title: Psychiatric nursing & medication adherence.
abstract: A survey was developed to determine whether the rapidly changing context of mental health care has significantly influenced how psychiatric nurses assess and intervene in issues related to medication adherence. A sample of 126 psychiatric nurses working in Veterans Affairs mental health treatment facilities in northern California, Hawaii, and Nevada identified the most effective methods for tracking medication adherence, as well as successful adherence interventions. Despite the challenge imposed by changing work environments, psychiatric nurses use creative and innovative approaches to improve their patients' medication adherence. Interventions for enhancing patient adherence with prescribed regimens are identified. Essential role dimensions related to medication adherence defined by the nurses in this survey included providing medication education, tracking patient adherence, assessing medication effectiveness, providing individualized, tailored adherence interventions, and collaborating with other health care providers in medication planning. Study findings support using nurses to their full potential and highlight nurses' need for more educational opportunities and consultation with experts (e.g., clinical pharmacists).
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. kemppainenj@uncw.edu
authors.forename: Jeanne K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kemppainen
authors.forename: Marti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buffum
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wike
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kestner
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zappe
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Kristi Haney
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: Patti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartlebaugh
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs