Product Theater Breakfast | No Contact Hours Provided
7:15AM – 8:45AM Eastern
Sponsored by Karuna Therapeutics™
Mini Concurrent Sessions | 0.75 Contact Hours
9:00AM – 9:45AM Eastern
8:00AM CT | 7:00AM PT
4011: Advanced Practice
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Identifying Patients Appropriate for Ketamine: Key Management Considerations – APRN
Ketamine has emerged as a clinically effective, rapid acting intervention for treatment-resistant depression, but providers lack knowledge of its benefits and risks. Psychiatric nurse practitioners can increase access to this promising and hopeful intervention. Clinical vignettes will illustrate important considerations to make in referring patients for safe and effective care.
Presenter: Emily Criscuolo, BS, RN
Treating Trauma-Related Symptoms with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Program Evaluation – APRN
This presentation provides a synthesis of the current research and evidence for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and highlights the findings from a program evaluation and analysis of a Tucson-based KAP clinic’s impact on their client’s trauma-related symptoms as measured by pre-and post-treatment PCL-5.
Presenters: Carrie M. Anderson, DNP, PMHNP-BC
Available to virtual attendees.
May be eligible for pharmacology contact hours.
4012: Resilience
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Steps to Safely and Ethically Incorporate Animal-Assisted Therapy into Your Practice – RN APRN
An interactive presentation discussing the latest research in animal-assisted interventions. The presentation will prompt attendees to ask the right questions when considering animal-assisted therapy for their practice with steps specifying how to progress forward if circumstances and conditions are well suited.
Presenter: S. Akeya Harrold, DNP, PMHNP, APRN-BC, C-AAIS
Get In The Game: A Proactive Coach Approach to Supporting Nurses and Patients in Non-Behavioral Health Environments – RN
Guided by nurse leaders, an interdisciplinary team successfully responded to improve staff satisfaction and promote a workplace safety culture via the pilot of a Behavioral Health (BH) Safety Coach (SC) role for non-BH inpatient units and emergency departments (EDs).
Presenters: Cardina Ross, MSN, PMH-BC, NE-BC; Oluwatoyin Akinyele, BSHCA, BSN, RN, Shannon Jennings, MSN, RN, PMH-BC
4013: Safety
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Connecting Patient Needs to Appropriate Interventions: A Pilot Study of the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA) – RN
Safety events can arise form patients who have increased risk for aggressive behaviors. The Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA) is an evidence-based tool for predicting aggressive behaviors in patients. Our presentation describes a quality improvement project to increase nurse’s implementation of the DASA in reduction of patient safety events.
Presenters: John D. Hensley, BSN, RN; James Barnes, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Long-Acting Antipsychotic Medications Compared to Orals: Making Connections Between Treatment Adherence and Healthcare Utilization Outcomes for People with Schizophrenia Who are Medicaid Beneficiaries – RN APRN
People living with schizophrenia often have poor treatment adherence leading to poor treatment outcomes and associated healthcare costs. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medications are shown to improve treatment adherence. Our presentation will share the results of a study assessing healthcare utilization and treatment outcomes by comparing LAIs to orals.
Presenters: Tianyi Wang, MS, PhD candidate; Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, PhD, MPH, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN
4014: Undergraduate Education
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Implementing an Interdisciplinary Addiction Fellowship Training Program for PMHNPs at an Urban Academic Medical Center – APRN
This presentation introduces a model for a postgraduate PMHNP fellowship to prepare new clinicians for practice across multiple addiction treatment settings. Utilizing the Benner’s novice to expert theory, fellows and faculty experiences will be evaluated in a modified CFIR framework to identify facilitating factors or barriers implementation.
Presenter: Shane Gallagher, DNP, PMHNP-BC
Step-by-Step Psychiatric Assessment Interviewing: Connecting the Dots for Student Competency – RN APRN
The new AACN essentials for professional nursing education requires a transition to competency-based education. Participants will leave this presentation with the ability to implement a system of instruction and evaluation that prepares PMHNP students to conduct psychiatric assessment interviews in a step-by-step fashion..
Presenters: Andrew Makowski, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Holly Gray, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Julie Perry, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC
4015: Practice
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Canine-Assisted Intervention in the Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital Setting: What Is Staff’s Perception of the Benefits of Pet Therapy – RN
This presentation introduces the development of a pet therapy program on an inpatient psychiatric unit, exploring strategies for gaining administration approval, and navigating policies and adherence to infection control practices.
Presenter: Michelle L. Geiss, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Shelby L. Whaley, DNP(c), BSN, RN
Emergency Response Training for Psychiatric Nurses and Mental Health Technicians – RN APRN
This presentation reviews the implementation of simulation based training for responding to medical emergencies by psychiatric nurses to address the target opportunities in addressing psychiatric nursing skill, confidence and attitude in responding to medical emergencies.
Presenters: Kateleen Collins, RN, BSN; Natalie Ramirez, BSN, RN-BC
Available to virtual livestream attendees.
