Motivational Interviewing: Practical Strategies for Nurses

What is Motivational Interviewing (MI), and how should nurses use it? At its heart, MI aligns with the foundational nursing theories of Peplau, Watson, and Polly Ryan. It is a way of caring, forming therapeutic interpersonal relationships, and supporting health behavior change despite life’s obstacles and barriers. As founding MI developer Dr. Bill Miller observed, MI is a “heart-set and a mindset.”

This five-part presentation is designed to help you learn motivational interviewing and how to effectively apply it in practice. The core principles of MI and case exemplars are incorporated throughout each session. Participants will focus on learning flexible, strategic interventions, including reflective listening skills, and on recognizing and responding effectively to change talk and sustain talk. 

Participants are encouraged to engage in structured practice activities during and between sessions. Developing proficiency in MI requires ongoing practice and skill refinement. After completing this educational activity, we encourage you to engage in additional learning opportunities to further increase your confidence and effectiveness in using MI to support behavior change.

Presenter:  Carol Essenmacher, DNP, PMHCNS-BC

Disclosures:  The APNA planners and faculty have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. Off-label uses will not be discussed during this presentation.

Activity Length:  3 hours 45 minutes

Target Audience:  RN, APRN

Learning Outcome:
Upon completion of this educational activity, the participant will be able to:

• Identify three nurse-specific interventions that can be used to promote behavior change.

Educational Outcome:

• At least 70% of participants will report increased confidence in their ability to use Motivational Interviewing in their practice setting following completion of this educational activity.

Keywords:  MI, Motivational Interviewing, Behavior Change, Reflective Listening, Partnership, Compassion, Acceptance, Substance Use Disorders, SUD, Stages of Change, SOC

Nursing Continuing Professional Development:
3.75 contact hours.  *In order to receive contact hours, you must: view each session presentation in its entirety; complete the pre-course survey and post-course survey; earn a passing score of 80% or higher on the post-test; and complete the evaluation and honor statement before the activity end date. You will have five attempts to achieve a passing score on the post-test. Once all requirements have been successfully completed, a certificate will be generated online and available for immediate download or printing. Contact hours cannot be awarded unless all required steps are completed. Partial credit will not be awarded.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Release Date:  September 14, 2026
Access to this educational activity will end:  September 13, 2029 

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