: Opportunities, Vulnerabilities, and Environmental Realities

  Jacque Williams, MSN, RN, NC-BC

  Examines how generative AI can streamline nursing education while weighing ethical, equity, and environmental trade-offs.

See the full program — all 63 sessions & speakers →

Program details verified August 20, 2026; sessions and speakers may change — confirm on the official site.