Searching for Solutions

Due to the potential for concomitant psychiatric illness and substance use disorders, understanding the potential interactions between medications with illicit and addictive substances is important.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment for severe mental illness (emphasis on bipolar disorder, depression, suicidality, and catatonia) that involves passing small electric currents through the brain to induce a brief seizure or convulsion. This is often saved for patients who have not responded or have had insufficient response to medications.

The urine drug screen (UDS) can be an important tool in evaluating patients for appropriateness of chronic pharmacotherapy, identifying sources of delirium and altered mental status, and monitoring for substance use. However, interpretation of results can be sometimes be viewed as challenging or complicated.

Alcohol Use Disorder American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) Pharmacist toolkit: Alcohol use disorder (2023) American Psychiatric Association (APA)

Medication-induced movement disorders are a variety of iatrogenic and clinically distinct movement disorders caused by various psychiatric medications. The disordered movements can range from tremors to life-threatening syndromes. Movement disorders are classified based on the time of onset after drug ingestion (acute, subacute, or tardive), offending medication, and specific type(s) of abnormal movement. Extrapyramidal Symptoms

American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)/ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (2007) American Psychiatric Association

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Clinical practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with major and persistent depressive disorders (2022) American Academy of Pediatrics

American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia (2020) British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP)

Completing a pharmacy residency after graduation is a great way to begin a career in clinical pharmacy. A residency is a postgraduate training program, which allows the resident to perform as a licensed practitioner but to train under the supervision of an experienced preceptor. The cornerstones of any pharmacy practice residency include direct patient care and practice management.

College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists Position Statement: Psychiatric Pharmacist Integration into Medical Home Model

The 2012-2013 CPNP Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Review Course (ACPE Only) includes the following:

One of the primary purposes of CPNP as an association is to advance the pharmacy profession. Government and Professional Affairs is an important way for us to work together to do that.

Thanks to all 2025 donors.

The AAPP New Practitioner Hub is for AAPP members within their first five years of practice. The goal of this Hub is to help new practitioners transition into psychiatric pharmacy practice.