4016: Vulnerable Populations
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Increased Nurse Satisfaction and Patient Engagement Associated with Using an Age-Friendly Toolkit to Manage Behavioral and Psychological Disturbances in Older Hospitalized Veterans – RN
Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and often delirium in older hospitalized adults can negatively impact patients’ outcomes. Nonpharmacological approaches can be effective in managing behavior in such patients. An overview of VA Boston Healthcare System’s Age-Friendly Toolkit (AFT) items, implementation, and evaluation will be featured.
Presenter: Jennifer E. Moyer, MSN, RN, SANE
Identifying Post-Stroke Depression in Patients with Aphasia: A Program Plan for Evidence-Based Screening – RN APRN
This interactive, gripping presentation shines a spotlight on a vulnerable population who lacks the voice to advocate for themselves: aphasic stroke survivors. We will discuss the high prevalence of depression in aphasic patients and the necessity of utilizing non-language-based tools in the screening of post-stroke depression in this neglected population.
Presenter: Jack Y. Lagrone, DNP/PMHNP-S, RN-C
4017: Interprofessional Education
9:00am – 9:45am Eastern
Improving Healthcare Through Interprofessional Education in Substance Use Disorder and Addiction: A Scoping Review – RN APRN
This presentation delves into the effectiveness and challenges of Interprofessional Education (IPE) in addressing substance use disorders (SUD) and addiction in medical and nursing programs. It synthesizes current research, highlighting gaps in curricula and proposing strategies to enhance IPE, aiming to improve holistic patient care in these critical areas.
Presenters: Dawn Goldstein, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC
Addressing Biases Against Alcohol Use Disorders in Hospital Systems: Inclusive Optimization of Electronic Health Record (EHR) Systems for Addiction Screening – RN
This presentation will foster the opportunity to discuss an integration of a comprehensive alcohol addiction screening tool into EHR systems. A modernized screening form can enhance the quality of care for individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) by providing quicker diagnosis, earlier detection, and supplemental decision-based tools, leading to improved care.
Presenter: Samantha Knight, RN
Concurrent Sessions | 0.75 Contact Hours
10:00AM – 10:45AM Eastern
9:00AM CT | 8:00AM PT
4021: Clinical Practice
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
Using Measurement Instruments in Psychiatric Evaluation to Improve Clinical Practice – RN APRN
This presentation will summarize how to assess the validity and reliability of an instrument to use in clinical practice and how to obtain instruments appropriate for diverse groups.
Presenter: Christine A. Williamitis, PhD, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, ACNP-BC
4022: Simulation
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
High Fidelity, Low Anxiety: A Scaffolded Comprehensive Simulation Curriculum to Prepare PMHNP Students for Clinical and Practice – APRN
A scaffolded simulation curriculum integrated across a PMHNP program, to prepare students for clinical in a CBE framework, will be presented. Micro-resiliency skills to reduce anxiety around simulation and the comprehensive preparation of “ready to practice” PMHNPs are included. Audience engagement will be encouraged via polling and discussion.
Presenters: Karen Corcoran, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CHSE; Kathryn Phillips, PhD, APRN; Danielle Conklin, DNP, NP-P, PMHNP-BC
4023: Outpatient
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
Nursing Role in Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry: Perspectives of Nurses Working in This Practice Environment – RN APRN
This interactive scientific presentation will inform you of the latest Canadian mental health research about the nursing role in child and adolescent outpatient psychiatry from the nurses’ perspectives. By providing a common definition of the nursing role, the participant will reflect on the transferability of it in the American context.
Presenter: Imane Hani, RN, MSN (Student)
4024: Graduate Education
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
Continuous Quality Improvement in PMHNP Education: Using a QI Process to Refine a Psychopharmacology Assignment – RN APRN
Faculty observed that students did not perform as expected on an assignment for a PMHNP psychopharmacology course involving critical analysis, synthesis, and application of published literature. We conducted a QI project using student focus groups to revise the assignment for the next cohort. Student grade distribution improved after the revision.
Presenters: Lyons Hardy, MSN, PMHNP
4026: Special Populations
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
Delirium in the Hospitalized Elderly Delirious Patient: Best Practices and Prevention – RN APRN
Delirium, a potentially life-threatening medical condition and distinguished from dementia, may be under-recognized with the potential to significantly increase mortality and healthcare cost-burdens among the frail hospitalized elderly. Measurement tools for identification, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, and nurse-centric strategies for prevention will be presented with implications for performance improvements.
Presenter: Constance Noll, DNP, MA, CRNP, PMHNP-BC
Available to virtual livestream attendees.
4027: Recovery Tools
10:00am – 10:45am Eastern
Psychometric Properties of the Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey (PACES) in Clients with Opioid Use Disorder – RN APRN
This interactive presentation will discuss the current state of trauma-informed care and introduce the psychometric evaluation of a new screening tool, the Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey (PACES), designed to improve the experience of assessing trauma by identifying protective factors that may lead to enhanced resilience.
Presenters: Linda Driscoll Powers, BSN, RN; Kerry Peterson, PhD, DNP, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC
Available to virtual livestream attendees.
What’s in Your Toolbox for the Management of Increased Body Mass Index in Patients Taking Psychotropic Medications? – 
