PMHNP certification cheat sheet
Psychiatric medication monitoring: quick sheet
What to check, how often and which levels matter, for the drugs that get tested.
Reviewed by a licensed nurse · 22 October 2026
Levels
| Drug | Usual range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium | 0.6 to 1.2 | mEq/L |
| Valproate | 50 to 125 | mcg/mL |
| Carbamazepine | 4 to 12 | mcg/mL |
Baseline for second-generation antipsychotics
- ·Weight, BMI and waist circumference
- ·Blood pressure
- ·Fasting glucose or A1c
- ·Lipid panel
- ·AIMS for movement disorders
Quick links between a drug and its risk
- ·Lithium: tremor, hypothyroidism, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, toxicity worsened by dehydration, NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors and thiazides.
- ·Valproate: liver injury, pancreatitis, teratogenicity.
- ·Carbamazepine: hyponatremia, bone marrow suppression, serious skin reactions.
- ·Clozapine: severe neutropenia, myocarditis, seizures. Check current labeling for monitoring.
- ·Citalopram: QT prolongation. Maximum 40 mg a day, 20 mg over age 60.
Educational content for exam preparation. It is not clinical guidance and does not replace your facility's policies, current professional guidelines or the advice of a qualified clinician.
boardreadynurse.com · American Psychiatric Association guidelines