Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Using Synchronous Telepsychiatry: An Integrative Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Nursing
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Telepsychiatry use by PMH APRNs is not well-documented.
• Understanding PMH APRN involvement in telepsychiatry is crucial for service expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on PMH APRN utilization of live-time, synchronous telepsychiatry.
• To assess the feasibility and success of telepsychiatry services provided by PMH APRNs.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases.
• Three independent reviewers screened citations, with consensus for inclusion of peer-reviewed articles.
• The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) tool assessed article quality and bias.

Main Results:

• Only nine articles met inclusion criteria out of 342 initially identified.
• Studies exhibited high risk of bias, with most rated as low or very low quality.
• Despite low-quality evidence, positive outcomes suggest PMH APRNs can successfully deliver telepsychiatry.

Conclusions:

• Limited but positive evidence supports PMH APRN feasibility in telepsychiatry.
• PMH APRNs can provide telepsychiatry across diverse patient demographics and locations.
• Increased original research from PMH APRNs is needed to guide telepsychiatry implementation.