Long-Acting+Injectables+in+Schizophrenia

Abstract

Purpose: Patients with schizophrenia treated with oral antipsychotics experience increased readmissions to acute care settings despite evidence showing that Long-Acting Injectables (LAIs) reduce hospitalizations, emergency visits, and relapses while enhancing medication adherence and cost-savings. The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) project was to promote early LAI use through a web-based educational toolkit resource targeting psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). Method:The educational material was based on recent empirical evidence supporting the early use of LAIs. PMHNPs participated via Moodle and completed a pre-(n=16) and post-survey (n=14) assessing changes in knowledge and intention to prescribe LAIs after four weeks.Barriers to prescribing LAIs were also assessed.Results: PMHNPs reported increased knowledge and intention to prescribe LAIs after the webbased educational presentation. They also identified several barriers that interfere with prescribing LAIs, including patient refusal, fear of injections, cost, insurance refusal, and availability. The resources provided were viewed as valuable and educational.Discussion: The increase in PMHNPs' knowledge and intention to prescribe LAIs suggests the providers will be better equipped to effectively manage patients with schizophrenia to decrease the rate of hospitalizations, emergency visits, and relapses, increase medication adherence and cost-savings, and improve their quality of life. Conclusion:Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that requires lifelong care with heightened suicide rates and mortality risk. Non-adherence to oral antipsychotics leads to