by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Oct 21, 2025 | Diagnosis/Assessment tips for treating mental disorders
Imagine a patient presents to you with: depressed mood, low energy, disrupted sleep, and a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. What’s your next move? A. Start an antidepressantB. Reassess in 4 weeksC. Start a mood stabilizerD. Consider bipolar as a...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Oct 16, 2025 | Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders
One of my favorite things to share as a psych NP is a good prescribing tip. Most prescribing content out there tends to be either too basic, pulled straight from textbooks, or not particularly useful for real-world clinical practice. That’s why I’m excited to pass...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Oct 14, 2025 | Clinical support resources
As we move into autumn, many of us feel an almost Pavlovian urge to learn, read, and grow. I know I do. This natural inclination for some of us likely stems from the ingrained “back-to-school” season, even if we’re no longer students. If you’re an NP...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Oct 9, 2025 | Transition into Practice Tips & Resources
One of the more stressful aspects of being a nurse practitioner that I certainly didn’t feel prepared for during my MSN program was managing patient medication requests. Especially when patients demand specific medications or try to dictate the course of treatment....
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Oct 7, 2025 | Best practices
Let’s be real—no one wants to get sued. As a nurse practitioner, the fear of liability can pop up when it comes to prescribing, documentation, or unexpected outcomes. But the good news is: you can take steps to minimize malpractice risk and practice with more peace of...