Clinical Practice Guideline for Structured Communication In A Pediatric Outpatient Psychiatry

This doctoral project focused on developing and evaluating a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the lack of standardized interdisciplinary communication between psychologists and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) in a pediatric outpatient psychiatric setting. Inconsistent communication practices, including informal conversations, delayed documentation, and unstructured messaging, contributed to fragmented care and inefficient treatment coordination. To address this gap, an evidence-based, structured communication framework was developed to guide interdisciplinary collaboration. The guideline was developed using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice model and supported by a review of 14 evidence sources spanning Levels I to V of the literature. A four-member multidisciplinary expert panel evaluated the guideline using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument. All six AGREE II domains exceeded the predefined 70% quality benchmark, with standardized domain scores ranging from 79% to 87%. The first global assessment item for quality received unanimous ratings of 7; the second item on recommendation for use was rated 100% “yes,” indicating the highest possible perceived quality and full endorsement for clinical practice. The resulting CPG offers a standardized framework for interdisciplinary communication designed to enhance care coordination, reduce fragmentation, and promote timely, consistent information exchange for pediatric patients with complex psychiatric needs.