Assgn 2 – WK10 (C)

Practicum: Decision Tree

Childhood psychosis is extremely rare; however, children that present with psychosis must be carefully assessed and evaluated with appropriate interviewing of parent, child, and use of assessment tools.

For this Assignment, as you examine the client case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with early onset schizophrenia.

The Assignment:

Examine Case 3. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the diagnosis and treatment for this client. Be sure to consider co-morbid physical as well as mental factors that might impact the client’s diagnosis and treatment. 

(N: B. A CASE STUDY WITH ANSWER SAMPLE IS ATTACHED WITH THIS ASSIGNMENT)

At each Decision Point, stop to complete the following:

                                          · Decision #1: Differential Diagnosis

o Which Decision did you select?

o Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and 

     references to the Learning Resources.

o What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your 

    response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

o Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #1 

    and the results of the Decision. Why were they different?

    

                      · Decision #2: Treatment Plan for Psychotherapy

o Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and 

    references to the Learning Resources.

o What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your 

    response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

o Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #2 

    and the results of the Decision. Why were they different?

                  · Decision #3: Treatment Plan for Psychopharmacology

o Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and 

    references to the Learning Resources.

o What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your 

    response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

o Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #3 

   and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

. Also include how ethical considerations might impact your treatment plan and 

  communication with clients and their families.

Note: Support your rationale with a minimum of three academic resources. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement.

                                                                      Case #3
A young girl with strange behaviors

BACKGROUND

            Carrie is a 13-year-old Hispanic female who is brought to your office today by her mother and father. They report that they were referred to you by their primary care provider after seeking her advice because Carrie’s behavior has been difficult to manage, and they don’t know what to do.

SUBJECTIVE

            Carrie’s parents report that they have concerns about her behavior, which they describe as sometimes “not normal for a 13-year-old.” They notice that she talks to people who aren’t real. Her behavior is calm and “passive.” Her parents noted that when she was younger, she was irritable at times, but have noticed that this has given way to passivity. Her parents state that they understand that it’s normal for younger children to have “imaginary friends,” but they feel that at    

           Carrie’s age, she should have grown out of these behaviors. Carrie’s parents report that she has friends that are half-cat and half-human, and “spirits” who speak with her “in her head.” She also reports that the people on television know when she is home and that they have certain shows “just for her.”

           Carrie’s parents report that they have taken her to her pediatrician who has given her a “clean bill of health.” Carrie’s parents note that they had some early concerns as she was lagging in meeting developmental milestones. Initially, when she first started school, Carrie managed to keep up with her peers in terms of academic performance, but she was noticed by her teachers to be isolative. It was also noted by her teachers and guidance counselor that Carrie’s social skills do not seem to match what they see in other children her age. Initially the school counselor suspected that Carrie may have been suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (primarily inattentive type), but now is not certain and has recommended a psychiatric evaluation. Her grades were “ok” in school up until last year when she left junior high school, and entered high school, where the academic demands began to increase. Carrie’s teachers had wanted to hold her back a grade, but her parents acknowledge that they were “insistent” that this did not happen. Now they are describing some regrets over this as Carrie seems “more lost than ever” in her schoolwork. Carrie’s mother produced a copy of a paper that Carrie had to submit as a homework assignment. You attempt to read the assignment, but there does not appear to be any clarity to the work, and it can best be described as a hodge-podge of thoughts and ideas.

           Carrie’s parents want you to know that although they are concerned about Carrie, they are opposed to giving her medications that would turn her “into a zombie.” Carrie’s mother also confides that her husband’s grandfather spent “a few years in the nut house.” When you probe further, she began crying and said, “He was schizophrenic … what if Carrie is schizophrenic?”

            During your interview with Carrie, she seems pleasant, but somewhat distant. When you ask her about her friends at school, she shrugs her shoulders and says, “I don’t really have any. I don’t like those people.” You inquire if she is sad or upset that she doesn’t like them, to which she states “no, why should I be? I guess they would be friends with me if I asked, but I’m not interested. I could make them be my friends if I wanted, but I don’t … but if I wanted them to, all that I have to do is make up my mind that they will be my friend and they would have to.” When you ask Carrie if she believes that she can control the thoughts of others with her mind, she puts her index finger up to her mouth and looks toward the door. “My mom gets upset when I talk about these things. I try not to think about them either because if she is close enough, she could read my thoughts and they upset her. She may think that I’m into witchcraft or something.”

When you ask Carrie about the homework assignment that you read, she explains that her teacher “is just miserable. She doesn’t understand how I think—I think high, she just can’t get it.”

