Clinical Challenges and Psychopharmacology for Substance Use Disorder for APRNs

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About the Course:
This eight-credit hour course is designed for both registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. Because of medical and psychiatric comorbidities, patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders have complex prescription medication regimens. Since registered nurses are frontline providers, they are frequently responsible for educating patients about their medications. Therefore, it is important for nurses to have a basic understanding of psychiatric disorders and the psychotropic medications used to treat these disorders.

For advanced practice nurses, this course is intended to support and enhance their knowledge of diagnosing psychiatric disorders and to increase their confidence for prescribing psychotropic medications to adult patients. In addition, this course addresses challenging clinical situations and strategies for appropriate interventions. Finally, realistic case studies are presented, with recommended treatment and management strategies in a discussion format.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the learner should be able to:

• Summarize the assessment and diagnosis of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 
• Detail the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, and ADHD.
• Describe the clinical challenges in treating patients with mental health conditions. 
• Examine real-life patient cases and their management. 

About the Author:
Katie Blair, PharmD, RPh, is a pharmacist and freelance writer specializing in pharmacy education. She works as a consultant pharmacist in Vancouver, Washington, serving long-term care facilities in the area. She also has over 6 years of experience working as a staff pharmacist at a community pharmacy in Seattle. She graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in 2009 with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Dr. Blair has done freelance work writing and revising continuing education programs for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and nurses, as well as writing practice questions for various pharmacy technician exams.

How to Receive Credit:

• Read the entire course online or in print which requires a 8-hour commitment of time.
• Complete the Self-Assessment Quiz Questions either integrated throughout or all at the end of the course.
  • These questions are NOT GRADED. The questions are included to help affirm what you have learned from the course.
  • The correct answer is shown after the question is answered. If the incorrect answer is selected, a Rationale for the correct answer is provided.  
• At the end of the course, answer the Yes/No Affirmation question to indicate that you have completed the educational activity. 
• Specific to Florida: A mandatory Final Examination with a passing score of 70% or higher is required. Exam questions link content to the course Learning Objectives as a method to enhance individualized learning and material retention. 
• If requested, provide required personal and payment information. 
• Complete the mandatory Nursing Course Evaluation. 
• Print your Certificate of Completion.

Disclosures:

Resolution of Conflict of Interest
In accordance with the ANCC Standards for Commercial Support for continuing education, Colibri Healthcare, LLC implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of the continuing education activity, to identify and resolve conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control content of the course activity.

Sponsorship/Commercial Support and Non-Endorsement
It is the policy of Colibri Healthcare, LLC not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners. 

Disclaimer
The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition ©2021: All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without the expressed written permission or consent of Colibri Healthcare, LLC. The materials presented in this course are meant to provide the consumer with general information on the topics covered. The information provided was prepared by professionals with practical knowledge of the areas covered. It is not meant to provide medical, legal, or professional advice. Colibri Healthcare, LLC recommends that you consult a medical, legal, or professional services expert licensed in your state. Colibri Healthcare, LLC has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all content provided in this course is accurate and up-to-date at the time of printing but does not represent or warrant that it will apply to your situation nor circumstances and assumes no liability from reliance on these materials. Quotes are collected from customer feedback surveys. The models are intended to be representative and not actual customers. 

Course Verification
All individuals involved have disclosed that they have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to this course. Likewise, and in compliance with California Assembly Bill No. 241, every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the content in this course is balanced and unbiased.

NOTE TO READER: THIS COURSE IS NOT MEANT TO REPLACE YOUR CLINICAL EXPERTISE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS RESEARCH AND COLLABORATE AS NEEDED BEFORE PRESCRIBING PSYCHOTROPIC AGENTS, AND ONLY PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN YOUR SCOPE OF CLINICAL EXPERTISE, CERTIFICATION, AND LICENSING. 

ALTHOUGH THIS COURSE IS MEANT TO BE THOROUGH, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PSYCHOTROPIC AGENTS AND ALL CANNOT BE COVERED WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS COURSE. THERE ARE MANY COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO COMPLEMENT AND SUPPLEMENT WHAT IS LEARNED IN THIS COURSE.