Adolescent Patient Engagement Through Telepsychiatry: A Case Report Application.

Johnson, Deborah

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed psychopharmacological prescribing and management of patients around the world. Social distancing requirements led to a transition from face-to-face patient visits to telepsychiatry. Relaxed federal reimbursement policies during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded patient awareness and access to virtual care. For many psychiatric advanced practice RNs (APRNs), the transition to telepsychiatry was intended as a temporary solution until it is possible to return to in-person patient care. Instead, virtual care has become an expectation of patients and agencies. The current article presents a case study example of an adolescent psychiatric patient, exploring the challenges of therapeutic alliance, patient engagement, psychiatric evaluation, laboratory orders, deprescribing, and psychopharmacological adherence. The case study discusses considerations for APRNs who use telemental health in child and adolescent psychiatry and resources for clinical practice. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(11), 9-12.].