Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology

PyschAssignment

Therapy for Patients With ADHD/ODD

Diego, a 9-year-old third grader, had always been an energetic child with a short attention span. For years, his mother attributed his behaviors to him being “all boy” and assumed it would improve as he grew older. Instead, daily tasks like chores and homework became increasingly overwhelming for Diego, resulting in disruptive behaviors at home and school. After being evaluated by his healthcare provider, Diego was diagnosed with and treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD is a prevalent disorder for patients across the lifespan, as more than 6 million children (CDC, n.d.) have been diagnosed with the disorder. Further, consider that about 60% of children with ADHD in the United States become adults with ADHD (ADAA, n.d.). Like Diego, individuals of all ages find that symptoms of ADHD can make life challenging. However, when properly diagnosed and treated, patients often respond well to therapies and have positive health outcomes.

This week, as you study ADHD therapies, you examine the assessment and treatment of patients with ADHD. You also explore ethical and legal implications of these therapies.

References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Data and statistics about ADHD. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/adult-adhd

Objectives

· Assess patient factors and history to develop personalized therapy plans for patients with ADHD

· Analyze factors that influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in patients requiring therapy for ADHD

· Synthesize knowledge of providing care to patients presenting for ADHD

· Analyze ethical and legal implications related to prescribing therapy for patients with ADHD

· Identify concepts related to psychopharmacologic treatments and therapy for patients across the lifespan

Assignment: Assessing and Treating Patients With ADHD

Not only do children and adults have different presentations for ADHD, but males and females may also have vastly different clinical presentations. Different people may also respond to medication therapies differently. For example, some ADHD medications may cause children to experience stomach pain, while others can be highly addictive for adults. In your role, as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you must perform careful assessments and weigh the risks and benefits of medication therapies for patients across the life span. For this Assignment, you consider how you might assess and treat patients presenting with ADHD.

To prepare for this Assignment:

· The Learning Resources, including the Medication Resources indicated for this week.

· Reflect on the psychopharmacologic treatments you might recommend for the assessment and treatment of patients with ADHD.