by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Feb 3, 2026 | Career Advice
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, one of the most stressful parts of the job can be the fear of missing something important. A new provider in our Mental Disorders Crash Course community recently shared how she often worries she’s not doing enough. She’s in...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Jan 8, 2026 | Diagnosis/Assessment tips for treating mental disorders
What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to treating mental disorders right now? A few months ago, I asked this question to my community and I received a range of responses—from managing co-morbid disorders to knowing the appropriate medications and dosages to...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Dec 9, 2025 | Diagnosis/Assessment tips for treating mental disorders
Have you ever opened a patient’s chart, scanned a long list of psychiatric medications, and wondered, “How did we get here?” Or faced a swirl of overlapping symptoms and felt unsure which direction to go first? If so, you’re not alone. Even seasoned PMHNPs encounter...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Dec 2, 2025 | Best practices, Prescribing tips for treating mental disorders
Prescribing the “right” psychotropic medication isn’t about guessing or relying on trial-and-error—it’s about building a strong clinical foundation. When PMHNPs prescribe psychotropic medications using a structured, step-by-step approach, they move from haphazard care...
by Claire Ellerbrock, DNP, PMHNP | Nov 25, 2025 | Diagnosis/Assessment tips for treating mental disorders
Bipolar disorder is one of the most challenging conditions to accurately diagnose—especially when it doesn’t present in textbook form. Over the years, I’ve found one simple yet powerful tool to be especially helpful in clinical interviews: the 5 A’s of bipolar...