Advanced Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan

This course is designed to explore the psychopharmacological treatment and management of psychiatric disorders for clients across the lifespan. It prepares advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nurses to prescribe and evaluate the effectiveness of psychiatric medication. Emphasis is placed on examining the neurobiological processes underlying psychopathology and the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics of psychopharmacological agents. Special topics are addressed including: pharmacogenomics in drug response, adherence issues, and managing clients with comorbidities, treatment resistance, and chronic illnesses. Factors influencing prescriptive practice are explored including the decision to prescribe and/or conduct psychotherapy, financial and managed care considerations, direct to consumer prescription drug advertising, drug promotion by the pharmaceutical industry, and how the internet influences consumer expectations. The course considers ethical, legal, cultural, economic and technological perspectives as well as state and national public policies influencing psychopharmacological practice.