Analyze salient ethical issues in psychiatric mental health practice
NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
Week 1: Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
“We adopted Maria from an orphanage in Guatemala when she was 4 years old. We were hoping she would love us as much as we love her, but she is always so distant and will not let us get close. She continually bumps her head on the wall and screams when we try to make her stop. She is now 5, and we have tried everything to help her understand that we just want to love her and have her be part of our family.” NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
Jessica and Jason, Parents of 5-year-old Maria
The delicate dance—engagement and empathy.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2017d). Working with Children and Adolescents [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER NOW
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.
The comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment is one of the most important elements of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner’s (PMHNP) skill set to understand, diagnose, and develop a treatment plan for Maria. The psychiatric interview is a craft by which one human being becomes acquainted with another’s deepest thoughts, fears, emotions, and behavior. “This task is not unlike exploring a darkened room in an old Victorian house” (Shea, p. 3) with only a candle for illumination. As the PMHNP sees more of the client’s life unfold, the picture becomes clearer.
This week, you explore in depth the elements of the comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment and diagnostic process.
Photo Credit: sbrogan / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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 5, “Examination and Diagnosis of the Psychiatric Patient” (pp. 192–289)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1082–1107)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Introduction”
“Use of the Manual”
“Cultural Formulation”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Kaplan, C. (2017). Ethical dilemmas. Advanced Healthcare Network. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20160416180027/http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/Article/Ethical-Dilemmas-2.aspx
Pumariega, A. J., Rothe, E., Mian, A., Carlisle, L., Toppelberg, C., Harris, T., . . . Smith, J. (2013). Practice parameter for cultural competence in child and adolescent psychiatric practice. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(10), 1101–1115. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00479-6/pdf
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2012a). Practice parameter for psychodynamic psychotherapy with children. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(5), 541–557. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(12)00141-4/pdf
American Psychological Association. (2017). Code of Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
Document: Child and Adolescent Diagnostic Assessment Worksheet (Word document)
Document: Practicum Journal Template (Word document)
Required Media
Gajbhare, P. (2014, March 8). Mental status examination [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjWVYgf2UcU
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 36 minutes.
YMH Boston. (2013a, May 22). Vignette 1 – Introduction to a preventive services visit [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQy-jwiu7gM
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
YMH Boston. (2013c, May 22). Vignette 4 – Introduction to a mental health assessment [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCJOXQa9wcE
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
Optional Resources
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. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Chapter 1, “Neural Sciences” (pp. 1–92)
Chapter 31.2, “Assessment, Examination, and Psychological testing” (pp. 1107–1118)
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Discussion: Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
The comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment of a child or adolescent consists of gathering information from not only the child but from several sources, most notably the family members, caregivers, and the child’s teacher or school counselor. Because of this, the diagnostic assessment becomes more complicated. Issues of confidentiality, privacy, and consent must be addressed. Also, the PMHNP must take into consideration the impact of culture on the child.
In this Discussion, you review and critique the techniques and methods of a mental health professional as he or she completes a comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment of an adolescent.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment techniques
Recommend assessment questions
To Prepare for the Discussion:
Review the Learning Resources concerning the comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment.
Watch the Mental Status Examination video.
Watch the two YMH Bostonvideos.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit! NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
By Day 3
Based on the YMH Boston Vignette 4 video, post answers to the following questions:
What did the practitioner do well?
In what areas can the practitioner improve?
At this point in the clinical interview, do you have any compelling concerns? If so, what are they?
What would be your next question, and why?
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by offering additional insights or alternative perspectives on their diagnosis or provide alternate next questions and why you selected those. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 1 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 1 Discussion
Assignment: Practicum Journal Entry: Analyzing an Ethical Decision
In your role as a PMHNP, you will encounter several situations that will require your ability to make sound judgments and practice decisions for the safety and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. There may not be a clear-cut answer of how to address the issue, but your ethical decision making must be based on evidenced-based practice and what is good, right, and beneficial for patients. You will encounter patients who do not hold your values, but you must remain professional and unbiased in the care you provide to all patients regardless of their socio-demographic and ethnic/racial background. You must be prepared to critically analyze ethical situations and develop an appropriate plan of action. For this Assignment, you review the literature and discover the various ethical dilemmas PMHNPs encounter and how these issues are typically addressed in your state.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze salient ethical issues in psychiatric mental health practice
Compare ethical dilemmas with state health laws and regulations
Analyze ethical decision-making processes
To prepare:
Review literature for moral/ethical issues encountered by a PMHNP.
Select one of the articles you found that was published within the last 5 years to use as a focus for this assignment.
Write a 2-page paper in which you do the following:
Summarize the moral/ethical issue in the article (no more than 1 paragraph).
Describe the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding the issue.
Analyze the ethical issue and compare them to the state health laws and regulations in your state.
Outline the process of ethical decision making you would use to address this ethical dilemma.
Note: Be sure to use the Practicum Journal Template, located in this week’s Learning Resources.
By Day 7 of Week 4
Submit your Assignment.
Making Connections
This week, you explored in depth the elements of the comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment and diagnostic process.
Next week, you explore the many different psychiatric assessment tools and begin to explore treatment options. You also begin developing your resume and portfolio.
Looking Ahead 1: Didactic Assignments
Week 3: You will work in a group to develop a “Parent Guide,” which will serve as a teaching tool for parents with children who have been diagnosed with a specific mental health disorder.
Week 5: You will assess one of the clients in your practicum who you do not think is adequately progressing according to expected clinical outcomes.
Week 6: You will use one of your adult clients who had a psychiatric emergency as an example as you compare how you would assess a child or adolescent client who had a psychiatric emergency.
Week 7: You will work in a group to develop a “Parent Guide,” which will serve as a teaching tool for parents with children who have been diagnosed with a specific mental health disorder.
Week 10: You will work in a group to develop a “Parent Guide,” which will serve as a teaching tool for parents with children who have been diagnosed with a specific mental health disorder.
Looking Ahead 2: Practicum Assignments
Each week, you will complete practicum-related assignments. It is highly recommended that you review the practicum assignments for Weeks 2–11 before Day 7 of Week 1. This will give you time to meet with your preceptor so that you can fulfill the requirements of each practicum assignment.
Week 2: You begin working on your cover letter, resume, and portfolio. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 10.)
Week 3: You will complete a Decision Tree including the diagnosis and treatment of a pediatric client. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 4.)
Week 5: You will complete a Decision Tree including the diagnosis and treatment of a pediatric client. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 7.)
Week 6: You will write a reflection on your practicum experiences involving group therapy sessions. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 7.)
Week 7: You will write a journal entry concerning voluntary and involuntary commitment. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 7.)
Week 9: You will complete a Decision Tree including the diagnosis and treatment of a pediatric client. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 10.)
Week 10: You will write about two clients you observed or counseled during a group therapy session for children and adolescents. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 10.)
Week 10: You will complete and submit your cover letter, resume, and portfolio. (Assignment to be submitted by Day 7 of Week 10.)
Week 2: Assessment in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Kathryn Barnard was a nurse first and second an early developmental specialist with a PhD in early ecological development. Dr. Barnard, with her nursing background, was instrumental in developing assessment tools and interventions to promote infant mental health. A center is named after her at the University of Washington, aptly named the Kathryn Barnard Center for Infant Mental Health and Development. Dr. Barnard reminds us that mental health is lifelong. Proper treatment of children from their earliest moments is instrumental to their development. One of her sayings was “infants can’t wait” (Weber, 2015).
