President’s Message: Inclusion. Diversity. Equity. Access. De-Stigmatization
When we recognize that the common thread of essential humanity, the foundation of our discipline, runs through each of these concepts, further integrating them into practice is within our grasp. Hear More from APNA President Zim Okoli

Member News
22 members made the news this month for their work. Find Out More

Memorable, Monumental, Moving: APNA 36th Annual Conference
Get a recap of this year’s premiere event for psychiatric-mental health nursing, which offered the the latest advancements in psychiatric-mental health nursing and connection with colleagues! See What the Hype Was All About

Why I Presented at the APNA Annual Conference
“I am relentlessly passionate about shining a spotlight on helping those who serve others,” says Mayfield. “Our helping professionals (veterans, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and EMS personnel) need our knowledge, our time, and our talents…” Keep Reading

Research: The Engine Behind PMH Nursing Science
“Our science drives care practices,” says Brandy Mechling, APNA Research & Scholarship Council Chair. “Identifying and disseminating research priorities for our nursing role is an initial step…” Keep Reading

Free Thanksgiving CE for Members: The Journey to Use Meds Optimally to Support Recovery
In this CPI Keynote, Deegan draws on her experience of recovery to explore how nurses can help assess and support using psychiatric medications optimally. Earn 1.5 Pharmacology Contact Hours FREE Through 12/21

She Went to Work
This poem, by APNA member Karen Adams, was written in memory of June Onkundi, MSN, RN PMHNP-BC. Read Adams’ Tribute to June

Gift Your Colleague an APNA Annual Awards Nomination by January 9
Give a PMH nurse the chance of national recognition and free conference registration by nominating them for one of the 11 APNA Annual Awards. Yes, I want to Honor My Colleague!

November/December Issue of JAPNA Now Online
This Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association edition features original research on the prediction of seclusion and restraint, contact hours on the COPE intervention, and more. Get the Latest Research & Scholarship

Half (49%) of American residents ages 16 to 65 say they have a mental health condition, and of those who report a condition, only about half (48%) say they're getting help or treatment, according to a new study conducted in May to June 2022 released by the Ad Council. Additionally, 43% do not feel comfortable talking to people close to them about their emotions and how they are feeling. To address the mental health crisis throughout the U.S. and encourage people to take steps to support their mental health, the Ad Council announced plans for a wide-reaching and comprehensive communications effort. With a founding gift of $15 million from Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI), the national Mental Health Initiative has set a goal of $65 million over the next seven years. Full Story

A recent Wolters Kluwer article shares how nurse leaders can support the next generation of nurses. The value of effective communication, clear documentation and mentoring are discussed as ways to help nurses in the early stages of their careers. Full Story

Many nurses are growing frustrated and burnt out, and 50% are considering leaving the profession altogether, according to new survey from OnePoll and connectRN. Overall, almost two-thirds (65%) of nurses said that insufficient staffing is one of their biggest current frustrations. Other top frustrations include low wages (39%) and a lack of respect for the work they do (34%). Full Story

NSO is hosting a free webinar for Nursing Professionals on December 14th at 3pm ET to highlight Vaccination Errors and Prevention. The program will review events submitted to the ISMP National Vaccine Errors Reporting Program (VERP) and will include a discussion of the risks associated with vaccine errors, including COVID-19. There will be a review of the common types of errors involving vaccines as well as a discussion of best practices for preventing errors as well as patient harm that may occur when errors involve vaccines. Click here to register.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Federal Register notice, Safety and Effectiveness of Certain Naloxone Hydrochloride Drug Products for Nonprescription Use, that may help facilitate the development and approval of certain nonprescription naloxone drug products, including through the switch of certain naloxone drug products from prescription status to nonprescription status. Naloxone is a medicine that can help reduce opioid overdose deaths and when administered timely, usually within minutes of the first signs of an opioid overdose, can counter the overdose effects. Full Story

FDA is temporarily exercising additional enforcement discretion with respect to certain Clozapine REMS program requirements to ensure continuity of care for patients taking clozapine. FDA is aware health care professionals and patients continue to experience ongoing difficulties with the Clozapine REMS program, including issues with patient access to clozapine for patients recently discharged from an inpatient setting. APNA continues to dialogue with FDA and other stakeholders regarding this situation. Full Story

The World Health Organization (WHO) offers a free training program aimed at improving mental health. The online course has six learning modules, covering topics on recovery, abuse, violence, human rights, supporting those struggling with mental health problems, as well as caring for your own mental health.  Click here to access the training.

Up to 100,000 U.S. dementia cases could have potentially been prevented with improved eye care, according to an NIA-funded study published in JAMA Neurology. In the study scientists noted that these types of correctable vision impairment cases are concerning because, comparable to hearing loss, there is growing evidence that vision problems add additional cognitive load to the brain and are linked to shifts in brain function and structure similar to those seen in dementia. These destructive impacts are believed to be compounded by loss of stimuli that can result when older adults with untreated sensory impairments reduce their participation in their previous daily routines and social activities. Full Story

Digital behavioral health company Quartet Health has launched a new virtual clinic focused on treating patients with moderate and serious mental illness (SMI). The new clinic employs an integrated approach to care and uses multidisciplinary teams to treat patients. Teams include psychiatric-mental health advanced practice nurses, licensed clinical social workers, nurse case managers and patient care coordinators, reported Behavioral Health Business. Full Story

California’s nursing agency approved rules that will allow nurse practitioners to treat patients without physician supervision. The Nov. 17 vote is one of the last major steps necessary to fully implement a 2020 law that will allow nurse practitioners to practice more freely. Nurse practitioners, who have advanced degrees and training, currently must enter into a written agreement with a physician who oversees their work with patients, reported Capradio.com. Full Story 

New York governor Kathy Hochul announced $9 million in state funding for a loan repayment program to help community mental health agencies recruit and retain psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will provide loan repayments of up to $120,000 for psychiatrists and $30,000 for psychiatric nurse practitioners, provided they remain employed by licensed community mental health programs for three years. Full Story

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), released a new report, National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care, which describes the urgent need to improve crisis response services for children, youth, and families and provides guidance on how communities can address the existing gaps in care for youth. Full Story

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is expanding access to behavioral health care. CMS is making it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to get behavioral health services, by allowing behavioral health clinicians like licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists to offer services under general (rather than direct) supervision of the Medicare practitioner. Medicare will pay Opioid Treatment Programs that use telecommunications with patients to initiate treatment with buprenorphine. CMS is also clarifying that Opioid Treatment Programs can bill for opioid use disorder treatment services provided through mobile units, such as vans, in accordance with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) guidance. Full Story

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $13 million to bolster nursing education and training to grow the nursing workforce and improve access to nursing education. HRSA is awarding over $8.4 million to 10 awardees through the Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program. These awards will support partnerships among academics, clinicians, and the community designed to support clinical nursing faculty and preceptors, which will help increase the capacity of program to train more nurses. Full Story

Click here to see letters APNA has signed on to as a part of its participation in coalitions that further policy for nursing and mental health.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.