Psychotic disorders change one’s sense of reality and cause abnormal thinking and perception. Patients presenting with psychotic disorders may suffer from delusions or hallucinations or may display negative symptoms such as lack of emotion or withdraw from social situations or relationships. Symptoms of medication-induced movement disorders can be mild or lethal and can include, for […]

Now that you are in the final course in your program, it is time to turn in earnest to preparing for certification and licensure. You will need to take and pass the national PMHNP certification exam. Once certified, you will then be eligible to apply for licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) in […]

Personality disorders represent perhaps the most challenging disorders that psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners will have to address in their professional careers. Personality disorders can co-occur in every mental health disorder and, in some cases, can mask other disorders. Although difficult to treat, the PMHNP must be able to identify personality disorders and endeavor to work […]

A psychiatric emergency is a situation that if left untreated is likely to cause harm to oneself or others. These acute disturbances of behavior may manifest as suicidal ideation or attempts, violence, agitation, drug overdose, delirium, psychosis, mania, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, or serotonin syndrome. When psychiatric emergencies arise, they can present many challenges to the […]

INTRODUCTION The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner assumes probably no greater responsibility than the responsibility of prescribing medications. While someone can be harmed by psychotherapy, the level and intensity of the harm generally does not come to the same level of harm that can occur from improper prescribing. The PMHNP must understand his/her responsibility both […]