All diagnosis, from infancy to adulthood, begins with an examination. While an organic basis for most medical disorders can be determined through the use of diagnostic testing, the field of psychiatry is different in that patients cannot be sent to the lab for blood tests to determine the degree of depression. Similarly, patients cannot be sent to the radiology department for a “scan” to determine how severe their bipolar disorder is. Instead, the field of psychiatry must use psychiatric assessments such as the comprehensive integrated physical exam, diagnostic interviews, and questionnaires to make diagnoses. These tools must be specialized to address the needs of children and adolescents.
Diagnostic assessment of the child and adolescent is a specialized area of expertise. Some of the diagnostic and clinical features will be like your assessment of the adult. However, the PMHNP will be seeing children who have been to the PCP. Many PCPs are comfortable handling ADHD and other straightforward childhood disorders. That means that the PMHNP and those in his or her office will be seeing the more complicated patients.
This week, you explore the many different psychiatric assessment tools and begin to explore treatment options. You also begin developing your resume and portfolio.
Photo Credit: JGI/ Jamie Grill / Blend Images / Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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 2, “Contributions of the Psychosocial Sciences” (pp. 93–130)
Chapter 6, “Classification in Psychiatry” (pp. 290–299)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1107–1152)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Neurodevelopmental Disorders”
“Intellectual Disabilities”
“Communication Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Resume, Portfolio, and Cover Letter Resources
CoverLetter.us. (2017). Nurse practitioner cover letter sample 1. Retrieved from http://www.coverletter.us/nurse-practitioner-cover-letter/
Dahring, R. (2013). Cover letter caveats. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161117160433/http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com:80/Columns/Career-Coach/Cover-Letter-Caveats.aspx
Porche, D. J., & Danna, D. (2015). Cover letter & resume preparation: Every detail is important when applying for a job. Advance Healthcare Network for NPs & PAs. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20160818183515/http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com:80/Features/Articles/Cover-Letter-Resume-Preparation.aspx
Walden University Career Services Center. (2017). Resumes & CVs: Home. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/careerservices/resumesandcvs
Document: Cover Letter, Resume, and Portfolio Assignment Guide (PDF)
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 2, “Diagnosis, Diagnostic Formulations, and Classification” (pp. 17–30)
Discussion: Working With Children and Adolescents Versus Adults
Infant, childhood, and adolescent development are a continual interplay between nature (genetic or biologic predisposition) and nurture (environmental experiences). The nature/nurture continuum and debate will always be a part of your career as a PMHNP. Knowing common developmental milestone is important in the role as a child provider. Not only is it essential to the diagnostic process, but it is also important to the interdisciplinary interactions with other mental health professionals. The study of normal developmental processes, however, is only one tool that allows the mental health professional to understand the child being evaluated. There are many different assessment instruments and interviewing techniques that PMHNPs can have in their toolkit when working with children and adolescents.
In this Discussion, you examine the differences in assessing and treating children and adolescents versus adults. You take into consideration your own clinical experiences, as well as your experiences in your clinical rotation, and the information from the readings thus far.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze the importance of developmental assessments
Analyze assessment instruments used for evaluating children and adolescents
Analyze treatment options used for children and adolescents
Analyze roles parents play in assessment and treatment
To Prepare for the Discussion
Review the Learning Resources concerning psychiatric assessments and assessment tools.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post your answers to the following:
Explain why a developmental assessment of children and adolescents is important.
Describe two assessment instruments and explain why they are used for children and adolescents but not adults.
Describe two treatment options for children and adolescents that may not be used when treating adults.
Explain the role parents play in assessment and treatment.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by offering additional insights or alternative perspectives on their diagnosis or provide alternate next questions and why you selected those.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 2 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 2 Discussion
Assignment 1: Practicum: Cover Letter, Resume, and Portfolio
For this Assignment, you create a professional cover letter, resume, and portfolio that you can use as you pursue your next professional role.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Create professional cover letters, resumes, and portfolios
To Prepare for the Assignment:
Review the Learning Resources concerning developing your professional cover letter, resume, and portfolio.
Review the Cover Letter, Resume, and Portfolio Assignment Guide
Refer to the Walden University Career Center website for resources to develop your cover letter and resume. With the assistance of the Walden University Career Center website, you can make your cover letter, resume, and portfolio accessible online to your faculty and potential employers.
Your professional cover letter, resume, and portfolio are due by Day 7 of Week 10. It is highly recommended that you begin planning and working on this Assignment as soon as it is viable. The following checklists outline all of the items you should include in your cover letter, resume, and portfolio.
Checklist for Cover Letter (S/U grade)
Your cover letter should be:
Presented and formatted in a professional business manner
Addressed properly
Clear and concise and include:
Content Introduction
Content Body
Content Conclusion
Written in a professional style and include:
Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar
Clear and accurate sentence structure
Checklist for Resume (S/U)
Your Resume should be clear, concise, and well-organized and it should also include your:
Name, address, business phone number, and e-mail address (top center of resume)
Profile: 2–3 sentences describing goal and positive attributes/characteristics
Certifications and licensure. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
Education
Professional experience
Honors/awards
References
Checklist for Portfolio (S/U)
Your Portfolio should be clear, concise, and well-organized and it should also include your:
Personal philosophy statement
Self-assessment
Personal goals (short term and long term)
Achievements
Cover letter
Resume
Diplomas for formal education
Letters of recommendation
References (list names, affiliation, and contact information)
Certifications
Certificates of attendance for continuing education
Transcripts
Publications
Oral presentations and/or poster presentations
By Day 7 of Week 10
Submit your Assignment.
Assignment 2: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you explored the many different psychiatric assessment tools and began to explore treatment options. You also began developing your resume and portfolio.
Next week, you begin exploring disorders that occur early in the life course by working with your group to develop a Parent Guide. You also examine a case and determine a differential diagnosis and treatment plan that incorporates both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.
Looking Ahead
You will be working with other colleagues within a wiki format to create Parent Guides in Weeks 3, 7, and 10. Your instructor will assign your group by Day 1 of Week 2.
Week 3: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, ODD, and ICD
“I can’t believe I am sitting here talking to this lady. Mom thinks I am nuts just because I will not do what she asks. She does not care about me. She only cares about my little brother and that man that keeps coming around. I don’t care anything about her. That is why I throw things and won’t do what she asks. I don’t care about anyone. Those kids at school who used to be my friends don’t know anything. I am so much smarter than they are.
Jacob, age 11”
There are many mental disorders that occur early in the life course. The DSM-5 describes neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD and disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. These disorders are examined together with a particular emphasis on comparing and contrasting presenting features. Diagnosis of these various conditions can rarely be made in a single office setting and often require a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including the child, as well as his or her parents, teachers, and other significant figures in the child’s life and mental health professionals, such as psychologists who can conduct comprehensive neuropsychological testing.
The PMHNP must coordinate and integrate several sources of information to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of these disorders. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to developing an effective treatment plan, which will have the potential to minimize the impact of these disorders on the child’s developmental trajectory. When one considers appropriate diagnosis from this perspective, the importance of diagnostic accuracy becomes quite apparent.