OBJECTIVE

            The client is a 13-year-old Hispanic female client who appears appropriately developed for her age. She is dressed appropriately for the current weather and ambulates with a steady upright gait. She does not appear to be demonstrating any noteworthy mannerisms, gestures, or tics. No psychomotor agitation/retardation apparent.

MENTAL STATUS EXAM

            Carries is alert and oriented × 4 spheres. Her speech is clear, coherent, goal directed, and spontaneous. Carrie self-reports her mood as “good.” However, her affect does appear somewhat constricted. Her eye contact is minimal throughout the clinical interview and at times, Carrie seems preoccupied. Carrie is oriented to person, place, and time. She endorses hearing and seeing strange “things that I talk to. They don’t scare me; they come to see me from another world.” No overt paranoia is appreciated. She does report delusions of reference (she believes that the people on TV play programs “just for her” and at times, television commercials were designed to tell her what to do), as well as other delusional thoughts (as described above). Carrie denies any suicidal or homicidal ideation.

At this point, please discuss any additional diagnostic tests you would perform on Carrie.

                                                     Decision Point One

BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE SCENARIO ABOVE, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DIAGNOSES WOULD THE PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER (PMHNP) GIVE TO CARRIE?

In your write-up of this case, be certain to link specific symptoms presented in the case to DSM–5 criteria to support your diagnosis.

 

Early Onset Schizophrenia

Schizoaffective Disorder

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

                                            

                                                        Answer Chosen:  

Early Onset Schizophrenia

                                                   Decision Point Two

BASED ON THIS DIAGNOSIS, SELECT YOUR CHOICE OF ACTIONS:

 

Refer for psychological testing

Begin Clozaril 100 mg orally daily

Begin psychotherapy using a psychodynamic approach

                                               Answer Chosen:

Refer for psychological testing

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO

·  Client returns to clinic in four weeks

·  Although there are no specific psychometric tests available for schizophrenia, the consulting psychologist administered a comprehensive psychological battery of tests in order to assess personality and cognitive functioning as well as to identify any underlying intellectual disabilities that could account for the difficulty Carrie is having in school. Tests administered included the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test; Rorschach test; Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) test; Wide Range Achievement Test – 4th Edition (WRAT-4); and the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). The consulting psychologist opined that early-onset schizophrenia was strongly suspected in this client.

                                                           Decision Point Three

BASED ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION, SELECT YOUR NEXT ACTION. BE CERTAIN TO DISCUSS THE RATIONALE FOR YOUR DECISION.

 

Begin Clozapine 100 mg orally daily

Begin family interventions

Begin Lurasidone 40 mg orally daily

                                               Answer Chosen

Begin Lurasidone 40 mg orally daily

Guidance to Student 

           It is not always necessary to procure a consult with a psychologist. However, psychologists by virtue of their advanced training and licensure are able to conduct comprehensive psychological testing on clients more advanced than those tests that could be conducted by the psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner. In this case, we would like to know if the poor academic performance was the result of an intellectual disability, versus poor premorbid intellectual functioning that is often seen in schizophrenia.

            In terms of treatment decisions, Clozapine is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Since the child has not yet been treated with any agent, we have no way of knowing if her schizophrenia is treatment resistant. Additionally, if we were to use Clozapine, the starting dose is approximately 25 mg in adults (perhaps 12.5 mg in a child, depending on body weight). Clozapine 100 mg would most likely cause significant side effects that both the child and parents would find objectionable, thus making compliance an issue.

Although not FDA-approved for use in children, Lurasidone is used as an off-label drug in this population. There are no legal prohibitions against any prescriber using drugs “off-label”; however, attention must be given to the concept of informed consent. When working with children/adolescents, the PMHNP must explain pros/cons, discuss therapeutic endpoints/goals of treatment, etc. The parent/guardian must have all of the information needed to make an informed consent. Therefore, Lurasidone would be the best choice. Additionally, Lurasidone may be the preferred antipsychotic, as it appears to have the least impact on body weight and lipid profile.

           Recall that with any antipsychotic medication, you should determine fasting plasma glucose levels, monitor weight and BMI during treatment, as well as blood pressure and fasting triglycerides.

            Family interventions are important as well, as they do have a positive benefit on symptom relapse and admission/readmission to the hospital. Family interventions should include teaching about the disease, medications, and anticipatory guidance.

