Networking and Engagement at CPNP 2022

11:00 AM-12:00 PM: State of Emergency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidality (hosted by the Child and Adolescent Community)

Mental health challenges among children, adolescents, and their families have grown considerably with rising rates of emergency department visits, anxiety/depression, and suicide attempts. As a result, leading pediatric organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health in the fall of 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has been identified as a significant stressor for pediatric patients experiencing high rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidality. Psychiatric pharmacists play an important role in innovative strategies to meet the needs of children, adolescents, and their families as we face this national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. During the idea exchange, attendees will review patient cases, updated literature, and share ideas regarding observations in current practice. 

Speakers

• Danielle Stutzman PharmD, BCPP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO

• Sandra Mullen PharmD, BCPP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, PGY-2 Psychiatric Residency Program Director, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

1:45-2:45 PM: Addressing the Gaps Between SUD Treatment, Clinicians, and Training Opportunities (led by the Substance Use Disorders Strategies Community)

Overdose deaths related to untreated and under-treated substance use disorders have increased in recent years. Though efforts have been made through regulatory leniency to improve access to medications for addiction treatment, additional efforts are needed to slow the rising overdose deaths. Psychiatric pharmacists are well positioned to manage SUD and the frequently co-occurring psychiatric conditions in patients. Psychiatric pharmacy is the only BPS specialty that has addiction as part of the certification exam. Given the small number of psychiatric pharmacists in comparison to the number of patients with diagnosed SUD, an effort to train non-psychiatric colleagues is necessary to meet the immediate need. A longer-term strategy of increasing the SUD workforce through increased training opportunities may also be beneficial to address this gap in care. This discussion-based session is designed to combine the experiences of the SUD community in various practices and identify specific strategies to engage healthcare colleagues to improving access to care and increasing training opportunities for trainees.

Speakers

• David Dadiomov, PharmD, BCPP; Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles, CA

• Haley Pals, PharmD, BCPP, Substance Use Disorder Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Tomah VA Medical Center, Tomah, WI

3:00-4:00 PM: Groups During COVID – How to Manage an Important Treatment Safely (led by the Patient Medication Education Group Community)

Groups are an essential part of psychiatric care. They are a cost-effective treatment that aids in social interaction, symptom resolution, and other benefits. First-line recommendations for many mental illnesses include therapy. Most inpatient units do not have the resources for individual therapy with each patient. Groups are helpful in providing some of these same benefits.

COVID-19 has made groups difficult. The number of patients per room is often limited, staff and patients must social distance and wear protective coverings. Additionally, some patients are COVID positive and not able to participate in-group activities. All of these challenges have been addressed in creative ways. Some pharmacists conducted virtual groups, some conducted smaller groups more frequently and others utilized different strategies.

The purpose of this idea exchange is to discuss what went well and what didn’t go well in providing groups during COVID-19 so we can all continue to provide this helpful treatment. After the introduction to the topic, we will then do a brief activity where the moderator will present various group activities (ex. Medication education bingo, Jeopardy) and participants will provide creative ideas on how to provide these activities with COVID-19 restrictions. Finally, we will conclude with a discussion.

Speaker

• Dan Greer, PharmD, BCPP, Clinical Assistant Professor, Ernest Mario Rutgers School of Pharmacy, New Brunswick, NJ

7:30-8:30 AM: Current State of PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Training Programs (led by the Residency Program Directors Community)

The RPD Community will meet in person for the 2022 Annual Meeting for an open discussion on the current state of PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Training Programs.  Community leads will facilitate discussion about a variety of topics including, but not limited to:

• Review 2022 recruitment and match results
• ASHP updates:
  • New PGY1/2 proposed standard
  • PharmAcademic Updates
• DEI in residency training programs
• Post-training placement
• Ad hoc topics brought by community members

Speakers

• Elayne Ansara, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, Mental Health Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner, RPD PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Program, Veteran Health Indiana, Indianapolis, IN

11:00 AM-12:00 PM: Addressing Student Confidence and Imposter Syndrome in Pharmacy Education  (led by the Teaching Community)

Imposter phenomenon (IP), also known as imposter syndrome, is not a disorder found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (version 5), but rather a pattern of behavior that leads to distress. It has been described by individuals who felt as though they were fakes, or “impostors,” in their current positions, and imposter syndrome has shown to relationships with self-esteem, anxiety, grit, resilience coping, and burnout.  It is a more prevalent phenomenon than anticipated and appears to be a common feeling among practitioners, though less has been published in pharmacy learners. One study in pharmacy residents found 57.5% were identified as “imposters,” and another study in two institutions found impostor phenomenon feelings in the “moderate” to “frequent” range were common among responding student pharmacists and faculty members. This distress can progress to negatively impact educational achievement, advancement, and career development.

With the number of pharmacy students applying to residency programs and the demand for residency positions continue to grow each year, competition among students can also contribute to feelings of inadequacy among students. The goal in this session is to increase the awareness and risks of this phenomenon in student pharmacists, reflect on experiences and challenges addressing imposter syndrome in students, share strategies and resources for faculty and preceptors to support students expressing feelings of imposter syndrome, and consider potential improvements in current practices to manage imposter syndrome.

Speakers

• Suzanne C. Harris, PharmD, BCPP, Assistant Professor, Director of Well-being, Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner-Psychiatry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC

• Devon Sherwood, PharmD, BCPP, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychiatric Pharmacist, UNE School of Pharmacy, Portland, ME

1:45-2:45 PM: Mental Health in the Minority Population – Patients and Provider (led by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community)

According to the American Psychiatric Association, only 2% of psychiatrists in the US are black. Racial, gender, and sexual minorities often suffer poor mental health outcomes secondary to stigma and access to mental health care. From patients, to caregivers, to providers, there are barriers to fully engaging in, addressing, and providing mental health as a minority. Identification and discussion of those barriers will help to bridge a gap. Providers will discuss as a minority what barriers they experience or face in their practice. Non-minority providers will be able to learn from this new perspective and gain awareness of barriers that affect their colleagues. As patients are discussed, various aspects of social determents of health will be identified with discussion on the effect it has on mental health care for minority patients. The group will brainstorm and provide resources that may greatly benefit minority patients and their mental health care.   Participants in this discussion will be able to take back information, ideas, resources, and action items to their individual practices.

Speaker

• Shari Allen, PharmD, BCPP, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; PCOM – SOP, Suwanee, GA

3:00-4:00 PM: Hot Topics and Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease (co-led by the Geriatric and Neurology Communities)

In June 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval of aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, marking the first medication approval for this indication since 2003. Much controversy has surrounded the approval of this medication. In this idea exchange, we will discuss advancements and hot topics as they relate to Alzheimer’s disease, such as recent position statements and press releases from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN); and aducanumab approval, utilization, and support.

Speakers

• Shadi Doroudgar, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, BCPP (Geriatric Community), Associate Professor, Clinical Sciences Department, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA

• Alissa Scalise, PharmD, BCPP, BCPS (Neurology Community), Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI

• Brittany Finocchio, PharmD, BCPP (Neurology Community), Medical Science Liaison – Neuroscience, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lexington, MA