To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe? Benzodiazepines in an Era of Prescription Drug Abuse
-
Register
- User - $40
This presentation will focus on the class of anxiolytics known as the benzodiazepines. Over the years, prescribers have had a love/hate relationship with these controlled substances. Upon completion of this presentation, participants will learn the benefits and risks related to the safe prescribing of benzodiazepines for individuals with various symptom presentations. The presentation will address the risks and cautions related to the prescribing of benzodiazepines with various medications, including the opioids and stimulants and in various healthcare settings. Participants also will receive tips to identify the warning signs of benzodiazepine abuse and techniques to safely taper and discontinue these medications to minimize the discomfort of withdrawal.
Credits: 1.50 Contact Hours; 1.50 are Pharmacology
Expiration Date: December 31st, 2025
$40
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After taking part in this educational activity, participants should be better able to:
-Differentiate between FDA approved & off-label uses of benzodiazepines for varied symptom presentations
-Review and reconceptualize neurobiological mechanisms that underlie anxiety symptoms
I-dentify & discuss the pharmacokinetics that lead to potential drug-drug interactions when patients concurrently use benzodiazepines with other medications
-Formulate rational, genomically-informed pharmacologic treatment approaches for anxiety disorders (including the appropriate use of benzodiazepines)
-Identify & discuss techniques to safely taper & discontinue benzodiazepines with minimal discomfort to the patient
Josh Hamilton, DNP, RN-BC, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CTMH, CNE, FAANP
President & Chief Clinical Officer
The Hamilton Group LLC
Josh Hamilton resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he practices Tele-psychiatry on a national scale. With more than a quarter-century of nursing experience, he also holds professorial appointments, academic leadership positions and provides extensive professional consultation services in higher education, industry and clinical affairs.
He was associate medical director for the largest managed care behavioral health network in the Desert Southwest and, as a university dean and vice president, he built one of the largest portfolio collections of competency-based graduate Nursing degrees in the United States.
His professional interests include neurobiology, pharmacology and epigenetics. He is an internationally-recognized speaker on these (and related) topics at conferences and professional meetings. He served on the psychiatric medication working group at the Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science & Innovation, a FDA-sponsored project at the University of Maryland.
He is a NEI Master Psychopharmacologist and a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The Point of Care Network proclaimed Josh to be America’s Top Psychiatric NP in 2021. He won the award again in 2024.
Learn more about Dr. Josh Hamilton at www.linkedin.com/in/hamiltondnp
CE INFORMATION
Obtain Your Credits
To earn credits for this activity, navigate to the Content(s) tab and complete all course components in the following order: 1) watch the course presentation video; 2) complete the course evaluation; 3) pass the post-test with a score of 2/3 (66.7%) or higher. You may retake the post-test until a passing score is achieved, at which point you will be able to view/print a copy of your certificate of completion. This online certificate will also be saved within your profile 'My Dashboard' -> 'Transcript/Certificates Earned' for future access.
Designation Statement
NPACE designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.50 contact hours, of which 1.50 is pharmacology credit. Participants should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Accreditation Statement
Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education (NPACE) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).
In addition to ANCC, NPACE is approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by: the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP8720 and Florida CE Broker #50-1476.
DISCLOSURES
Faculty
Contributing faculty, Josh Hamilton, DNP, RN-BC, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAANP have disclosed:
Myriad Neuroscience, Speakers Bureau (ended 08/2023), PGx Testing Genesight
Tempus Labs, Inc., Consultant & Speakers Bureau, PGx Testing Tempus nP
Point of Care Network, Paid Ambassador, Various N/A
Planners
All planners and contributors involved in this educational activity have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Disclaimer
The material presented in this continuing education program is being made available for educational purposes only and is not intended to represent the best or only methods, medications and/or guidelines appropriate for the medical situation discussed. Rather the material is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the presenter(s), which may be helpful, or of interest to other practitioners and should not be used by clinicians without the evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. NPACE disclaims any liability, loss, injury, or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any information given in a presentation.
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
This educational activity may mention the uses of products that are not approved by the FDA for the indication(s) being discussed. The presenter(s) are instructed to notify participants when they are discussing unapproved uses or investigational agents. The opinions related to unapproved uses of products are solely those of the presenter(s) and are not endorsed or recommended by NPACE. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Commercial Support
There is no commercial support for this activity.
Key:
Complete
Next
Failed
Available
Locked