This week, you begin exploring disorders that occur early in the life course by working with your group to develop a Parent Guide. You also examine a case to determine a differential diagnosis and treatment plan that incorporates both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Photo Credit: Cultura/Seb Oliver / Cultura / Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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 3, “Contributions of the Sociocultural Sciences” (pp. 131–150)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1152–1181, 1244–1253)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Neurodevelopmental Disorders”
“Intellectual Disabilities”
“Communication Disorders”
“Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Volkmar, F., Siegel, M., Woodbury-Smith, M., King, B., McCracken, J., & State, M. (2014). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(2), 237–257. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00819-8/pdf
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Irritability in autism Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
aripiprazole
risperidone armodafinil
amphetamine (d)
amphetamine (d,l)
atomoxetine
bupropion
chlorpromazine (hyperactivity)
clonidine
guanfacine
haloperidol (hyperactivity)
lisdexamfetamine
methylphenidate (d)
methylphenidate (d,l)
modafinil
reboxetine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2017b). A young girl with difficulties in school [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 51, “Autism Spectrum Disorder” (pp. 665–682)
Discussion: Parent Guide
Note: You and your group will use the wiki function to develop three Parent Guides (one in Week 3, one in Week 7, and one in Week 10). A wiki is a site that allows collaborative editing by all users. Each group will have its own place to communicate and collaborate on the assignments. Once your group has completed each assignment, one member should transfer the information to its final format and submit it through the group submission link in the Discussion. Do not delete the assignment from the wiki format, as your Instructor will review this area to determine each member’s participation. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Collaboration is essential to accurate diagnosis of the conditions under consideration in this week. For this week’s Discussion, you practice collaboration by working in a group on developing a “Parent Guide,” which will serve as a teaching tool for parents with children who have been diagnosed with a specific mental health disorder.
It is recommended that you make your project as attractive as possible and consider using the finished product as teaching tools for families that you will work with in your own practices.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze signs and symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders
Analyze the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders
Analyze diagnosis and treatment methods for neurodevelopmental disorders
Evaluate Parent Guides
To Prepare for this Discussion:
Your Instructor will assign you to a group and a disorder by Day 1 of Week 2.
Review the resources concerning your assigned disorder.
Review the Blackboard Help website concerning wikis.
Use your group’s Discussion Board to design and develop the Parent Guide before posting to the group wiki. For further guidance, refer to the Accessing Group Discussions instructions below.
Using evidence-based research, design and develop a Parent Guide for your assigned disorder including:
Signs and symptoms
Pathophysiology
How the disorder is diagnosed
Treatment options
Provide a minimum of three academic references.
By Day 5
One designated group member should post the completed Parent Guide to the Discussion.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two other groups’ wikis by providing at least two contributions for improving or including in their Parent Guide and at least two things that you like about their guide.
Submission and Grading Information
Accessing Group Discussions and Wikis
To access your group’s discussion, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page. Select Group Discussion Board under the Group Tools menu to work on your participate in your group’s discussion.
To access your group’s wiki, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page.
Creating a Wiki Page
Create the first wiki topic page by entering the group’s wiki area and selecting Create Wiki Page. Use the group’s assigned disorder as the name of your wiki. Then add your Parent Guide in the Content text box. You can use the editor functions to format the text and include files, images, web links, multimedia, and mashups. Select Submit when you have completed the wiki page.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 3 Parent Guide Discussion Rubric
To access your group discussion / wiki:
Parent Guide Groups
Post to Discussion by Day 5 and Respond by Day 7
To participate in this Discussion:
Parent Guide Groups – Week 3
Assignment 1: Practicum: Decision Tree
For this Assignment, you examine the client case study in this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how you might assess and treat pediatric clients presenting with symptoms noted in the case.
Note: This Assignment is the first of three assignments that are based on interactive client case studies. For these assignments, you will be required to make decisions about how to assess and treat clients. Each of your decisions will have a consequence. Some consequences will be insignificant, and others may be life altering. You are not expected to make the “right” decision every time; in fact, some scenarios may not have a “right” decision. You are, however, expected to learn from each decision you make and demonstrate the ability to weigh risks versus benefits to prescribe appropriate treatments for clients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate clients for treatment of mental health disorders
Analyze decisions made throughout diagnosis and treatment of clients with mental health disorders
The Assignment:
Examine Case 1. 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.
At each Decision Point, stop to complete the following:
Decision #1: Differential Diagnosis
Which Decision did you select?
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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.
By Day 7 of Week 4
Submit your Assignment.
Assignment 2: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you began exploring disorders that occur early in the life course by working with your group to develop a Parent Guide. You also examined a case to determine a differential diagnosis and treatment plan, which incorporates both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.
Next week, you examine several cases of child abuse and neglect and recommend strategies for assessing for abuse. You analyze influences of media and social media on mental health and evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse. You also submit your Practicum Journal and Assignments. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
Week 4: Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders in Childhood
“He was drunk again, so I should have known better. I should have stayed away from the house, but that would have made him madder. He has done this before, but not nearly this bad. He broke my wrist as I was protecting my mom. The neighbor heard the screaming and called the cops. They hauled him away, but I know he will be back. She always lets him come back.”
Avery, age 14
In August of 2005, thousands of children lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. On December 14, 2012, the students at Sandy Hook Elementary School experienced the death of 20 of their classmates and six of their teachers. Every day, children experience physical and sexual abuse and neglect by their parents or caregivers. These types of trauma have a lifelong impact on the children involved and those witnessing the events. As much as we try to prevent unwanted childhood trauma and stressors, the phenomena are present in our culture. Childhood trauma is a significant contributor to both physical and mental health problems in children and adults.
This week, you examine several cases of child abuse and neglect, and you recommend strategies for assessing for abuse. You analyze influences of media and social media on mental health and evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse. You also submit your Practicum Journal and Assignments.
Photo Credit: StaffordStudios / Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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. 1216–1226)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Pfefferbaum, B., & Shaw, J. A. (2013). Practice parameter on disaster preparedness. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(11), 1224–1238. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00550-9/pdf
American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (2017). Childhood and adolescent trauma. Retrieved from http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4545
Document: Childhood Abuse Case Study (PDF)
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Posttraumatic stress disorder
citalopram
clonidine
desvenlafaxine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
mirtazapine
nefazodone
paroxetine
prazosin (nightmares)
propranolol (prophylactic)
sertraline
venlafaxine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 50, “Provision of Intensive Treatment: Intensive Outreach, Day Units, and In-Patient Units” (pp. 648–664)
Chapter 58, “Disorders of Attachment and Social Engagement Related to Deprivation” (pp. 795–805)
Chapter 59, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” (pp. 806–821)
Chapter 64, “Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm” (pp. 893–912)
Discussion: Treating Childhood Abuse
In 2012, statistics in the United States indicated that state CPS agencies received 3.4 million referrals for child abuse and neglect. Of these, nearly 700,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment: 18% were victims of physical abuse and 78% were victims of neglect (CDC, 2014). Child sexual abuse makes up roughly 10% of child maltreatment cases in the United States (CDC, 2014). The CDC considers sexual abuse at any age a form of violence. Child abuse of any kind can lead to an increased state of inflammatory markers in adulthood, as well as multiple physical illnesses and high-risk behavior such as alcoholism and drug abuse. If a PMHNP identifies child abuse, there may be a need to report the abuse to authorities. Once able to provide treatment, the PMHNP can be instrumental in reducing the long-term effects of child abuse.
In this Discussion, you recommend strategies for assessing for abuse and analyze influences of media and social media on mental health. You also evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Recommend strategies for assessing for abuse
Analyze influences of media and social media on mental health
Evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse
To Prepare for this Discussion:
Read the Learning Resources concerning treating childhood abuse.
