Antidepressant prescribing practices of nurse practitioners

Depression is considered a highly treatable illness, yet often it is inadequately treated by physicians in primary care settings. The economic and human cost of inadequate treatment is well documented. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the antidepressant prescribing practices among a convenience sample of nurse practitioners (NPs) and to use the findings to refine the antidepressant therapy questionnaire for further use. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 26 NPs. Results of the survey revealed that NPs in primary care settings frequently treat a wide variety of common mental health problems and prescribe antidepressant medications for a number of these disorders as well as for nonpsychiatric problems. Factors that influence the NPs' decision-making process in the selection of a particular antidepressant were found to vary among the NPs surveyed. Although 65% of the NPs felt that they were sufficiently informed about the available antidepressants to select the most appropriate drug for their clients, 77% believed they needed additional education on antidepressant medications, and all but one respondent reported willingness to attend continuing educational offerings on antidepressant medications.