Evaluating De-Escalation Training for Direct and Indirect Employees Caring for Residents With Huntington's Disease.

Introduction: Little is known about reducing the challenges for caregivers and patients with Huntington's disease (HD). HD creates behavioral disturbances, cognitive decline, and motor disorder progression over the lifetime requiring some individuals to need long-term facility care.

Aims: There are concerns about safety and confidence of employees caring for residents with HD.

Pharmacological Treatment for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders.

Pediatric anxiety disorders (PADs) occur in up to 20% of youth and can cause impairment across the lifespan. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) added unique pressures on those with PADs, as children and adolescents endured the longest pandemic restrictions, stymieing their ability to develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Although first-line treatment for PADs is psychotherapy, those with severe anxiety symptoms will require pharmacological interventions.

How PMHNP Program Directors Facilitate Psychotherapeutic Skill Acquisition.

Background: The use of psychotherapy has a long history within psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) practice. Underutilization of psychotherapy in practice has potentially led to a reduced emphasis in the PMHNP curriculum. To date, no national survey has solely evaluated how PMHNP programs ensure psychotherapy skill acquisition.

Where is the psychotherapy content in PMHNP programs?

Purpose: Psychotherapy is the essence of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) role. Yet much debate exists within programs as to the best way to include psychotherapy in an already loaded curriculum.

Conclusion: Two large midwestern universities review their approaches to psychotherapy education; student evaluations measure the quality and effectiveness.

ADHD: From childhood to young adulthood.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects approximately 11% of children between the ages of 4 and 17 years. This article discusses performing a comprehensive assessment for ADHD, the use of validated tools to make an accurate diagnosis, physical exam findings that may be suggestive of certain conditions, and ADHD treatment options.

Decreasing Rates of Pediatric Bipolar Within an Outpatient Practice.

Problem: Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) prevalence is estimated to be 1-3%. Nationally and internationally, rates of PBD have increased by over 400%. However, in Iowa and at one psychiatric clinic in Iowa, from 2008-2013, there was a decrease in PBD diagnosis of 33 and 51.