Thursday Program

Product Theater Presentation
7:00am – 8:30am Pacific

No Contact Hours Provided

President’s Address
9:00am – 10:00am Pacific
1.0 Contact Hour

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses: Activating Our Voices as We Evolve in Our Profession

It’s time to activate your voice! As the second-largest segment of the psychiatric-mental health workforce, we have the power to raise awareness and advance mental health care in our work settings, in our local communities, and nationally. In this presentation, learn how to articulate your unique role to colleagues, communities, and stakeholders. Then, explore how to advocate for the support you and your PMH nursing colleagues need from supervisors, systems, policymakers, and more.

Presenter: Leslie G. Oleck, MSN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, LMFT

Poster Presentations Open
10:00am – 6:30pm Pacific
Up to 4 Contact Hours

Earn up to 4 contact hours for time spent viewing and evaluating the poster presentations Thursday – Friday!

Concurrent Sessions
10:15AM – 11:00AM PT

12:15PM CT | 1:15PM ET

0.75 Contact Hours 

2011: Suicidality
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

What We Do: Mental Health Nurses Supporting Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention on Campus – RN, APRN

Mental health nurse educators can lead varied strategies for engaging members of the campus community to support mental wellness. PMH nurses can facilitate thoughtful and practical approaches to enhance mental health awareness and suicide prevention in collegiate settings.

Presenter: Todd B. Hastings, PhD, RN, CNE

2012: Inpatient
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

Medical Emergency Response Training in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital Setting: Improving Staff Confidence and Patient Outcomes – RN

This presentation includes an overview of the creation of customized medical emergency response training for staff in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. The training focuses on clinical decision-making and applying unfamiliar interventions in a high-stress simulation environment using low-fidelity equipment to increase staff confidence and improve patient outcomes.

Presenter: Lesley Worsley-Hynd, MSN, RN

2013: Graduate Education
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

The Domain 1 Crew: Developing A Toolkit for Nurse Educators Targeting Knowledge and Scientific Foundations for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners – APRN

Presenters will engage participants in developing a working model of the knowledge base needed for competent practice by PMHNPs. Current priorities and gaps in knowledge will be targeted. Participants will be encouraged to submit learning activities, rubrics, and resources for consideration and toolkit inclusion.

Presenters: Maureen Donohue-Smith, PhD, PMHNP-BC; Carol Kottwitz, DNP, PMHNP-BC, SNAP; Sheila Deyette, PhD, PMHCNS-BC

2014: Child & Adolescent
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

Implementation of the CATCH My Breath™ EBP Vaping Prevention Program Providing Education to Adolescents – RN, APRN

This presentation introduces the importance of an educational and evidence-based practice vaping prevention program, CATCH My Breath™, for adolescents. This is the only EBP program demonstrating effectiveness for youth in changing knowledge, attitudes/perceptions, and vaping use.

Presenter: Patricia Mulvaney-Roth, DNP, MS, APRN, PMHCNS-BS, ACNS

2015: Practice
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

Psychiatric Nurses Making a Difference: Positions on Community and National Boards, Commissions and Politics – RN, APRN

The unique contributions of psychiatric-mental health nurses on community and national boards, commissions, and politics are reviewed. The ability to influence funding, governance, and public services will be described.

Presenters: Anita Catlin, PhD, FNP, CNL, FAAN; Kristine M. Muyco, BSN

2016: Special Populations
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

ADHD and Women, the Unexpected and the Outcomes – RN, APRN

Females often go misdiagnosed with ADHD, which then leads to comorbid disease and socioeconomic outcomes. Early identification of ADHD in females can create an opportunity for early intervention and improved outcomes. This presentation will provide information on the data, outcomes, and strategies for improvement in identification and treatment of ADHD.

Presenter: Pamela Wall, PhD, PMHNP, FAANP

2017: Interprofessional Education
10:15am – 11:00am Pacific

Human Trafficking: It Takes a Community to Respond and Only One Person to Make a Difference – RN, APRN

This interactive and lively presentation will provide participants with the knowledge to recognize victims of human trafficking and develop educational tools and protocols necessary to create a facility and community coordinated response to best serve the safety, legal, medical, psychiatric, psychosocial, and financial needs of the victim, leading to eventual self-actualizing of the victim.