                                                                Learning Resources

Required Readings

Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

• Chapter      31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1268–1283)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

• “Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders”

McClellan, J., & Stock, S. (2013). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with schizophrenia. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 976–990. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00112-3/pdf

Giles, L. L., & Martini, D. R. (2016). Challenges and promises of pediatric psychopharmacology. Academic Pediatrics, 16(6), 508–518. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2016.03.011

Hargrave, T. M., & Arthur, M. E. (2015). Teaching child psychiatric assessment skills: Using pediatric mental health screening tools. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 50(1), 60–72. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/1702699596?accountid=14872

Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2017b). A young girl with strange behaviors [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. (THE ATTACHED CASE STUDY IS THE MEDIA)

PLEASE PART OF THE CONTRACT IS TO HAVE IT DONE IN 12 HOURS. THANKS

  

Answer Critical Thinking Question 2 for Chapter 10 on page 297 and Clinical Application Question 3 for Chapter 11 on page 329. Answers should be submitted in a word document with any associated references used.

Answer Critical Thinking Question 2 for Chapter 10 on page 297

Describe the use of a DNA probe and PCR for:

a) Rapid identification of an unknown bacterium.

b) Determining which of a group of bacteria are most closely related

Clinical Application question 3 for chapter 11 on page 329

A Woman complaining of lower abdominal pain with a temperature of 39  degree C gave birth soon after to a stillborn baby. Blood cultures from the infant revealed gram-positive rods. The woman had a history of eating unheated hot dogs during her pregnancy. Which organism is most likely involved 

 In clinical settings, eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) disorders account for the majority of pediatric visits. With the prevalence of these disorders, you must be familiar with their signs and symptoms as well as evidence-based practices for assessment and treatment. Although many pediatric patients present with common EENT disorders such as ear infections, allergies, and strep throat, some patients present with rare disorders requiring specialist care. In your role, making this distinction between when to treat and when to refer is essential. For this Discussion, examine the following case studies and consider potential diagnoses and management strategies.

Case Study 1

A mother presents with her 2-year-old child with complaints of ear pain and decreased sleep. Earlier this week, he had a runny nose and congestion with a mild cough that occurred mostly when lying down. His temperature is 100.7°F. You note the following physical findings: shotty anterior cervical adenopathy, mild nasal congestion, clear postnasal drainage, and lungs clear to auscultation. Ear examination reveals the following: right tympanic membrane is red, translucent, in a neutral position, with no pus or fluid noted; left tympanic membrane is full, reddish orange in appearance, and opaque with pus.

Case Study 2

Kaitlyn is a 4-year-old with a 2-day history of nasal congestion and cough in the early morning. Her mother reports thick, green nasal discharge. She is afebrile, and appetite and sleep are normal. Physical examination reveals: lungs clear to auscultation, tympanic membranes pearly gray without fluid in a neutral position, no cervical adenopathy, nasal turbinates are red, and clear rhinorrhea and postnasal drip.

Case Study 3

Marcus is an 8-year-old with a 36-hour complaint of headache (frontal), sore throat, fever to 102°F, and nausea. Mom says his appetite is decreased and his breath smells “like a puppy dog’s.” Physical examination reveals: lungs clear to auscultation, tympanic membranes partially obscured by cerumen but in neutral position and transparent, enlarged tonsilar and anterior cervical lymph nodes, 2+ enlarged and red tonsils with exudate, strawberry tongue, and petechiae on the soft palate.

To prepare:

• Review “Eye Disorders” and “Ear Disorders” in the Burns et al. text.
• Review and select one of the three case studies. Analyze the patient information, including the parent’s perspective.
• Consider a differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Think about the most likely diagnosis for the patient.
• Think about a treatment and management plan for the patient. Be sure to consider appropriate dosages for any recommended pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic treatments.
• Consider strategies for educating parents on the child’s disorder and reducing any concerns/fears presented in the case study.

By Day 3

Post an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Include an explanation of unique characteristics of the disorder you identified as the primary diagnosis. Then, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including appropriate dosages for any recommended treatments. Finally, explain strategies for educating parents on their child’s disorder and reducing any concerns/fears presented in the case study.a

On the Healthy People 2020 website, the 2020 LHI topic, Social Determinants, explains that a national indicator of health is measured by “Students who graduate with a regular diploma 4 years after starting 9th grade” (para. 11). According to the data, as a nation, are we improving or declining, and why is this important to our health as a country?

 

Please respond to the following: “Lateral Marketing Strategy”

• Assess the value of target marketing as an effective health care marketing strategy. Appraise the degree to which vertical and traditional segmentation help marketing managers use target marketing strategies. Support your rationale with at least two (2) specific examples of target marketing within a health care organization with which you are familiar.
• Evaluate the impact of lateral segmentation in encouraging marketing managers to look broadly at markets in order to identify previously overlooked opportunities. Provide at least one (1) specific example of quality initiatives within a health care organization.