by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jul 8, 2025 | Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders, Recent
In August 2023, the FDA approved zuranolone postpartum depression treatment, a new option for managing symptoms quickly and effectively. What makes zuranolone unique is its rapid onset and short treatment course—just two weeks. Zuranolone is taken orally and is...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jul 3, 2025 | Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders
If you’re a psych NP or student trying to get a better grasp on antipsychotic medications, one foundational concept is that all antipsychotics modulate dopaminergic neurotransmission, within certain parts of the brain. This is the core mechanism of action across all...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jul 1, 2025 | Diagnosis/Assessment tips for treating mental disorders, Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders
Do You Know the Difference Between Bipolar I vs II? Let’s Test It. Understanding the difference between bipolar I vs II disorder is critical in clinical practice—especially when selecting appropriate treatments. This quick quiz will test your knowledge and help you...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jun 26, 2025 | Career Advice, Thoughts and Reflections
I have a very clear memory of a time I felt completely out of place in my nurse practitioner role. And surprisingly, it didn’t happen in my first few weeks on the job—it was nearly a year into practice when a patient reminded me just how tough it can be when patients...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jun 24, 2025 | Best practices, Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders
Many psychiatric nurse practitioners (maybe even you?!) fall comfortably into the Type A camp—I know I do. But even the most detail-oriented among us can feel uncertain about selecting the right medication. Since we prescribe antidepressants so frequently,...