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For US Nurse Practitioners

Welcome to NP Psych Navigator, a curated library of clinical tools, educational resources, and inspiring stories from your peers. Our mission is to support your needs as you support your patients with mental illness. 

New on NP Psych Navigator

Patient Education Resource on Add-on Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder

Educate Your Patient

Patient Education Resource on Add-on Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) can be difficult to treat. Many patients may not respond to the first antidepressant they try, or they might have side effects that require them to stop taking the medication. Finding an appropriate treatment plan is important for helping depressive symptoms.
What NPs Need to Know about Pharmacology

Clinical Insight

What NPs Need to Know about Pharmacology

Carmen Kosicek, APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC, reviews the clinical pharmacology of psychotropic medications.

Psychiatric Scales

Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS)

The Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) is a brief, quickly scored, self-report scale used to assess depressive symptoms over the past 1 week. CUDOS is reliable, valid, and sensitive to change.1 The CUDOS consists of 18 questions. The first 16 are scored from 0 to 4 for frequency of symptoms over the past week. The final 2 questions cover the impact of these symptoms on the respondent’s life and their overall quality of life in the past week.2
NP Spotlight: Chris Lambert

NP Spotlight

NP Spotlight: Chris Lambert

A career as a psychiatric nurse practitioner can be replete with challenges and opportunities. The NP Psych Navigator Spotlight is your chance to learn more about nurse practitioners who are working to advance the profession and mental health in general. In this installment of this series, we profile Chris Lambert, FNP-C, DNP.

About Us

Learn more about NP Psych Navigator and our mission to help nurse practitioners improve mental healthcare.

About Us

NP Perspectives

When it comes to giving the best care to your patients, experience matters. Check out our Clinical Insights to hear from our vibrant community of nurse practitioners.

Understanding the Unique Training and Value of Nurse Practitioners
Understanding the Unique Training and Value of Nurse Practitioners
NP Spotlight: Kathleen T. McCoy, DNSc, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP
NP Spotlight: Kathleen T. McCoy, DNSc, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP
Digesting DSM-5 Criteria and Patient Probes for Bipolar Disorder: Manic/Hypomanic Episodes
Digesting DSM-5 Criteria and Patient Probes for Bipolar Disorder: Manic/Hypomanic Episodes
NP Spotlight: Chris Lambert
NP Spotlight: Chris Lambert


Clinical Tools

Psychiatric Scales

Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (ATRQ)

The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (ATRQ) is a scale used to assess treatment response or nonresponse to adequate treatment trials among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).1 The ATRQ examines the adequacy of duration and dose of prior and current antidepressant treatment trials.2 The ATRQ also assesses the degree of improvement in depressive symptoms in the most efficacious trial or in all trials during the current episode.2 The utility of this scale is in allowing a patient-report tool to take the place of a potentially lengthy clinician interview in assessing past antidepressant treatment adequacy and efficacy.1  
Encouraging Adherence to Care for People with Schizophrenia

Caregiver Resource

Encouraging Adherence to Care for People with Schizophrenia

Receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be difficult to understand and accept, both as a caregiver and as a patient, due to stigma surrounding the disease. Caregivers can play a significant role in adherence to care. Even patients who understand their diagnosis still may have questions and concerns, and they can benefit from the support of a caregiver.
Psychopharmacology Considerations for Clinical Practice

Quick Guide for Providers

Psychopharmacology Considerations for Clinical Practice

Finding the right psychotropic medication for your patients may help improve outcomes. When making treatment decisions, clinical practice guidelines and your past experience with medications can help guide your choice. However, when choosing a particular medication, it’s important to consider the many factors that can influence the way different psychotropic agents can affect your patients.
What to Consider when Prescribing Antipsychotics

Quick Guide for Providers

What to Consider when Prescribing Antipsychotics

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, disabling, and chronic condition. Identifying patients who have not responded to a course of adequate treatment is important as these patients may benefit from adjunctive pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy.

Clinical Education

Clinician Descriptions of Communication Strategies to Improve Treatment Engagement by Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Mental Health Services: A Systematic Review

Clinical Article

Clinician Descriptions of Communication Strategies to Improve Treatment Engagement by Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Mental Health Services: A Systematic Review

Aggarwal et al. (2016) conducted a systematic literature review to identify patient-clinician communication factors that could account for low mental health treatment engagement rates among patients of racial/ethnic minority status.
Factors Associated with Inadequate Response to MDD Treatment

Test Your Knowledge

Factors Associated with Inadequate Response to MDD Treatment

Test your knowledge on the factors associated with inadequate response to treatment in major depressive disorder.
Quiz: Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Test Your Knowledge

Quiz: Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Take this short quiz to test your knowledge of differentiating between the positive and negative symptoms that can occur in schizophrenia.
The Rapid Mood Screener (RMS): A Novel and Pragmatic Screener for Bipolar I Disorder

Clinical Article

The Rapid Mood Screener (RMS): A Novel and Pragmatic Screener for Bipolar I Disorder

McIntyre et al developed a simple 6-question Rapid Mood Screener (RMS) to screen for manic symptoms and features of bipolar I disorder.

Psychiatry Fundamentals 

Psychiatry draws upon skills that are essential to the nurse practitioner approach to patient care, empathy, compassion, and understanding. A thorough knowledge of the different mental illnesses complements those skills.

Learn more about Psychiatry Fundamentals
Psychiatry Fundamentals 

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