Read the Child Abuse Case Study in the Learning Resources.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post:
What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by providing at least two ways that their strategies may be expanded or improved.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 4 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 4 Discussion
Assignment 1: Practicum: Week 1 Practicum Journal
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment. Refer to Week 1 for additional guidance.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 4 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 4 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 4 Assignment 1 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 4 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 4 Assignment 1
Assignment 2: Practicum: Week 3 Decision Tree
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment. Refer to Week 3 for additional guidance.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 4 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 4 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 4 Assignment 2
Assignment 3: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Practicum Reminder
Time Logs
You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience and enter every patient you see each day. You can access your time log from the Welcome Page in your Meditrek account. You track time individually for each patient you work with. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term.
Making Connections
This week, you examined several cases of child abuse and neglect and recommended strategies for assessing for abuse. You analyzed influences of media and social media on mental health and evaluated the need for mandatory reporting of abuse. You also submitted your Practicum Journal and Assignments.
Next week, you analyze case studies to determine the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders.
Week 5: Anxiety Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence
“I don’t know why everyone is worried that I don’t want to go out with my friends anymore. I just like to stay home. There is nothing wrong with that. I go to school and get good grades, but I don’t know what to say to those other girls in my class. They ask why I can’t go to the mall with them on the weekend and I get all embarrassed. They don’t understand that I don’t know what to say to them. When I do say something, it is always wrong, or they laugh. I can just stay home and read my books.”
Emma, age 15
Anxiety disorders that plague many individuals in adulthood often have their origins in childhood and adolescence. By identifying those children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, the PMHNP can intervene and teach skills that the client can use to control anxiety throughout his or her life.
This week, you analyze case studies to determine the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders.
Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images/Stockbroker / Monkey Business / Getty Images Plus
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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. 1253–1268)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Anxiety Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2012a). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(1), 98–113. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(11)00882-3/pdf
McClelland, M., Crombez, M-M., Crombez, C., Wenz, C., Lisius, M., Mattia, A., & Marku, S. (2015). Implications for advanced practice nurses when pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) is suspected: A qualitative study. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 29(5), 442–452. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2015.03.005
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Generalized anxiety disorder Social anxiety disorder
alprazolam
citalopram
desvenlafaxine
duloxetine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
mirtazapine
paroxetine
pregabalin
sertraline
tiagabine (adjunct)
venlafaxine citalopram
clonidine
desvenlafaxine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
isocarboxazid
moclobemide
paroxetine
phenelzine
pregabalin
sertraline
tranylcypromine
venlafaxine
Obsessive-compulsive disorder Panic disorder
citalopram
clomipramine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
paroxetine
sertraline
venlafaxine
vilazodone alprazolam
citalopram
clonazepam
desvenlafaxine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
isocarboxazid
lorazepam
mirtazapine
nefazodone
paroxetine
phenelzine
pregabalin
reboxetine
sertraline
tranylcypromine
venlafaxine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Required Media
YMH Boston. (2013b, May 22). Vignette 3 – Asking about depression in a preventive services visit [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO8aITpMG5E
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
YMH Boston. (2013b, May 22). Vignette 5 – Assessing for depression in a mental health appointment [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm3FLGxb2ZU
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2017c). Anxiety disorder, ODC, or something else? [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 60, “Anxiety Disorders” (pp. 822–840)
Chapter 61, “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder” (pp. 841–857)
Discussion: Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision is an essential component of your development as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. It provides an opportunity for professional collaboration as you share experiences with and gain insights from colleagues. For this Clinical Supervision, consider a client whom you do not think is adequately progressing according to expected clinical outcomes.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER NOW
Analyze clients presenting for treatment of anxiety disorders
Evaluate effectiveness of therapeutic approaches for clients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder
To Prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources concerning treating patients with anxiety disorders.
Reflect on a child or adolescent client you are currently counseling or have previously counseled at your practicum site who has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post a 3- to 5-minute Kaltura video in which you do the following:
Describe the client. Note: Do not use the client’s actual name.
Explain your therapeutic approach with the client, including the perceived effectiveness of your approach.
Identify any additional information about this client that may potentially impact expected outcomes.
Note: Nurse practitioners must have strong oral communication skills. This Discussion is designed to help you hone these skills. When filming your Kaltura video, be sure to dress and speak in a professional manner.
View a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by suggesting an alternate therapeutic approach. Support your feedback with evidence-based literature and/or your own experiences with clients.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 5 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 5 Discussion
Assignment 1: Practicum: Decision Tree
For this Assignment, as you examine the client case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat pediatric clients presenting symptoms of a mental health disorder.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate clients for treatment of mental health disorders
Analyze decisions made throughout diagnosis and treatment of clients with mental health disorders
The Assignment:
Examine Case 2: 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.
At each Decision Point, stop to complete the following:
Decision #1: Differential Diagnosis
Which Decision did you select?
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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.
By Day 7 of Week 7
Submit your Assignment.
Assignment 2: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you analyzed case studies to determine the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders.
Next week, you examine psychiatric emergencies that arise during childhood and adolescence and compare how those emergencies are assessed and treated to those of adult clients.
Looking Ahead
You should be working on your cover letter, resume, and portfolio that is due in Week 10.
Week 6: Emergency Psychiatric Care in Childhood and Adolescence
“I can’t believe I am not dead. I want to be dead, but those pills did not work as fast as I expected. Dad found me and called 911. I cannot go on living after what they said about me on the Internet. My life is ruined and I cannot go back to school or even show my face around here. They all think I am that way, but I am not. Dad thinks this was a mistake, but he is wrong. When I get out of here, I am going to try something different, and this time it will work.”
Jessica, age 13
When psychiatric emergencies arise, they can present many challenges to the PMHNP. While there are many approaches to emergencies that are similar, there are also significant differences when dealing with children and adolescents versus adults. This is particularly true with coordination of care, availability of resources, and legal implications of the psychiatric emergency.
This week, you examine psychiatric emergencies that arise during childhood and adolescence and compare how those emergencies are assessed and treated to those of adult clients.
Photo Credit: ijubaphoto / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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 23, “Emergency Psychiatric Medicine” (pp. 785–790)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1226–1253)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Bipolar and Related Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Reversal of benzodiazepine effects
flumazenil
Aggression Behavioral problems Cataplexy syndrome
clozapine
propranolol
zuclopenthixol aripiprazole
asenapine
chlorpromazine
haloperidol
iloperidone
lurasidone
olanzapine
paliperidone
quetiapine
risperidone
ziprasidone clomipramine
imipramine
sodium oxybate
Catatonia Extrapyramidal side effects Mania
alprazolam
chlordiazepoxide
clonazepam
clorazepate
diazepam
estazolam
flunitrazepam
flurazepam
loflazepate
lorazepam
midazolam
oxazepam
quazepam
temazepam
triazolam benztropine
diphenhydramine
trihexyphenidyl alprazolam (adjunct)
aripiprazole
asenapine
carbamazepine
chlorpromazine
clonazepam (adjunct)
iloperidone
lamotrigine
levetiracetam
lithium
lorazepam (adjunct)
lurasidone
olanzapine
quetiapine
risperidone
sertindole
valproate (divalproex)
ziprasidone
zotepine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 50, “Provision of Intensive Treatment: Intensive Outreach, Day Units, and In-Patient Units” (pp. 648–664)
Chapter 64, “Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm” (pp. 893–912)
Discussion: Treatment of Psychiatric Emergencies in Children Versus Adults
The diagnosis of psychiatric emergencies can include a wide range of problems—from serious drug reactions to abuse and suicidal ideation/behaviors. Regardless of care setting, the PMHNP must know how to address emergencies, coordinate care with other members of the health care team and law enforcement officials (when indicated), and effectively communicate with family members who are often overwhelmed in emergency situations.