Presenter: Christine Cooley, MSN, RN, FNE-A, SANE-A

Concurrent Sessions
11:15AM – 12:00PM PT

1:15PM CT | 2:15PM ET

0.75 Contact Hours

2021: Suicidality
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

Nurses in Peril: The Interconnectedness of Substance Use Disorder and Suicide among Nurses – RN, APRN

This presentation explores the interconnectedness between SUD job loss and suicide, and innovative interventions for addressing SUD among nurses. Participants will explore concepts such as the conspiracy of silence, shame, stigma, and moral failure that impede nurse recovery. Participants will identify PMH nursing strategies for healing through nurse peer support.

Presenters: Elena Geiger-Simpson, DNP, APRN, CNP, PMHNP-BC, PHN; Deborah Matthias-Anderson, PhD, RN, CNE; Marie Manthey, (h)PhD, MNA, FAAN, FRCN; Dina Stewart, DNP, APRN, CNP, PMHNP-BC

2022: Inpatient
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

Planning, Designing, and Creating a Safe Environment that Decreases Stigma and Facilitates Recovery: How a Project to Create an Inpatient Unit Resulted in a State-of-the-art Setting that Received National Recognition for Recovery-oriented Design – RN, APRN

Building a new hospital and moving an inpatient psychiatric unit is no small challenge. The presenters will show a step-by-step approach to creatively designing and moving an inpatient unit that decreases the stigma of mental health care by providing a recovery-oriented and space for healing that prioritizes safety.

Presenters: Rebecca Puchkors, MSN, RN, PMH-BC; Cornelius Metili, BSN, RN; James Moreno, BSN, RN-BC

2023: Graduate Education
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

Impact of an Educational Program on Burnout Among Nurses Working with Intellectually Disabled Persons – RN

The results of the project will be useful in determining strategies for improving the nurse practice setting, and to facilitate the use of self-care education by nurses to reduce burnout with consequent turnover. Suggested changes should encourage the reading of research; discussion of research; risk taking to implement new ideas; and mentoring.

Presenter: Dr Jemima Kodua, RN, BSN, MSN, DNP, CM/DN

2024: Child & Adolescent
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

Assessment of Youth Suicidal Ideation: Daily Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) Compared to Monthly Clinician Administered Assessment– RN, APRN

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people. Because of the transient nature of suicidal ideation, youth may not report suicidal ideation retrospectively if they are not currently suicidal. In this study, we examined whether daily EMA reports of SI were consistent with clinician administered monthly assessments.

Presenter: Jamie Zelazny, PhD, MPH, RN

2025: Practice
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Nursing’s Role in the Clinical Treatment Arena – RN, APRN

Targeted TMS for patients with treatment-resistant mental illnesses is growing. Nurses provide assessments, orders for treatment, and direct care for patients receiving TMS and are uniquely positioned to assist patients to receive adequate, tailored treatment and to supervise technicians. Lessons from a busy clinical service will be discussed.

Presenters: Roan Bautista, BSN, RN; Paula Bolton, MS, CNP, ANP-BC

2026: Special Populations
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

PMHNP Expert Consult Reduces Law Enforcement Emergency Psychiatric Evaluations Through Improved Triage and Community Resource Referral – RN, APRN

Use of early PMHNP expert consultation reduced the incidence of law enforcement triggered emergency psychiatric evaluation by as much as 25% in favor of increasing utilization of community resources. This in turn reduced emergency department overcrowding and potentially triggering individuals with trauma history by using the least restrictive interventions available.

Presenters: Andrew Currivan, MSN, ACNS-BC, PMHNP-BC; Sondra Leiggi-Brandon, MSN, MPH, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, NEA-BC; Christine Loui, MSN, ACNS-BC, PMHNP-BC

2027: Interprofessional Education
11:15am – 12:00pm Pacific

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Nursing Staff How to Run an Engaging, Trauma Informed, Therapeutic Group – RN

This interactive presentation introduces a multidisciplinary approach to providing formal education to nursing staff regarding the leadership and therapeutic skills needed when leading groups. This training integrates trauma informed care and relational-cultural theory while utilizing techniques of engagement to provide quality, therapeutic programming.

Presenters: Heather T. Billings, MSN, RN; Vaune Kopeck, OTRL

Product Theater
12:15pm – 1:45pm Pacific
No Contact Hours Provided

Exhibit Hall Open
1:30pm – 5:00pm Pacific

Mini Concurrent Sessions
3:30PM – 4:15PM PT

5:30PM CT | 6:30PM ET

0.75 Contact Hours

2031: Advanced Practice
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

A Comprehensive Review on the Pharmacokinetic Changes of Antidepressant/Antianxiety Medications after Gastric Bypass Surgery – APRN

This presentation introduces characteristics of bariatric surgery and relevant anatomical changes to illustrate how bariatric surgery impacts the pharmacokinetics of medications. By reviewing and synthesizing knowledge from current research, this presentation will provide insight into psychotropic management after bariatric surgery.

