Assignment: Assessing and Treating Pediatric Clients With Mood Disorders
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:An African American Child Suffering from DepressionThe client is an 8-year-old African American male who arrives at the ER with his mother. He is exhibiting signs of depression.Client complained of feeling “sad”Mother reports that teacher said child is withdrawn from peers in classMother notes decreased appetite and occasional periods of irritationClient reached all developmental landmarks at appropriate agesPhysical exam unremarkableLaboratory studies WNLChild referred to psychiatry for evaluationClient seen by Psychiatric Nurse PractitionerMENTAL STATUS EXAMAlert & oriented X 3, speech clear, coherent, goal directed, spontaneous. Self-reported mood is “sad”. Affect somewhat blunted, but child smiled appropriately at various points throughout the clinical interview. He denies visual or auditory hallucinations. No delusional or paranoid thought processes noted. Judgment and insight appear to be age-appropriate. He is not endorsing active suicidal ideation, but does admit that he often thinks about himself being dead and what it would be like to be dead.The PMHNP administers the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, obtaining a score of 30 (indicating significant depression)RESOURCES§ Poznanski, E., & Mokros, H. (1996). Child Depression Rating Scale–Revised. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.Decision Point OneSelect what the PMHNP should do:Begin Zoloft 25 mg orally dailyBegin Paxil 10 mg orally dailyBegin Wellbutrin 75 mg orally BIDThe AssignmentExamine Case Study: An African American Child Suffering From Depression. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this client. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the client’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.At each decision point stop to complete the following:Decision #1Which 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 #2Why 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 #3Why 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.Note: Support your rationale with a minimum of three academic resources no more than give years old. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement.