Psychedelics in Psychiatry, the Nursing Influence, and the Future of Psychedelic Therapies

Objective: Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies (PATs) are on the cusp of becoming medicalized treatment modalities within the United States, both as potential U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment and therapeutic options outside the medical model, through decriminalization efforts within individual states. Bringing with it a paradigm shift in the delivery of health care for both physical and mental health treatment. A workforce of highly trained facilitators will be needed to meet the anticipated demand for this type of treatment and nurses can play a key role in meeting this demand. This article serves to introduce psychedelic-assisted therapies to psychiatric-mental health nurses as we start to see this new field emerge.

Method: Review of published literature and other media.

Results: Results based on historical data, modern applications, and future considerations.

Conclusions: Nurses have been involved with psychedelic-assisted therapies in the past and are fully capable of providing a wide range of roles upon the anticipated approval as a treatment modality.