Presenter: Heeyoung Lee, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN

Rethinking the Therapeutic Nurse-Patient Relationship in a Telepsychiatry Environment – APRN

This interactive presentation introduces a multidisciplinary perspective on the impact of care delivery via telehealth on the nurse-patient relationship. Participants will be asked to creatively design nursing interventions to rethink the foundational therapeutic relationship in psychiatric-mental health nursing when it happens remotely.

Presenter: Karen Goyette Pounds, PhD, PMHCNS-BC

2032: Inpatient
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

Advocating for Health Justice in the Correctional System: An Essential Role for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses – RN, APRN

This presentation explores the criminalization of mental illness and increasing prevalence of mental health challenges in the correctional system. The role of PMHN as advocate, educator and care provider in correctional systems will be discussed. Strategies for positive partnerships and program development to address unmet MH needs will be presented.

Presenter: Brenda Kucirka, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, CNE

In Case of Fire: Conceptualization of and Response to Problematic Firesetting – RN, APRN

The presentation introduces participants to a wealth of up-to-date clinical data and current theories of intentional, problematic firesetting. Features associated with difficulties managing this patient population and challenges for managing intentional firesetting in institutional settings will be discussed, facilitated by data, case presentations, and participant elicited examples.

Presenters: Alina Z. Levine, Psy.D.; Kristen Kichefski, MSN, MBA, RN-BC

2033: Undergraduate Education
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

Trigger Warnings about Psychiatric-Mental Health Course Content for Undergraduate Students: The Evidence, Practices, Recommendations – RN

This presentation tackles and clarifies the topic of trigger warnings in nursing education by summarizing research findings about trigger warnings in collegiate academia, explaining how PMH nursing instructors use trigger warnings in didactic and clinical settings, and presenting educators’ views about trigger warnings. Recommendations about providing warnings will be discussed.

Presenter: Melissa Neathery, PhD, RN, CNE

The Psychiatric Nurse as Teacher-Scholar: Community Engagement with a Homeless Veteran Residential Rehabilitation Program – RN, APRN

This presentation shows how the Boyer model of scholarship can be utilized in undergraduate psychiatric nursing education to the benefit of both faculty and students. The case of a needs assessment study of a homeless veteran residential rehabilitation program is used to exemplify community-engaged teacher-scholarship.

Presenter: Rachel H. Adler, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-B

2034: Self Care
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

A Call to Action: Caring for Ourselves and for Our Students – RN, APRN

This presentation will highlight the journey of evaluating and promoting a culture of health and well-being in a private Midwestern school of nursing. A comparison of outcomes between student and faculty perceptions were explored.

Presenters: Sherry McConnell, MSN, RN C-EFM; Andrea Kwasky, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC; Sonya Kowalski, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC; Barb Ciotta, MSN, RN CNE-CL

Preparing Nurses to Activate Self-Care: What We Need – RN, APRN

This presentation describes the implementation of an innovative strategy in a BSN psychiatric course that educates and supports nursing students as they activate their chosen self-care. With AACN’s recently approved new Essentials, this strategy continues the integration of Domain 10: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development.

Presenters: Susan Lally, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Alexis Spence, MSN, RN, NCSN

2035: Practice
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

Minority Mental Health and Well-being: Effects of Implicit Bias and Methods to Change the Trajectory – RN

This energetic and interactive session presents an opportunity to educate, discuss, and prioritize processes to improve mental health perspectives and outcomes for minorities. Participants will leave with increased empathy and a foundation for providing minorities skills/tools to improve mental health outcomes.

Presenters: Kimberly A. Barnes-Ayers, BSN, MAEd, RN-BC; Jennifer Newsome, RN-BC BSN; Renwick Slaughter, RN-BC

Healing from the Effects of Two Pandemics: COVID-19 and Historical Racism: A Path to Post-trauma Recovery and Meaning-making – RN, APRN

This presentation will focus on concepts of collective trauma and ambiguous loss from two pandemics, COVID-19 and systemic racism, and the profound impact on the mental health and well-being of nurses. Insights will be shared about individual and collective responses that may mitigate long-term negative psychological effects such as post-trauma growth and meaning-making.

