Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment
Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment
NURS 6630 Week 3 Assignment: Geriatric Depression Therapy
Introduction
Depression in the elderly altogether influences patients, families, and groups. Familiarity with inclining and hastening variables can help recognize patients needing screening with instruments, for example, the Geriatric Depression Scale (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). After analysis, consistent development and dynamic drug administration are essential to augment treatment and reduction. Determination of a stimulant solution ought to be founded on the best reaction profile and the most reduced danger of medication collaboration. On the off chance that abatement is not accomplished, then extra medicines, including different medications and psychotherapy, might be considered (Flint & Rifat, 2013). In instances of serious, insane, or recalcitrant depression in the elderly, electroconvulsive treatment is prescribed. This paper considers a case of a 31-year-old Hispanic man with severe depression and the treatment options available. The treatment decisions made are evaluated and the outcomes compared to facilitate greater understanding of geriatric depression therapy. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment.
Decision Point One
Selected Decision
Begin Zoloft 25 mg orally daily
Reason for Selection
Zoloft is one of the most effective drugs for treatment of severe depression in adults. The patient had a score of 51 when the PMHNP administered MADRS, this is an indication of severe depression. Considering the available antidepressants in this case, phenelzine is recommended for use in areas where other drugs have failed (Stahl, 2014b). Effexor XL on the other hand can be used but has many potential side effects considering the patients history and lifestyle. Thus, Zoloft emerges as the best option. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment.
ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER NOW
Expected Results
The action of Zoloft should be evident within the first two weeks as this is the pharmaceutical expectation from the experiments completed with the drug. By the time the patient comes for checkup after two weeks, he should report ability to sleep at night. The level of concentration should also undergo a boost on administering this drug (Liu, Anderson, Mittmann, Axcell & Shear, 2015). It is also expected that the patient will be motivated to the normal activities and even relate well with people. The patient’s feeling of being an outsider due to the past treatment should start waning off.
Differences between Expected Results and Actual Results
When the patient revisited after four weeks and reported a decrease of 25% in the symptoms. This is in the direction of the expectations. However, another outcome was not anticipated, the patient was experiencing erectile dysfunction (Gaboda, Lucas, Siegel, Kalay & Crystal, 2014). This is a side effect of the drug that was not expected when the treatment plan was made. Zoloft has a number of potential side effects and erectile dysfunction is one of them though not very common. The rest of the outcomes reflected the expected trend even though the rate was a bit lower than anticipated. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment.
NURS 6630 Week 3 Assignment Decision Point Two
Selected Decision
Add augmenting agent such as Wellbutrin IR 150 mg in morning
Reason for Selection
The client was experiencing a decrease in the depression symptoms because of administering Zoloft but the same drug had led to erectile dysfunction. It is a good idea to maintain Zoloft for reducing depression and combine it with another antidepressant with abilities to abate erectile dysfunction. Wellbutrin is such an antidepressant that can be used to help the patient’s erection function normally while on depression therapy (Flint & Rifat, 2013). Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment. In this case, the focus is not to treat the side effect of Zoloft as this is not advisable, but it is to introduce an antidepressant and slowly withdraw Zoloft and thereby correcting erectile dysfunction.
Expected Results
When Wellbutrin is introduced as augmenting agent, the patient should experience much reduced symptoms. This is because both Zoloft and Wellbutrin will be working to reduce depression and thus the combined effect should be bigger (Flint & Rifat, 2013). In addition, the patient should start having normal erection as a result of the working of Wellbutrin. This should even make the patient better and more motivated.
Differences between Expected Results and Actual Results – Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment
The patient visited again after four weeks and he stated that the depressive symptoms had even reduced further. He also informed that the erection dysfunction had been abated. These two outcomes were expected as the therapy was being administered. Nevertheless, different other outcomes from the ones anticipated arose (Gaboda, Lucas, Siegel, Kalay & Crystal, 2014). The patient was feeling jittery and nervous. Either of the two drugs could influence this; Zoloft and Wellbutrin as both are known to cause feelings of anxiety in some cases. Sometimes the feeling of jittery is caused by the kind of dosage of the two drugs. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment.
Decision Point Three
Selected Decision
Change Wellbutrin to XL 150 mg orally in AM
Reason for Selection
The patient is experiencing jitteriness as the only problem with the current therapy. The effect of medication is as intended and so it is not proper to change just because of the side effect. Jitteriness may be caused by the immediate release of Wellbutrin. Trying to change the administration of Wellbutrin may be the solution to jitteriness. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment. Administering Wellbutrin in its extended release form can help to reduce depression and remove jitteriness. It is not proper to introduce a new drug to treat the side effects of another before trying to modify the dosage of the original drug.
Expected Results
Administration Wellbutrin in its extended release form is anticipated to treat jitteriness if in fact the problem is the immediate release of Wellbutrin. It is also expected that the patient will continue experiencing an improved rate of depression reduction (Liu, Anderson, Mittmann, Axcell & Shear, 2015). The ceasing of jitteriness should allow the patient to have confidence in the therapy and are motivated to continue using the medication. The concentration ability of the patient should increase tremendously. The patient should also not have problems with sleeping at night.
Differences between Expected Results and Actual Results
The decision seems to be in agreement with the standard way of dealing with side effects of therapy administered to a patient (Laureate Education, 2016g). It was recommended that a drug can be modified in the way it is administered in an attempt to handle the side effects rather than introduce another drug to treat the side effect (Liu, Anderson, Mittmann, Axcell & Shear, 2015). This is because every drug has side effects and so treating one may be just as good as introducing another.
Impact of Ethical Considerations on Treatment Plan
Ant-depression therapy in adults has many complications that accompany any medication plan adopted. It involves taking risks, as there are many side effects of the drugs used in this therapy. Some drugs cause patients to have suicidal tendencies (Flint, 2012). Based on the doctor’s evaluation of the patient, some drugs may not be included in the therapy of certain patients. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment. In this case, some drugs may not be used especially those that induce suicidal tendencies as this patient is not interacting with people and that make is risky.
Conclusion
Depression in the elderly is a noteworthy, normal, and developing issue that requires treatment. It has genuine ramifications for the patient, family, and group. Recognizable proof took after by a careful evaluation can help manage the determination of a proper upper prescription. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment. There are a few variables to consider when choosing, altering, and changing antidepressants in the elderly. Together, these techniques can help advance the sheltered utilization of antidepressants in the elderly (Flint & Rifat, 2013). Other than medicines, different treatments for wretchedness that may be considered incorporate different types of psychotherapy and neurostimulation, with electroconvulsive treatment as yet being the highest quality level for extreme or crazy discouragement. Geriatric Depression Therapy – NURS 6630 Decision Tree Essay Assignment.
