wk 9

PRESCRIBING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN

After assessing and diagnosing a patient, PMHNPs must take into consideration special characteristics of the patient before determining an appropriate course of treatment. For pharmacological treatments that are not FDA-approved for a particular use or population, off-label use may be considered when the potential benefits could outweigh the risks.

In this Discussion, you will investigate a specific disorder and determine potential appropriate treatments for when it occurs in an older adult or pregnant woman. 

TO PREPARE:

· Choose one of the two following specific populations: either pregnant women or older adults. Then, select a specific disorder from the  DSM-5-TR  to use.

· Use the Walden Library to research evidence-based treatments for your selected disorder in your selected population (either older adults or pregnant women). You will need to recommend one FDA-approved drug, one non-FDA-approved “off-label” drug, and one nonpharmacological intervention for treating the disorder in that population.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 9

· Recommend one FDA-approved drug, one off-label drug, and one nonpharmacological intervention for treating your chosen disorder in older adults or pregnant women.

· Explain the risk assessment you would use to inform your treatment decision  making. What are the risks and benefits of the FDA-approved medicine? What are the risks and benefits of the off-label drug?

· Explain whether clinical practice guidelines exist for this disorder, and if so, use them to justify your recommendations. If not, explain what information you would need to take into consideration.

· Support your reasoning with at least three current, credible scholarly resources, one each on the FDA-approved drug, the off-label, and a nonpharmacological intervention for the disorder.

Upload a copy of your discussion writing to the draft Turnitin for plagiarism check.  Your faculty holds the academic freedom to not accept your work and grade at a zero if your work is not uploaded as a draft submission to Turnitin as instructed.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

· American Psychiatric Association. (2016).  The American Psychiatric Association practice guideline on the use of antipsychotics to treat agitation or psychosis in patients with dementiaLinks to an external site. . https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890426807 

· Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2019).  Maternal and fetal effects of mental health treatments in pregnant and breastfeeding women: A systematic review of pharmacological interventionsLinks to an external site. . https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/protocol-pharm-pregnant-women_0.pdf

· Hardy, L. T., & Reichenbacker, O. L. (2019).  A practical guide to the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy and lactationLinks to an external site. .  Archives of Psychiatric Nursing ,  33 (3), 254–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2019.04.001 

· National Library of Medicine. (2006–2020).  Drugs and lactation databaseLinks to an external site.  (LactMed) . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/  

· The LactMed® database is a peer-reviewed, evidence-based resource on drugs that may be used by breastfeeding mothers. It includes possible effects on nursing infants and offers drug alternatives where possible. 

· Boland, R. Verdiun, M. L. & Ruiz, P. (2022).  Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry (12th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. 

· Chapter 1, "Examination and Diagnosis of the Psychiatric Patient"

· Section 1.3, “Geriatric Patients” (pp. 87-92)

· Chapter 29, “End-of-Life Issues and Palliative Care”

· Chapter 31, “Global and Cultural Issues in Psychiatry”

· DeNisco, S. M. (2023).  Role development for the nurse practitioner (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

· Chapter 4, “Vulnerable Populations” (pp. 99-124)

· Chapter 5, “Mental Health and Primary Care: A Critical Intersection” (pp. 132-149)

· Chapter 6, “Cultural Sensitivity and Global Health” (pp. 155-179)