The Art of Deprescribing: A look ahead to CPI
Kirby Williams, MSN, PMHNP-BC, will present Optimizing with Less: The Art of Deprescribing at the APNA 22nd Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute. Williams is a leading psychiatric-mental health nursing voice for clinical practice as well as an entrepreneur.
Ahead of her presentation, Williams shares practical insights she plans to give at CPI on the art and movement of deprescribing. This includes “strategies for identifying appropriate candidates for deprescribing, to developing patient-centered deprescribing plans, to fostering effective communication among other health care providers”:
APNA: You use the phrase art of deprescribing. What is your perspective on how an artful approach augments evidence-based practice?
Williams: That is a great question! I use the phrase because there is a nuanced and very individualized approach that not only takes into consideration the evidence, but also successful shared decision-making with patient, effective communication, and adaptability on the deprescribing journey. This approach augments evidence-based practice by taking a holistic and patient-centered approach, which will improve patient consistency with the deprescribing plan and create a path for the patient to achieve optimal outcomes.
APNA: Is there a movement to deprescribing? Is there pushback to doing it?
Williams: I believe there is a bit of both! Through research, there has been more evidence shedding light on the disadvantages of polypharmacy, long term use of some medications, and their impacts on patient outcomes. Pushback can come in the form of patients and health professionals not wanting to rock the boat, and fear of the uncertainty of a patient not being prescribed certain medications, especially in cases in which patients have been on specific psychotropics for years and even decades.
And her thoughts being an entrepreneur:
APNA: You have your own business. What advice would you give someone considering starting their own business?
Williams: I am actually a two-time entrepreneur with my private practice Beacon Behavioral Health & Consulting, LLC and my professional development and education business for PMHNPs called The PMHNP Source, LLC.
My best advice for anyone thinking about starting a business would be: Don’t go it alone. Entrepreneurship can be tough, confusing, and stressful – along with being rewarding and fulfilling. Having a good support network of other entrepreneurs, business mentors and/or coaches is valuable in the journey of business ownership.
In case you didn’t know, APNA has a members only community for those working in private practice. Find it here.
>>> This is just one of the sessions in this year’s APNA 22nd Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute program. CPI features a stellar faculty of experts sharing research and updates in psychopharmacology targeted to advance person-centered care. This faculty includes keynote speaker Jonathan M. Meyer, MD, DLFAPA, who will share emerging treatments for schizophrenia.
>>> Register for CPI.
Published January 2024
About APNA: The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization committed to the practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNA’s membership is inclusive of all psychiatric-mental health registered nurses including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric-mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of evidence. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