Presenter: Barbara Peterson, PhD, PMHCNS, APRN

2036: Research
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

Suicide Prevention in the Emergency Department: Developing the SecUrgence Protocol – RN

This presentation introduces the SecUrgence Protocol, a clinical protocol that intends to assess and provide care for individuals at risk of suicide that present themselves to the ED. The research process behind the development of this protocol as well as key findings and recommendations for clinical practice will be presented.

Presenter: Jessica Rassy, PhD

Developing an Educational Framework for Improving Intervention Adherence and PTSD Outcomes of a Mindfulness App for College Student Military Veterans: A Feasibility Study – RN, APRN

This presentation presents the results of the first phase of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study – a feasibility study aimed at refining a mindfulness app for PTSD. The presentation will demonstrate how qualitative results from a pilot study can be integrated into a prospective RCT for improving adherence.

Presenter: Andrew Thomas Reyes, PhD, RN

2037: Veterans
3:30pm – 4:15pm Pacific

PTSD and Sleep Disturbance: A Comprehensive Treatment Approach for Veterans – RN, APRN

This presentation describes the complexities involved in treating veterans with PTSD and sleep disturbance, including the high rates of co-occurring insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. It reviews relevant literature about potential treatment options for this population. A comprehensive and evidence-based screening and treatment protocol is introduced as a potential approach.

Presenter: Gia Santoro, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Implementing Measurement-Based Care in a Veterans Affairs Tobacco Recovery Clinic – RN, APRN

This presentation will describe a PMHNP-led evidence-based practice process that increased clinician attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention toward measurement-based care, as well as increased use of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence within a tobacco recovery clinic.

Presenter: Jennifer Jones, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP

Concurrent Sessions
4:30PM – 5:15PM PT

6:30PM CT | 7:30PM ET

0.75 Contact Hours

2041: Advanced Practice
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Coding – Don’t Undervalue Your Worth, Know How to Code Your Visits – APRN

This presentation will focus on the topic most relevant to survival in practice, but less prevalent in many educational settings: coding. We will review the latest AMA guidelines, online trainings, and tools to improve coding skills in order to become a more valuable asset in practice.

Presenter: April Reyes, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, RH-CBS

2042: Administration
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Stress First Aid: Peer Support Program Implementation Through Learning Collaborative Methodology – RN, APRN

Hearing the voices of our nurses led to the implementation of the Stress First Aid program with a learning collaborative methodology to formalize peer support resulting in stress reduction, stress management strategies, and resilience. Stress First Aid is a self-care and peer support model based on promoting recovery from trauma and stress.

Presenters: Debra G. Saldi, MS, BSN, RN, LMHP, NCC; Robin L. Conyers, MSOP, BAN, RN

2043: Education
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Addressing Bias and Stigma in the Language We Use with Persons with Opioid Use Disorder – RN, APRN

This presentation will describe the difficulties OUDs have with access to care and the stigmatizing languages that present barriers to effective care and suggest alternative language to be used in persons with OUDs. We will also propose the next steps to address this barrier in our clinical and educational institutions.

Presenters: Karen Werder, PMHNP, PhD; Alexa Curtis, PhD, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

2044: Complementary & Alternative Therapy
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Effects of Mantram Repetition on Psychological Distress – RN, APRN

This session includes the theoretical underpinnings and scientific evidence of mantra repetition (MR) for psychological distress. Nurses in practice need teachable, easy-to-use, non-stigmatizing, effective interventions targeting psychological distress. We will present how mantram repetition works, review the evidence related to mantram repetition, and provide instructions on how to use.

Presenters: Danny G. Willis, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN; Joanne K. Schneider, RN, PhD

2045: Practice
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Can Psychiatric Nurses Save the World? Meeting the Burgeoning Mental Health Needs of Patients, Nurses, and Ourselves – RN, APRN

Numerous studies have identified the significant negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health. This session will explore the impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes for the U.S. population, nurses in general, and psychiatric-mental health nurses in particular, and offer responses to the overwhelming issues that face us.

Presenters: Joyce M. Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC; Karen J. Corcoran, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

2046: Research
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

Leadership Empowerment Behavior and Psychiatric Nurses’ Intent to Leave – RN

This presentation addresses, from the nurses’ viewpoint, leadership empowerment behavior as a strategy to mitigate the turnover of PMH nurses in their first 2 years of practice in inpatient settings given the increasing demand for psychiatric-mental health care and the threat turnover poses to meeting the need.

