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.
New on NP Psych Navigator

Clinical Article
Acute and Longer-Term Outcomes in Depressed Outpatients Requiring One or Several Treatment Steps: A STAR*D Report
The Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial was a 7-year nationwide clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of different medications in patients who did not respond to an initial antidepressant. Rush et al. (2006) evaluated acute and long-term treatment outcomes in patients who participated in the STAR*D trial and identified differences in response and remission rates and time to remission across patients who received up to four sequential treatment steps.

Psychiatric Scales
RMS (Rapid Mood Screener) Tool
The Rapid Mood Screener (RMS) is a novel, pragmatic, patient-reported tool to assess patients for bipolar I disorder.1 The RMS is a screening tool that was developed to help differentiate bipolar I disorder from major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients with depressive symptoms who have been diagnosed with MDD.1

NP Spotlights
NP Spotlight: Tina Matthews-Hayes, DNP, FNP, PMHNP
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 NPs who are working to advance the profession and mental health in general. In the third installment of this series, we profile Tina Matthews-Hayes, DNP, FNP, PMHNP.