Please respond to the following questions based upon these course objectives:
- Understand and be able to articulate the fundamentals of neurotransmission as it relates to prescribing psychotropic medications for clients with acute and chronic mental health conditions.
- Discuss major categories of psychotropic drugs, their rationale for use, mechanisms of action, common side effects, and drug interactions.
- Discuss evidence to support and the appropriate use of complimentary alternative medications in patients that are experiencing acute and chronic mental health conditions seeking adjunctive or monotherapy treatment while considering cultural and genetic factors as well as patient values.
- Utilize clinical assessment tools associated with diagnosing and prescribing for psychiatric disorders and begin to utilize these tools in clinical settings to assist with diagnosis and treatment of chronic mental health conditions.
- Propose psychotherapeutic medication for selected patients keeping in mind safety concerns while utilizing knowledge of current mental health, medical concerns, age, gender, cultural factors, genetic factors, ethical concerns, patient values, and prescriptive authority impact decision making.
- Utilize research and provide basic diagnostic and psychopharmacology education to your client and his/her family when prescribing.
- Understand ethical and legal considerations and controversies in current pharmacological treatment of mental health patients.
Please answer the following questions with supporting examples and full explanations.
- For each of the learning objectives, provide an analysis of how the course supported each objective.
- Explain how the material learned in this course, based upon the objectives, will be applicable to the professional application.
Provide evidence (citations and references) to support your statements and opinions.
All references and citations should in APA format.
EXAMPLES:
1)
The course has helped me understand neurotransmission fundamentals as it relates to prescribing psychotropic medications for clients with acute and chronic mental health conditions. When one has an imbalance, it can cause a multitude of problems, such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) which will cause the patient to have fever, altered mental status, muscle rigidity, and autonomic dysfunction (Berman, 2011). I learned that complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be used as part of the patient treatment plan, such as in assisting in treating depression or relieving depressive symptoms. This course has also taught me the importance of understanding the legal and ethical considerations during pharmacological treatment of psychiatric issues, especially when using them for off-label purposes. I also learned that many herbs and supplements can cause interactions with prescribed medications and the importance of teaching clients reports all herbs, supplements, or over-the-counter medications that they are taking. I also learned that the importance of using research and to provide basic diagnostic and pharmacological education to my patient and their family.
References
Berman, B. D. (2011, January). Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: A review for neuro hospitalists. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.niv.gov/pmc/articles/PMC37260…
2)
This course was able to help me articulate and understand the fundamentals of neurotransmitters and how the imbalance of neurotransmitters can cause mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, to name a few. For example, serotonin deficiency can cause depression (Stahl, 2017). This course has also taught me how complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be utilized as a part of the treatment plan. At times CAM modalities may be used to prevent polypharmacy and prevent significant side effects. Also, many supplements and herbs can cause side effects and interaction with other medications, so it is crucial to take herbs and supplements into consideration during treatment planning. I have also learned how essential it is to consider many factors such as medical concerns, age, gender, cultural factors, genetic factors, ethical concerns, patient’s values, and presriptive authority when prescribing psychotropic medications. In addition, I have also learned how crucial it is to educate the patients on the medication that is prescribed, its side effects, and the medications or foods that may interact with the medication prescribed. I have also learned how important to educate the patient on how certain medications can cause dependence on them, such as benzodiazepines. It is critical to consider the patient’s history before prescribing these medications to prevent addiction and overdose. Most importantly, I have learned how vital it is to utilize evidence-based practice when prescribing these psychotropic medications to prevent harm to the patient and for them to have the best outcome.
Reference
Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology. Neuroscientific basis and practical application (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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