In this week’s Discussion, you compare treatment of adult psychiatric emergency clients to child or adolescent psychiatric emergency clients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Compare treatment of adult psychiatric emergency clients to child or adolescent psychiatric emergency clients
Analyze legal and ethical issues concerning treatment of child or adolescent psychiatric emergency clients
To Prepare:
Review the Learning Resources concerning emergency psychiatric medicine.
Consider a case where your adult client had a psychiatric emergency. (Note: If you have not had an adult client with a psychiatric emergency, ask your preceptor to describe one of their clients with a psychiatric emergency to use as an example for this Discussion.)
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post:
Briefly describe the case you selected.
Explain how you would treat the client differently if he or she were a child or adolescent.
Explain any legal or ethical issues you would have to consider when working with a child or adolescent emergency case.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues by recommending at least one additional way you would treat a child or adolescent client differently than you would an adult and at least one additional way you would address the legal and ethical issues involved. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 6 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 6 Discussion
Assignment 1: Midterm Exam
This exam is designed to assess how you synthesize the information from all your PMHNP courses. It draws upon the material from all the textbooks from NURS 6630, NURS 6640, NURS 6650, and NURS 6660. It is very similar to what you will experience in your certification exam.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Assess knowledge of concepts and principles related to child and adolescent psychiatry
This exam will cover the following topics:
Components of a comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment
Assessments specific to children and adolescents
Autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, ODD, ICD
Trauma and stressor-related disorders in childhood
Anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence
Emergency psychiatric care in childhood and adolescence
By Day 7
Complete the Midterm Exam. Prior to starting the exam, you should review all of your materials. There is a 2-hour time limit to complete this 76-question exam. You may only attempt this exam once.
This exam is a test of your knowledge in preparation for your certification exam. No outside resources including books, notes, websites, or any other type of resource are to be used to complete this exam. You are expected to comply with Walden University’s Code of Conduct.
Submission and Grading Information
Submit Your Quiz by Day 7
To submit your Exam:
Week 6 Exam
Assignment 2: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you examined psychiatric emergencies that arise during childhood and adolescence and compared how those emergencies are assessed and treated to those of adult clients.
Next week, you will develop a Parent Guide for an assigned learning or motor disorder. For your practicum, you will examine the practice of voluntary and involuntary commitment of children and adolescents with mental health disorders.
Looking Ahead
In Week 7, you will work with your group again to create a new Parent Guide, focusing on learning and motor disorders in childhood.
Week 7: Learning and Motor Disorders in Childhood
“I had a substitute teacher today, so it was not a good day. She thought I was goofing off, but I could not help myself. As much as I tried to hold back, knowing she would freak out, I felt like a volcano. I erupted with a sound, kinda like a bullfrog that lasted for almost 10 minutes. She kept telling me to quiet down, but I could not help myself. Then the physical stretching and flexing of my neck started. She was really mad. Finally, my friend told her about me. It was embarrassing.”
Samuel, age 9
Learning disorders represent a diagnostic challenge in that many of the features of learning disorders overlap with ADHD. Appropriate diagnosis is essential to proper treatment. Motor disorders can be a source of considerable distress for both the child and their parents. Appropriate diagnosis is required in order to initiate the most appropriate treatment to minimize the impact of these conditions on the child.
This week, you work with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for an assigned learning or motor disorder. For your practicum, you examine the practice of voluntary and involuntary commitment of children and adolescents with mental health disorders.
Photo Credit: PT Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Chapter 4, “Theories of Personality and Psychopathology” (pp. 151–191)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1181–1205)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Neurodevelopmental Disorders”
“Specific Learning Disorder”
“Motor Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Murphy, T. K., Lewin, A. B., Storch, E. A., Stock, S. (2013). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with tic disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(12), 1341–1359. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00695-3/pdf
McGarvey, E. L., Leon-Verdin, M., Wancheck, T. N., & Bonnie, R. J. (2013). Decisions to initiate involuntary commitment: The role of intensive community services and other factors. Psychiatric Services, 64(2), 120–126.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Kaltiala-Heino, R. (2010). Involuntary commitment and detainment in adolescent psychiatric inpatient care. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 45(8),785–793. doi:10.1007/s00127-009-0116-3
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Lindsey, M. A., Joe, S., Muroff, J., & Ford, B. E. (2010). Social and clinical factors associated with psychiatric emergency service use and civil commitment among African-American youth. General Hospital Psychiatry, 32(3), 300–309. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.01.007
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Tourette syndrome Pervasive developmental disorders
clonidine
haloperidol
pimozide guanfacine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 47, “Children With Specific Sensory Impairments” (pp. 612–622)
Discussion: Parent Guide
Learning disorders and motor disorders can be difficult for parents to understand. They often have many questions that go unanswered and can create considerable misunderstanding. This misunderstanding can damage the child/parent relationship. The PMHNP can answer questions and provide guidance for the family in order to help reduce the uncertainty of the disorders. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
For the Discussion, you will work with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for your assigned disorder.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze signs and symptoms of learning and motor disorders in childhood
Analyze pathophysiology of learning and motor disorders in childhood
Analyze diagnosis and treatment methods for learning and motor disorders in childhood
Evaluate Parent Guides
To Prepare for this Discussion:
Your Instructor will assign you to a group and a disorder by Day 1 of Week 2.
Review the resources concerning your assigned disorder.
Use your group’s Discussion Board to design and develop the Parent Guide before posting to the group wiki. For further guidance, refer to the Accessing Group Discussions instructions below. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Using evidence-based research, design and develop a Parent Guide for your assigned disorder including:
Signs and symptoms
Pathophysiology
How the disorder is diagnosed
Treatment options
Provide a minimum of three academic references.
By Day 5
One designated group member should post the completed Parent Guide to the Discussion.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two other groups’ wikis by providing at least two contributions for improving or including in their Parent Guide and at least two things that you like about their guide.
Submission and Grading Information
Accessing Group Discussions and Wikis
To access your group’s discussion, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page. Select Group Discussion Board under the Group Tools menu to work on your participate in your group’s discussion.
To access your group’s wiki, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page.
Creating a Wiki Page
Create the first wiki topic page by entering the group’s wiki area and selecting Create Wiki Page. Use the group’s assigned disorder as the name of your wiki. Then add your Parent Guide in the Content text box. You can use the editor functions to format the text and include files, images, web links, multimedia, and mashups. Select Submit when you have completed the wiki page.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 7 Parent Guide Discussion Rubric
To access your group discussion / wiki:
Parent Guide Groups
Post to Discussion by Day 5 and Respond by Day 7
To participate in this Discussion:
Parent Guide Groups – Week 7
Assignment 1: Practicum Journal: Voluntary and Involuntary Commitment
PMHNPs may find themselves working in a wide variety of settings—each having their own unique challenges and inherent legal issues. For instance, what do you do in your state of practice when you are providing a therapy/treatment session and a client reports active suicidal ideation? What do you do if you are covering inpatient psychiatric consults and are called to see a patient in the ICU who overdosed on prescription medication requiring intubation? What do you do if you are a PMHNP on an inpatient unit and a client who admitted themselves on a voluntary basis suddenly states that they have decided to sign themselves out of the hospital so that they can go home to kill themselves? These are just some of the legal questions that PMHNPs must know the answers to specific to their state of licensure/practice.
