4027-25: Gardening: A Secondary Prescription For The Treatment Of Schizophrenia

This presentation will provide the tools on how to create and maintain a therapeutic garden for psychiatric rehabilitation on an inpatient unit. An illustration will be provided on how to use the produce to make healthier food choices to reduce weight gain and other metabolic risk factors.

Presenter:  Janette O'Connor, MS, BS, BSN, PMHRN-BC

Disclosures:  The APNA planners and faculty have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. Off-label uses will not be discussed during this presentation.

Session Length:  45 minutes

Target Audience:  RN

Learning Outcome:
Upon completion of this presentation, the participant will be able to:

• Identify two essential components for creating and maintaining a therapeutic garden on an inpatient psychiatric unit.

Key Takeaway(s): 

• Gardening may serve as a supportive, non-pharmacological intervention that promotes well-being for individuals living with schizophrenia.
• Gardening has been associated with improvements in metabolic health and may support individuals in following their prescribed medication plans.

Keywords:  Gardening, Schizophrenia, Well-being, Mental illness, Green Space Therapy

Nursing Continuing Professional Development:
0.75 contact hours.  * In order to receive contact hours, you must: Listen to the entire presentation, complete the reflection activity, evaluation, and honor statement before the expiration date. Once all steps are successfully completed, a certificate will be generated online and available for you to print immediately. Contact hours cannot be awarded unless all required components are completed. 

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Release Date:  December 1, 2025
Access to this course will end:  December 1, 2028

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