Week 3_ Assignment: Assessing and Diagnosing Patients with Mood Disorders

Assignment: Assessing and Diagnosing Patients

with

Mood Disorders

Accurately diagnosing depressive disorders can be challenging given their periodic and, at times,

cyclic nature. Some of these disorders occur in response to stressors and,

depending on the

cultural history of the client, may affect their decision to seek treatment. Bipolar disorders can

also be difficult to properly diagnose. While clients with a bipolar or related disorder will likely

have to contend with the disorder indef

initely, many find that the use of medication and evidence

-

based treatments have favorable outcomes.

Assig

nment Instructions:

·

Use

the

Comprehen

sive Psychiatric Evaluation Template

(Attached)

to

complete this Assignment.

·

R

eview the

Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

Exemplar

(

Attached)

to

see an example of a

completed evaluation document.

·

S

elect a specific video case s

tudy to use for this Assignment from the Video Case Selections choices

in the Learning Resources.

Video # 28

(

See

the

transcript

)

.

·

Consider what history would be necessary to collect from this patient.

·

Consider what interview questions you would need to ask this patient.

·

Identify at least three possible differential diagnoses for the patient.

·

C

ompl

ete and submit your Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

(attached)

, including your

differential diagnosis and critical

-

thinking process to formulate a primary diagnosis.

Incorporate

the following into your responses in the template:

·

Subjective:

What details did

the patient provide regarding their chief complaint and

symptomology to derive your differential diagnosis? What is the duration and severity of their

symptoms? How are their symptoms impacting their functioning in life?

·

Objective:

What observations did y

ou make during the psychiatric assessment?

 

·

Assessment:

Discuss the patient’s mental status examination results. What were your

differential diagnoses?

Provide a minimum of three possible diagnoses with supporting

evidence, listed in order from highest pr

iority to lowest priority. Compare the DSM

-

5

diagnostic criteria for each differential diagnosis and explain what DSM

-

5 criteria rules out the

differential diagnosis to find an accurate diagnosis.

Explain the critical

-

thinking process that led you to the p

rimary diagnosis you selected. Include

pertinent positives and pertinent negatives for the specific patient case.

·

Reflection notes:

What would you do differently with this client if you could conduct the

session over?

 

Also include in your reflection a disc

ussion related to legal/ethical

considerations (demonstrate critical thinking beyond confidentiality and consent for

treatment!), health promotion and disease prevention taking into consideration patient factors

Assignment: Assessing and Diagnosing Patients

with Mood Disorders

Accurately diagnosing depressive disorders can be challenging given their periodic and, at times,

cyclic nature. Some of these disorders occur in response to stressors and, depending on the

cultural history of the client, may affect their decision to seek treatment. Bipolar disorders can

also be difficult to properly diagnose. While clients with a bipolar or related disorder will likely

have to contend with the disorder indefinitely, many find that the use of medication and evidence-

based treatments have favorable outcomes.

Assignment Instructions:

 Use the Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation Template (Attached) to complete this Assignment.

 Review the Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation Exemplar (Attached) to see an example of a

completed evaluation document.

 Select a specific video case study to use for this Assignment from the Video Case Selections choices

in the Learning Resources. Video # 28 (See the transcript).

 Consider what history would be necessary to collect from this patient.

 Consider what interview questions you would need to ask this patient.

 Identify at least three possible differential diagnoses for the patient.

 Complete and submit your Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation (attached), including your

differential diagnosis and critical-thinking process to formulate a primary diagnosis. Incorporate

the following into your responses in the template:

 Subjective: What details did the patient provide regarding their chief complaint and

symptomology to derive your differential diagnosis? What is the duration and severity of their

symptoms? How are their symptoms impacting their functioning in life?

 Objective: What observations did you make during the psychiatric assessment?

 

 Assessment: Discuss the patient’s mental status examination results. What were your

differential diagnoses? Provide a minimum of three possible diagnoses with supporting

evidence, listed in order from highest priority to lowest priority. Compare the DSM-5

diagnostic criteria for each differential diagnosis and explain what DSM-5 criteria rules out the

differential diagnosis to find an accurate diagnosis.

Explain the critical-thinking process that led you to the primary diagnosis you selected. Include

pertinent positives and pertinent negatives for the specific patient case.

 Reflection notes: What would you do differently with this client if you could conduct the

session over? Also include in your reflection a discussion related to legal/ethical

considerations (demonstrate critical thinking beyond confidentiality and consent for

treatment!), health promotion and disease prevention taking into consideration patient factors