In this Assignment, you investigate your state’s laws concerning voluntary and involuntary commitment. You also analyze a case to determine if the client is eligible for involuntary commitment.
Scenario for Week 7 Case:
You are a PMHNP working in a large intercity hospital. You receive a call from the answering service informing you that a “stat” consult has been ordered by one of the hospitalists in the ICU. Upon arriving in the ICU, you learn that your consult is a 14 year old male who overdosed on approximately 50 Benadryl (diphenhydramine hydrochloride) tablets in an apparent suicide attempt. At the scene, a suicide note was found indicating that he wanted to die because his girlfriend’s parents felt that their daughter was too young to be “dating.” The client stated in the suicide note that he could not “live without her” and decided to take his own life. Although he has been medically stabilized and admitted to the ICU, he has been refusing to talk with the doctors or nurses. The hospital staff was finally able to get in touch with the clients parents (using contact information retrieved from the 14 year old’s cell phone). Unbeknown to the hospital staff, the parents are divorced, and both showed up at the hospital at approximately the same time, each offering their own perspectives on what ought to be done. The client’s father is demanding that the client be hospitalized because of the suicide, but his mother points out that he does not have “physical custody” of the child. The client’s mother demands that the client be discharged to home with her stating that her son’s actions were nothing more than a “stunt” and “an attempt at manipulating the situation that he didn’t like.” The client’s mother then becomes “nasty” and informs you that she works as a member of the clerical staff for the state board of nursing, and if you fail to discharge her child “right now” she will make you “sorry.” How would you proceed?
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate clients for voluntary commitment
Evaluate clients for involuntary commitment based on state laws
Recommend actions for supporting parents of clients not eligible for involuntary commitment
Recommend actions for treating clients not eligible for involuntary commitment
To Prepare for this Practicum:
Review the Learning Resources concerning voluntary and involuntary commitment.
Read the Week 7 Scenario in your Learning Resources.
Research your state’s laws concerning voluntary and involuntary commitment. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
The Assignment (2–3 pages):
Based on the scenario, would you recommend that the client be voluntarily committed? Why or why not?
Based on the laws in your state, would the client be eligible for involuntary commitment? Explain why or why not.
Did understanding the state laws confirm or challenge your initial recommendation regarding involuntarily committing the client? Explain.
If the client were not eligible for involuntary commitment, explain what actions you may be able to take to support the parents for or against voluntary commitment.
If the client were not eligible for involuntary commitment, explain what initial actions you may be able to take to begin treating the client.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK7Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 7 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 7 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK7Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 7 Assignment 1 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 7 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 7 Assignment 1
Assignment 2: Practicum: Week 5 Decision Tree
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment. Refer to Week 5 for additional guidance.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK7Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 7 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 7 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK7Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 7 Assignment 2 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 7 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 7 Assignment 2
Assignment 3: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Practicum Reminder
Time Logs
You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience and enter every patient you see each day. You can access your time log from the Welcome Page in your Meditrek account. You track time individually for each patient you work with. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term.
Making Connections
This week, you worked with your group to develop a Parent Guide for an assigned learning or motor disorder. For your practicum, you examined the practice of voluntary and involuntary commitment of children and adolescents with mental health disorders.
Next week, you will debate the theory that bipolar depression can or cannot be diagnosed in children and adolescents.
Week 8: Mood Disorders
“School and going out with my friends used to be fun, but not anymore. Mom keeps telling me just to go out and have fun, but I don’t see the point of trying. All my friends are better than I am. I keep having these headaches and just feel worthless. I used to get As and Bs in school, but not anymore. I can’t concentrate at school. I would rather be at home sleeping.”
Madison, age 16
Mood disorders can be particularly challenging to address in childhood and adolescence as many parents do not believe it is possible for their child to become depressed or even suicidal. The PMHNP needs to know how to diagnose these conditions and must understand the importance of integrating medication management strategies, with both individual and family therapy to optimize treatment outcomes. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
This week, you debate the theory that bipolar depression can or cannot be diagnosed in children and adolescents.
Photo Credit: Corbis/VCG / Corbis / Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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. 1226–1253)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Bipolar and Related Disorders”
“Depressive Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Zeanah, C. H., Chesher, T., & Boris, N. W. (2016). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 55(11), 990–103. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(16)31183-2/pdf
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Seasonal affective disorder
bupropion
Bipolar depression Bipolar disorder
amoxapine
aripiprazole
armodafinil
asenapine
bupropion
carbamazepine
fluoxetine
iloperidone
lamotrigine
lithium
lurasidone
modafinil
olanzapine
olanzapine-fluoxetine combination
quetiapine
risperidone
sertindole
valproate (divalproex)
ziprasidone alprazolam (adjunct)
amoxapine
aripiprazole
asenapine
bupropion
carbamazepine
chlorpromazine
clonazepam (adjunct)
cyamemazine
doxepin
fluoxetine
flupenthixol
fluphenazine
gabapentin (adjunct)
haloperidol
iloperidone
lamotrigine
levetiracetam
lithium
lorazepam (adjunct)
loxapine
lurasidone
molindone
olanzapine
olanzapine-fluoxetine combination
oxcarbazepine
paliperidone
perphenazine
pipothiazine
quetiapine
risperidone
sertindole
thiothixene
topiramate (adjunct)
trifluoperazine
valproate (divalproex)
ziprasidone
zonisamide
zotepine
zuclopenthixol
Bipolar maintenance Depression
aripiprazole
asenapine
carbamazepine
iloperidone
lamotrigine
lithium
lurasidone
olanzapine
olanzapine-fluoxetine combination
quetiapine
risperidone (injectable)
sertindole
valproate (divalproex)
ziprasidone agomelatine
amisulpride
amitriptyline
amoxapine
amphetamine (d)
amphetamine (d,l)
aripiprazole (adjunct)
asenapine
atomoxetine
bupropion
buspirone (adjunct)
citalopram
clomipramine
cyamemazine
desipramine
desvenlafaxine
dothiepin
doxepin
duloxetine
escitalopram
fluoxetine
flupenthixol
fluvoxamine
iloperidone
imipramine
isocarboxazid
ketamine
lisdexamfetamine
lithium (adjunct)
l-methylfolate (adjunct)
lofepramine
lurasidone
maprotiline
methylphenidate (d)
methylphenidate (d,l)
mianserin
milnacipran
mirtazapine
moclobemide
modafinil (adjunct)
nefazodone
nortriptyline
olanzapine
paroxetine
phenelzine
protriptyline
quetiapine (adjunct)
reboxetine
selegiline
sertindole
sertraline
sulpiride
tianeptine
tranylcypromine
triiodothyronine
trazodone
trimipramine
venlafaxine
vilazodone
vortioxetine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 62, “Bipolar Disorder in Childhood” (pp. 858–873)
Chapter 63, “Depressive Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence” (pp. 874–892)
Discussion: Pediatric Bipolar Depression Disorder Debate
Some debate in the literature exists specific to whether or not bipolar disorder can be diagnosed in childhood. While some have anecdotally argued that it is not possible for children to develop bipolar disorder (as normal features of childhood confound the diagnosis), other sources argue that pediatric bipolar disorder is a fact.
