The Growing Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Workforce: A Solution for the Aging Population Living With Dementia

Redesigning the healthcare workforce to meet the needs of the growing population of persons living with dementia (PLWD), most of whom reside in the community and receive care from primary care providers, is a national priority. Yet, the shortage of adequately trained providers is raising concerns that the primary care system is not equipped to care for PLWD. The growing nurse practitioner (NP) workforce could bridge this gap. In this review, the authors synthesized the existing evidence from fourteen studies on the utilization of NPs to care for PLWD in primary care. Although the authors found that most NPs were engaged in co-management roles, emerging evidence suggests that NPs also serve as primary care providers for PLWD. Findings describe the impact of NP care on the health system, PLWD, and caregiver outcomes. The authors conclude that the optimal utilization of NPs can increase the capacity of delivering dementia-capable primary care.     

Tardive Dyskinesia: A Key Issue Facing the Psychiatric I Mental Health Nurse

The use of psychotropic drugs over the past four decades has helped calm violent behavior in psychiatric patients. However, a significant number of patients using these drugs have developed tardive dyskinesia, a potentially irreversible neurological syndrome that causes a variety of involuntary movements of the head, face, and body. The nurse can play a large role in structuring a written informed consent document and a well-coordinated TD monitoring system to protect patients and prevent lawsuits.     

Community Psychiatric Practice: Introduction

Editorial Introduction

Community Psychiatric Practice: Introduction     

ADHD: A Survey of Psychiatric and Paediatric Practice

Most child and adolescent psychiatrists and community paediatricians have a heavy commitment to the assessment and management of children with ADHD. The paediatric approach is heavily biased toward clinical investigation and psychostimulant treatment. Child and adolescent psychiatrists prioritise mental health assessment and have access to a wider range of treatment options. This survey clearly suggests the need for joint working between the two disciplines to provide a holistic approach to the condition to exclude and manage coexisting mental health, physical and developmental problems.