Presenter: Temitope Gold, PhD, RN, PMH-BC, NPD-BC, NE-BC

2047: Nursing Professional Development
4:30pm – 5:15pm Pacific

The Spiritual Care and Spirituality of Health Care Providers – RN, APRN

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nurses worldwide and highlighted the need for self-care. Spirituality is an underappreciated and underutilized resource for providers and patients. Spirituality assessment tools can enhance spiritual self-care and holistic patient care.

Presenters: Brandon Thatcher, MSN, PMHNP-BC; Gabrielle Boden Warnick, SN; Breanna Grace Oliphant, SN

Concurrent Sessions
5:30PM – 6:15PM PT

7:30PM CT | 8:30PM ET

0.75 Contact Hours

2051: Advanced Practice
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

Engaged Problem Solving: Developing Peer Consensus for Evidenced Based Treatment Plans – APRN

This session highlights the collaborative work of a group of psychiatric-mental health nurse providers from states with full practice authority. The Engagement Theory is used to discuss complex patients. Examining the evidence and medication options as a collective group enhanced patients’ outcomes. Audience participation is encouraged to propose additional treatment strategies.

Presenters: Margaret (Peggy) Mack, PhD, PMHCNS; Carolyn Mallon, DNP, APRN

2052: Administration
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

Advanced Practice Provider Residency Programs: Developing Community Partnerships to Provide Mutually Beneficial Outcomes – RN, APRN

This presentation will discuss development of community partnerships to create an APP residency program designed to ease the transition from RN to Advanced Practice Provider in a Psychiatric-mental Health division of a midwestern metropolitan safety net hospital.

Presenter: Jeana Wilcox, PhD, APMHCNS-BC

2053: Education
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

Could it be Their Eyes? How to Know if Your Treatment Resistant Patient Could Actually be Suffering Psychiatric Symptoms from Binocular Vision Disorder – RN, APRN

This presentation introduces clinicians to a potential medical etiology for their patients’ persistent, treatment resistant psychiatric symptoms. We often seek the “magic pill” to cure our patients, but these individuals may need magic glasses to cure their Binocular Vision Disorder. Learn to identify patients needing treatment/evaluation referrals.

Presenter: Jenna L. Shock, MSN Ed., APRN, PMHNP-BC

2054: Complementary & Alternative Therapy
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

A Key to Unlock All Voices – RN

A “Key to Unlock All Voices” incorporates visual and interactive sections to illustrate the therapeutic benefits of expressive writing among patients and mental health professionals alike. Through writing and sharing, complex emotions are articulated, maybe in simile or metaphor, and common themes are often found such as resiliency and connectedness.

Presenters: Marianne A. Broyles, MA, MSN, PMHRN-BC; Rebecca R. Heath, BSN, BA of Psychology

2055: Practice
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

Applying the Polyvagal Model to Clinical Practice with Trauma Survivors – RN, APRN

Safety, compassion, and empathy form the basis of the therapeutic relationship regardless of the technique of therapy. The neuroscience of threat and relationship has emerged only recently. Polyvagal theory explains the basis of therapeutic connectedness and serves as a guide to reach the optimal therapeutic state.

Presenter: Doris C. Vallone, PhD, PMHCNS-BC

2056: Research
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

What Does it Mean to Live with Schizophrenia? Janoff-Bullman and the Loss of the Assumptive World – RN, APRN

This study underscored the experience of living with schizophrenia/hallucinations using the framework of Janoff-Bulman (1992). Hermeneutics guided the thematic analysis. Participants described their experience as providing a perspective of living similar to living with any illness. Implications suggest deconstructing schizophrenia to include metacognitive training and narrative and mindfulness therapies.

Presenter: Judith Jarosinski, PhD, RN

2057: Nursing Professional Development
5:30pm – 6:15pm Pacific

Being Civil in an Uncivil Environment: Stopping Nurses from Eating Their Young – RN, APRN

This presentation identifies the difference between civility and incivility in practice. It provides the learner and opportunity to practice communication strategies to overcome incivility leading to accountability in language. This will help to promote transparency and civility in themselves and others around them.

Presenter: Nicole Brodrick, DNP, PMHNP

Under the Sea Reception
6:30pm – 8:30pm PT

Mingle with colleagues down on the ocean floor! After a day of deep-dive learning, enjoy a refreshing evening with music and entertainment…and maybe even a real mermaid!
*Ticket to the reception included with your registration.