In this Discussion, you engage in a debate as to whether pediatric bipolar disorder is possible to diagnose.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate diagnosis of pediatric bipolar depression disorder
Analyze consequences to diagnosing/failing to diagnose pediatric bipolar depression disorder
To Prepare for the Discussion:
The instructor will assign you a position for or against the issue of diagnosing pediatric bipolar depression disorder.
Review the Learning Resources concerning the controversy over the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar depression disorder.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post:
Write “for” or “against” in the subject line of your Discussion post.
Based on the position you were assigned, justify whether or not pediatric bipolar depression disorder should be diagnosed.
Support your position with evidence and examples.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues who argued the opposite side as you by countering their argument with evidence. Identify at least two consequences to support your position.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 8 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 8 Discussion
Assignment: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you debated the theory that bipolar depression can or cannot be diagnosed in children and adolescents.
Next week, you will compare evidence-based treatment plans for adults versus children diagnosed with schizophrenia. You analyze the legal and ethical issues involved with forcing clients with early-onset schizophrenia to take medications for the disorder. You also complete a Decision Tree concerning children with psychotic disorders.
Looking Ahead 1
In Week 9, you will work with our group again to create a new Parent Guide, focusing on feeding, eating, and elimination disorders in childhood.
Looking Ahead 2
You should be working on your cover letter, resume, and portfolio that is due in Week 10.
Week 9: Early-Onset Schizophrenia
“I can’t believe he is speaking to me! I have always liked his music, but now here he is on TV speaking directly to me! When I started following him on social media, he must have seen my profile. I know he loves me. He cannot love that model I saw with him in the picture. She must be the person following me to school. I have not seen her, but I know she is there. She does not want me being with him, but I will be with him. He loves me as much as I love him.”
Kaitlyn, age 17
Early-onset schizophrenia is a rare and severe mental illness in which children interpret reality abnormally. There are a range of problems with cognitive functioning, behavior, and emotions. Perceptions may be distorted and children or their parents may report that they have difficulty distinguishing reality. This is a diagnosis that is difficult to confirm in the early stages. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
This week, you compare evidence-based treatment plans for adults versus children diagnosed with schizophrenia. You analyze the legal and ethical issues involved with forcing patients with early-onset schizophrenia to take medications for the disorder. You also complete a Decision Tree concerning children with psychotic disorders.
Photo Credit: HAYKIRDI / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
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
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
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
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Schizoaffective disorder Schizophrenia
amisulpride
aripiprazole
asenapine
carbamazepine (adjunct)
chlorpromazine
clozapine
cyamemazine
flupenthixol
haloperidol
iloperidone
lamotrigine (adjunct)
l-methylfolate (adjunct)
loxapine
lurasidone
mesoridazine
molindone
olanzapine
paliperidone
perospirone
perphenazine
pipothiazine
quetiapine
risperidone
sertindole
sulpiride
thioridazine
thiothixene
trifluoperazine
valproate (divalproex) (adjunct)
ziprasidone
zotepine
zuclopenthixol amisulpride
aripiprazole
asenapine
carbamazepine (adjunct)
chlorpromazine
clozapine
cyamemazine
flupenthixol
haloperidol
iloperidone
lamotrigine (adjunct)
l-methylfolate (adjunct)
loxapine
lurasidone
mesoridazine
molindone
olanzapine
paliperidone
perospirone
perphenazine
pipothiazine
quetiapine
risperidone
sertindole
sulpiride
thioridazine
thiothixene
trifluoperazine
valproate (divalproex) (adjunct)
ziprasidone
zotepine
zuclopenthixol
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2017b). A young girl with strange behaviors [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 57, “Schizophrenia and Psychosis” (pp. 774–794)
Assignment 1: Early Onset Schizophrenia
Children and adolescents with schizophrenia have more difficulty functioning in academic or work settings, and significant impairment usually persists into adulthood. They may have speech or language disorders and in some cases borderline intellectual functioning. These individuals are more likely to complete suicide attempts or die from other accidental causes. Schizophrenia is characterized by positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and behavior disturbance. Negative symptoms include blunted affect and attention, apathy, and lack of motivation and social interest.
In this Assignment, you compare treatment plans for adults diagnosed with schizophrenia with treatment plans for children and adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia. You also consider the legal and ethical issues involved in medicating children diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Compare evidence-based treatment plans for adults versus children and adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia
Analyze legal and ethical issues surrounding the forceful administration of medication to children diagnosed with schizophrenia
Analyze the role of the PMHNP in addressing issues related to the forceful administration of medication to children diagnosed with schizophrenia
To Prepare for this Assignment:
Review the Learning Resources concerning early-onset schizophrenia.
The Assignment (2 pages):
Compare at least two evidence-based treatment plans for adults diagnosed with schizophrenia with evidence-based treatment plans for children and adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Explain the legal and ethical issues involved with forcing children diagnosed with schizophrenia to take medication for the disorder and how a PMHNP may address those issues. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Note: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK9Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 9 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 9 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK9Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 9 Assignment 1 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 9 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 9 Assignment 1
Assignment 2: 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.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate clients for treatment of mental health disorders
Analyze decisions made throughout diagnosis and treatment of clients with mental health disorders
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.
At each Decision Point, stop to complete the following:
Decision #1: Differential Diagnosis
Which Decision did you select?
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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
Why did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.
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.
By Day 7 of Week 10
Submit your Assignment.
Assignment 3: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you compared evidence-based treatment plans for adults with evidence-based treatment plans for children diagnosed with schizophrenia. You analyzed the legal and ethical issues involved with forcing patients with early-onset schizophrenia to take medications for the disorder. You also completed a Decision Tree concerning children with psychotic disorders.
Next week, you work with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for a feeding, eating, or elimination disorder.
Week 10: Feeding, Eating, and Elimination Disorders in Childhood
“I am so tired and frustrated. Jackson refuses to breastfeed, and bottle feeding is not much easier. He was the perfect baby when he was born, but now, 6 months later, he is only a few pounds heavier. He won’t take any more than 4 ounces of formula at a time and wakes up several times during the night. We started him on baby food early, but even then he only eats one or two bites before he starts kicking and crying. The pediatrician says there is nothing wrong physically as he is meeting all his milestones, but he just won’t eat.”
Jessica, age 32, mother of Jackson, age 6 months
Children and adolescents with feeding, eating, and elimination disorders may come to the attention of providers in a variety of settings. These disorders are disturbing to parents and may have significant morbidity for youth. It is not uncommon to hear of youth with eating disorders including anorexia and bulimia. It is less common to hear of pica and rumination disorder. Elimination disorders of enuresis and encopresis are troubling to children and parents and cause significant difficulty in daily functioning.
This week, you work with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for a feeding, eating, or elimination disorder. You also submit your cover letter, resume, and portfolio.
Photo Credit: [Insung Jeon]/[Moment]/Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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 28, “Psychotherapies” (pp. 901–907)
Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1205–1216)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Feeding and Eating Disorders”
“Elimination Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Lock, J., & La Via, M. C. (2015). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with eating disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(5), 412–425. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(15)00070-2/pdf
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Bulimia nervosa/binge eating
Bulimia nervosa/binge eating Enuresis
fluoxetine
topiramate
zonisamide imipramine
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 71, “Feeding and Eating Disorders” (pp. 1016–1034)
Discussion: Parent Guide
Feeding, eating, and elimination disorders can be difficult to detect and treat. Parents need education and information to determine if their infant, child, or adolescent may have these types of disorders. A Parent Guide can be a useful tool to help both the clinician and the parent in understanding the child or adolescent and providing behavioral strategies for helping families work with these disorders. For this Discussion, you will be assigned a feeding, eating, or elimination disorder.
