As a PMHNP working with vulnerable patient populations, you must be able to assess whether these symptoms are caused by psychological, social, or underlying growth and development issues. You must then be able recommend appropriate therapies.
For this assignment, you will develop a patient medication guide for treatment of depressive disorders in a vulnerable population (your choice for one vulnerable patient population to choose: (pregnant women). Be sure to use language appropriate for your audience (patient, caregiver, parent, etc.). You will include non-copyright images and/or information tables to make your patient medication guide interesting and appealing. Limit your patient medication guide to 5 pages. You will create this guide as an assignment; therefore, a title page, introduction, conclusion, and reference page are required. You must include a minimum of 3 scholarly supporting resources outside of your course provided resources.
In your patient medication guide, include discussion on the following:
- Depressive disorder causes and symptoms
- How depression is diagnosed for the vulnerable population of pregnant women, why is this population considered vulnerable
- Medication treatment options including risk vs benefits; side effects; FDA approvals for the vulnerable population of your choice
- Medication considerations of medication examples prescribed (see last bullet item)
- What is important to monitor in terms of labs, comorbid medical issues with why important for monitoring
- Special Considerations (you must be specific, not general and address at least one for EACH category: legal considerations, ethical considerations, cultural considerations, social determinants of health
- Where to follow up in your local community for further information
- Provide 3 examples of how to write a proper prescription that you would provide to the patient or transmit to the pharmacy.
Reminder: all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references.
- attached is the sample template to be followed as well as the rubric guide for grading of assignment
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, developing patient medication guides for vulnerable patient populations is essential to promote their mental health. In this assignment, you will be developing a patient medication guide for the treatment of depressive disorders in pregnant women, which will include discussions on causes, symptoms, diagnosis, medication treatment options, lab monitoring, special considerations, and prescription writing. You need to incorporate a minimum of three scholarly supporting resources outside of your course provided resources.
Answer:
Depression is a mental disorder that can affect anyone, but could be more severe and complicated in pregnant women. It could lead to sadness, loss of interest, changes in sleep and appetite patterns, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts. Such symptoms mainly stem from hormonal changes, genetic and environmental factors that affect pregnant women. As such, all pregnant women should be diagnosed by a professional to differentiate depression from normal mood changes during pregnancy.
Medication is one of the recommended treatments for depression in pregnant women, primarily depending on benefits versus risks. The medication options discussed in the patient medication guide include tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, which have been approved by the FDA. It is essential to discuss some of the potential side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and appetite changes, and how to report any discomforts.
Medication considerations include polarity, dosage, and route, and generally, drugs with a low polarity cross the placental barrier easier. The doses should be lower, especially during the first trimester, while other options like psychotherapy are considered. Doses and routes of antidepressant medication should be monitored regularly, including drug-drug interactions that could affect the pregnancy’s progress.
Lab monitoring includes frequent analysis of hematocrit, glucose levels, and overall changes in pregnancy factors to prevent complications like hypoglycemia, hypertension, and pre-eclampsia. Vital signs and patient history will be monitored at every visit to the health-care facility.
Special considerations regarding legal, ethical, cultural, and social determinants of health include evaluating possible alternative therapies or procuring informed consent, especially from women with religious or cultural conflicts. Also, based on cultural beliefs and support systems, pregnant women may prefer delivery in specific health care facilities or avoid conventional medication altogether.
For further information and support, it is important to monitor local community resources such as support groups for pregnant women, follow up with healthcare providers frequently, and involve their caregiver or partner in caregiving. Prescriptions should be written legibly on triplicate forms to minimize prescription forgery, and doses should be tailored according to the patient’s condition, pregnancy status, and other essential factors.
Conclusion:
Developing a patient medication guide for the treatment of depressive disorders in pregnant women is a step towards reducing maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Such efforts are essential to educate pregnant women, caregivers, or partners on the benefits and risks of antidepressant medications, non-pharmaceutical alternatives, including addressing other special considerations. Regular follow-up and monitoring will ensure that pregnant women have access to the best care possible.
