Ideas to shout about: From prioritizing connection to RN onboarding

The APNA Annual Conference is your destination for psychiatric-mental health nursing ideas applicable to your practice.

PMH nursing experts shared updates from across the spectrum of care this past October. Here’s an inside look at what was presented!

President’s Address: The Connection Paradigm: Building Connection Competence in Ourselves & Those We Serve APNA
Immediate Past-President Lora E. Peppard, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC

“The physical and mental benefits of connection are many, yet becoming competent in connecting with others, self, and spirit requires similar work to developing any other skill in life. We control our ability to connect, so we can determine if connection is something we value, want to prioritize in our lives, and allow to reach its full potential.”

Keynote: The Extraordinary Power of Connection
Johann Hari

“It’s not the trauma that screws you. It’s the shame about the trauma. Having places to release that shame is profoundly human.”

Cultivating Resilience: Self-Care for Long-Term Fulfillment in Mental Health
Tonjanika Ballard, DNP, PMHNP-C

Research supports mind-body practices for compassion fatigue and self-compassion. Mindful moments:

• Body scan: Take 1-2 minutes between clients to notice physical sensations (tension, tightness, areas of ease)
• Breathing exercises: Practice deep belly breaths or alternate nostril breathing for 3-5 minutes to calm the nervous system.
• Grounding techniques: Engage your senses by noticing the sounds around you, the feeling of your feet on the floor, or the taste of a sip of water.

Identifying Patients Appropriate for Ketamine: Key Management Considerations
Emily Criscuolo, BS, RN

“Ketamine and esketamine have rapid and robust antidepressant and anti-suicidal ideation effects…Consider this intervention for adult patients who have treatment-resistant depression or major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation.”

From ADHD to Stimulant Use Disorder: Connections with Patients & Colleagues through Stigma & Shame
Laura G. Leahy, DrNP, APRN, PMH-CNS/FNP, CARN-AP, FAANP, FAAN; Julie B. Perry, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC

“ADHD is a very real neurodevelopmental disorder contributing to functional impairment in children through adulthood and should be treated in adults. Treatment for ADHD has many challenges in navigating the shame, stigma, and biases for both the patient as well as the provider.”

Not Just Stranger Danger: Implementation of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Screening During Medical Forensic Examinations to Identify and Connect Survivors with Resources
Rebecca Puchkors, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, CA-CP SANE

“Incorporating a validated screening tool during a medical forensic examination will ensure screening when the survivor is vulnerable but also engaged in a therapeutic and trusting relationship with a nurse.”

Reducing Behavioral Health RN Turnover through Effective Onboarding
Michelle Spurlock, DNP, MSN, MBA

A comprehensive 4-day onboarding program, Path to Purpose, provides interactive training on psychiatric diagnoses and therapeutic interventions. Not only do the staff report feeling more prepared for their new roles, but they also feel connected with the team.

Share your own innovations with the APNA 39th Annual Conference Call for Abstracts opening in January! Your abstract may be selected for podium or poster presentation and find its audience in New Orleans!

Published November 2024