In this Discussion, you work with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for your assigned feeding, eating, or elimination disorder.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze signs and symptoms of feeding, eating, and elimination disorders
Analyze pathophysiology of feeding, eating, and elimination disorders
Analyze diagnosis and treatment methods for feeding, eating, and elimination disorders
Create professional cover letters, resumes, and portfolios
To Prepare for this Assignment:
Your Instructor will assign you to a group and a disorder by Day 1 of Week 2.
Review the resources concerning your assigned disorder.
Use your group’s Discussion Board to design and develop the Parent Guide before posting to the group wiki. For further guidance, refer to the Accessing Group Discussions instructions below.
Using evidence-based research, design and develop a Parent Guide for your assigned disorder including:
Signs and symptoms
Pathophysiology
How the disorder is diagnosed
Treatment options
ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE
Provide a minimum of three academic references.
By Day 5
One designated group member should post the completed Parent Guide to the Discussion.
By Day 7
Respond to at least two other groups’ wikis by providing at least two contributions for improving or including in their Parent Guide and at least two things that you like about their guide.
Submission and Grading Information
Accessing Group Discussions and Wikis
To access your group’s discussion, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page. Select Group Discussion Board under the Group Tools menu to work on your participate in your group’s discussion.
To access your group’s wiki, click on the Parent Guide Groups link. Once you have clicked on the link, select your assigned team (e.g., Team A, Team B, Team C, etc.) to access your team’s home page. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Creating a Wiki Page
Create the first wiki topic page by entering the group’s wiki area and selecting Create Wiki Page. Use the group’s assigned disorder as the name of your wiki. Then add your Parent Guide in the Content text box. You can use the editor functions to format the text and include files, images, web links, multimedia, and mashups. Select Submit when you have completed the wiki page.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 10 Parent Guide Discussion Rubric
To access your group discussion / wiki:
Parent Guide Groups
Post to Discussion by Day 5 and Respond by Day 7
To participate in this Discussion:
Parent Guide Groups – Week 10
Assignment 1: Practicum: Week 2 Cover Letter, Resume, and Portfolio
By Day 7
Submit your cover letter, resume, and portfolio, which were assigned in Week 2.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 10 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 10 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 10 Assignment 1 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 10 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 10 Assignment 1
Assignment 2: Practicum: Week 9 Decision Tree
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment. Refer to Week 9 for additional guidance.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 10 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 10 Assignment 2
Assignment 3: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Practicum Reminder
Time Logs
You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience and enter every patient you see each day. You can access your time log from the Welcome Page in your Meditrek account. You track time individually for each patient you work with. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term.
Making Connections
This week, you worked with your group again to develop a Parent Guide for a feeding, eating, or elimination disorder. You also submitted your cover letter, resume, and portfolio.
Next week, you explore psychological issues that may arise in children faced with special circumstances and the assessment and treatment options specific to these special populations.
Week 11: Special Topics in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
“Here we go again; another foster home. My father kicked me out when he saw me wearing Mom’s clothes. He did not understand that deep down, I know that I am a girl. My birth certificate may say male, but it is wrong. I feel so much better being myself… being a girl. Maybe this foster family will understand and accept me for who I am, or I am just going to run away again.”
Joseph/Josephine, age 16
In your practice as a PMHNP, you may see many children and adolescents who are faced with challenges that go beyond the standard DSM-5 diagnoses. Children in foster homes or who have been adopted may have emotional scars from previous abuse or neglect; adolescents experiencing issues with gender dysphoria may be faced with peer and family issues; and children involved in acts of terrorism may face reoccurring fear and mistrust.
This week, you explore psychological issues that may arise in children faced with special circumstances and the assessment and treatment options specific to these special populations. You also take your final exam for the course.
Photo Credit: [William Andrew]/[Photographer’s Choice RF]/Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
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. 1279–1323)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
“Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders”
“Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention”
“Assessment Measures”
“Cultural Formulation”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2011). Practice parameter for child and adolescent forensic evaluations. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 50(12), 1299-1312. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(11)00883-5/pdf
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2012c). Practice parameter on gay, lesbian, or bisexual sexual orientation, gender nonconformity, and gender discordance in children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(9), 957–974. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(12)00500-X/pdf
Lee, T., Fouras, G., & Brown, R. (2015). Practice parameter for the assessment and management of youth involved with the child welfare system. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(6), 502–517. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(15)00148-3/pdf
Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). Growing up LGBT in America. Retrieved June 8, 2017, from http://assets.hrc.org//files/assets/resources/Growing-Up-LGBT-in-America_Report.pdf?_ga=1.83582870.1279387255.1493224749
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Chapter 19, “Legal Issues in the Care and Treatment of Children With Mental Health Disorders” (pp. 239–249)
Chapter 49, “Forensic Psychology” (pp. 636–647)
Discussion: Special Topics in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Many children face special issues that impact everyday life, whether it is within themselves, their families, or their environment. The PMHNP must be sensitive to these many issues that children and adolescents are faced with during important developmental years.
In this Discussion, you select a special population and analyze the psychological issues that the population faces. You also address the assessment and treatment needs of the population.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze psychological issues that may arise in children faced with special circumstances
Evaluate assessment measures used with children faced with special circumstances
Evaluate treatment options used with children faced with special circumstances
Analyze cultural influences on treatments (D)
To Prepare for the Discussion:
Review the Learning Resources.
Select one of the following topics for the Discussion:
Adoption
Foster care
Gender dysphoria
Forensic issues
Impact of terrorism on children
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
By Day 3
Post:
Write your selected disorder in the subject line of your Discussion post.
Explain the psychological issues that may result from your topic.
Describe the most effective assessment measure that could be used, and explain why you selected this.
Explain the treatment options available for children and adolescents involved with your selected disorder.
Explain how culture may influence treatment.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues who selected a topic other than the topic you selected. Provide at least two additional treatment strategies that could be used with this client and at least one additional cultural influence that you think should be considered. Explain your responses.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 11 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 11 Discussion
Assignment: Final Exam
This exam is designed to assess how you synthesize the information from all your PMHNP courses. It draws upon the material from all the textbooks from NURS 6630, NURS 6640, NURS 6650, and NURS 6660. It is very similar to what you will experience in your certification exam.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Assess knowledge of concepts and principles related to child and adolescent psychiatry
This exam will cover the following topics:
Learning and motor disorders in childhood
Mood disorders
Early-onset schizophrenia
Feeding and eating disorders
Elimination disorders
Special topics in child adolescent psychiatry
By Day 7
Complete the Final Exam. Prior to starting the exam, you should review all of your materials. There is a 2-hour time limit to complete this 75-question exam. You may only attempt this exam once.
This exam is a test of your knowledge in preparation for your certification exam. No outside resources including books, notes, websites, or any other type of resource are to be used to complete this exam. You are expected to comply with Walden University’s Code of Conduct.
Submission and Grading Information
Submit Your Exam by Day 7
To submit your Exam:
Week 11 Exam
Assignment 2: Board Vitals
This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.
These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments.
You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:
https://www.boardvitals.com/
By Day 7
Complete the Board Vitals questions.
Making Connections
This week, you explored psychological issues that may arise in children faced with special circumstances and the assessment and treatment options specific to these special populations. You also completed your final exam for the course.
Congratulations on completing the course. NURS 6660 – PMH Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent – Discussions Essay Assignments