CAPPAN (Common Core of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing)

CAPPAN (Common Core of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing) is a set of standardized guidelines that defines the essential knowledge, skills, and competencies required for advanced practice psychiatric nurses. These professionals, often called psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, provide expert mental health care, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and medication management. CAPPAN ensures consistency across the profession, guiding education, certification, and practice to improve patient outcomes and promote comprehensive, evidence-based mental health services. It serves as a foundation for advanced practice nurses to deliver high-quality psychiatric care across diverse settings.