Interdisciplinary
GeroPsych/Behavioral Disorders
Traineeship
Curriculum
Traineeship Preceptors and Site
Donald E. Davidoff, Ph.D.
Stephen M. Feldman, R.Ph., FASCP
McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
Trainees in this program will participate in teams of two comprised of a pharmacist and a prescriber - a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist. Team members will be working collaboratively
currently or will have agreed to work collaboratively after
completing the program.
As a regular
part of their experience, participants will meet daily with
the preceptors and other members of the interdisciplinary
team at the clinical practice site to participate in resident
rounds, assessment, and care planning for patients with depression,
agitation, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,
late life psychosis, delirium, anxiety, and sleep disorders.
Participants also will interact directly with patients on a
daily basis to observe symptoms of psychiatric and behavioral
disorders and to discuss medication responses and other management
issues. Participants will actively engage in discussions on
management of selected patients. Participants will interact
with patients in an adult psychiatric inpatient hospital dementia
unit.
The traineeship will utilize four basic educational components,
emphasizing a collaborative, interdisciplinary team approach
to patient care. The scheduling of these components will be
determined by daily practice site schedules.
DIDACTIC SESSIONS
- Pathophysiology
of psychiatric and behavioral disorders and an update
on current research examining the causes of these
conditions.
- Diagnosis
of psychiatric and behavioral disorders using the diagnostic
criteria from DSM-IV.
- Comorbid
conditions common among persons with psychiatric and behavioral
disorders.
- Pharmacologic
treatment of the underlying conditions, accompanying symptoms,
and comorbid conditions.
- Nonpharmacologic
treatments, including alternative medicines, for psychiatric
and behavioral disorders.
- Appropriate
goals and outcomes of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic
treatments for psychiatric
and behavioral
disorders.
- Problem
solving techniques for investigating and avoiding medication-related
problems among persons with psychiatric
and behavioral disorders.
- Utilization
of behavioral/mood assessment information from the Minimum
Data Set and other assessment
tools for incorporation into the pharmaceutical care plan.
- Collaborative
business opportunities for the geriatric team in mental
health settings,
nursing
facilities, and community-based practice.
- Effective
communication among the interdisciplinary team members
and opportunities for collaboration
to improve patient care.
EXPERIENTIAL/CLINICAL
- Visit
adult psychiatric inpatient hospital and interact
closely with staff, patients, and caregivers.
- Participate
on rounds with physician and nursing staff at an
adult psychiatric inpatient hospital dementia unit.
- Interact
with other departments responsible for the care of patients
with psychiatric and behavioral disorders,
including neuropsychology and psychiatric nursing.
- Observe
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for patients with psychiatric
and behavioral
disorders.
- Observe
and perform patient assessments for psychiatric and behavioral
disorders.
- Experience
the challenges and considerations that occur when a geriatric
patient moves from the nursing
facility to an acute psychiatric hospital and then returns to the nursing
facility.
- Learn
and observe atypical presentations of psychiatric and behavioral
disorders.
- Learn
and observe how racial, ethnic, and religious attitudes
and behaviors influence the diagnosis and
treatment of psychiatric and behavioral disorders.
- Attend
a support group for psychiatric patients and families.
CASE DISCUSSIONS
- Discussion
will occur during and following each didactic session.
- Meetings
will be held to discuss relevant clinical care issues.
- Selected
case studies highlighting psychiatric and behavioral disorders
and collaborative clinical care decision
making will be discussed daily as a group.
SELECTED READINGS
- Selected
reading materials will be provided to participants prior
to the traineeship.
