Jerry McKee, PharmD, MS, BCPP
The CPNP Foundation supports the Defining the Future grant program which is designed specifically for students/CPNP student chapters, residents, and fellows interested in psychiatric and neurologic pharmacy. This grant program provides an excellent, ongoing opportunity to receive funding for a research project that will help define the future of psychiatric pharmacy practice and improve the care of patients with psychiatric and neurologic disorders. The Kaleidoscope reached out to the four, first-ever Defining the Future grant recipients to learn more about their projects, their experience at the recent Annual Meeting, and what they learned from participating in the grant process.
Carroline Lobo - Department of Health Policy and Management, Graduate School of Public Health- University of Pittsburgh, Mylan –Duquesne University School of Pharmacy-Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Stigma in Adults with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Comparative Analysis of Perceptions of Invalidation
Our study found that people who reported having fibromyalgia experienced lesser understanding of their pain condition from people in their environment (spouses/partners, family, medical professionals, people at work, and people in social services) as compared to those who reported having migraines. This can be possibly attributed to relatively better acceptance of migraine as a pain condition as opposed to fibromyalgia.
This program has given me the experience of grantsmanship, which will be helpful as I pursue my career further in health outcomes and policy research. The Foundation should encourage participation of more student researchers in other allied sciences like psychiatric health policy/outcomes research as a means to broaden the student resource pool.
Lauren Heath- University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences-Aurora, Colorado
Influence of Patient Stigma on Depression Remission
Our work is still in progress. We aim to characterize different forms of stigma in patients with depression treated in primary care. Preliminary findings of stigma prevalence indicate that 40% of the population believe that having depression carries social stigma. This information may aid future studies in examining stigma as a barrier to effective treatment in this population.
I’m very thankful I had the opportunity to attend the CPNP meeting for the first time this year. Compared to other pharmacy meetings I have attended, I was particularly struck by the strong sense of community and the opportunities to network in many different settings (i.e., during poster sessions, small group discussions, and more).
Participating in the grant program provided me with initial practical experience writing a grant and leading the research process. Through these experiences, I learned the importance of perseverance through the obstacles inherent in research. It has also given me a better understanding of both the number of steps involved and the number of people needed to execute a project.
Natalie Valentino (Foundation Strategic Goals Award Winner) - VA Salt Lake City Health Care System-Salt Lake City, Utah
Assessment of rationale in refusal of take-home naloxone by Veterans at risk for opioid overdose in the primary care setting
Of the few patients who refused naloxone kits, the majority simply disagreed that they were an appropriate candidate for overdose education and naloxone distribution, despite them having multiple risk factors for accidental overdose, including dose, concomitant benzodiazepine use, and compromising medical and psychiatric conditions.
This was my second annual meeting and I will continue to attend every year that I am able. I choose to continue to attend because of the networking opportunities as well as the ability to share ideas and obtain feedback from other practitioners and facilities about the programs and initiatives we are trying to implement at our facility.
This grant program taught me the importance of seeking answers through scientific research and then sharing findings through poster presentation or publication. This project came about after I asked my research question to my mentors, who encouraged me to actually evaluate the role that stigma played in why patients in primary care refused take-home naloxone kits and to apply for the research grant. Sharing my findings and obtaining feedback at the CPNP Annual Meeting proved to be an invaluable experience and I am grateful for the opportunity.
Courtney Slough - W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center- Salisbury NC
Comprehensive medication management (CMM) provided to veterans in an outpatient traumatic brain injury (TBI) clinic at a Veteran Affairs Medical Center
The Defining the Future Grant inspired me to incorporate Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) into my practice. After determining the benefits of CMM, I applied and was awarded an additional research grant to provide CMM for patients following a psychiatric inpatient hospitalization. The Defining the Future Grant was a critical step for my clinical and research development.
Although I was nervous about it, I submitted my residency paper to the Mental Health Clinician. I was thrilled when it was accepted with revisions. The reviewers offered constructive feedback and my paper improved immensely after implementing the revisions. It was a great learning experience and I encourage other residents to submit their research.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Defining the Future grant program. To be considered, the complete application must be submitted using the Foundation online application process by the August 31, 2016 deadline. Grantees will be required to obtain IRB approval prior to starting their project. Grantees will also be required to submit their research for abstract consideration and, if selected, present their research results as a poster at the 2017 CPNP Annual Meeting to be held April 23-26 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Award recipients will be notified by October 1, 2016.