NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 

NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay

Sample Answer for NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay Included After Question

Assignment: Assessing and Treating Patients With Psychosis and Schizophrenia 

Psychosis and schizophrenia greatly impact the brain’s normal processes, which interfere with the ability to think clearly. When symptoms of these disorders are uncontrolled, patients may struggle to function in daily life. However, patients often thrive when properly diagnosed and treated under the close supervision of a psychiatric mental health practitioner. For this Assignment, as you examine the patient case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat patients presenting with psychosis and schizophrenia. 

NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 
NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay

To prepare for this Assignment: 

  • Review this week’s 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 schizophrenia-related psychoses. 

The Assignment: 5 pages 

Examine Case Study: Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this patient. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. 

At each decision point, you should evaluate all options before selecting your decision and moving throughout the exercise. Before you make your decision, make sure that you have researched each option and that you evaluate the decision that you will select. Be sure to research each option using the primary literature.  

 

Introduction to the case (1 page) 

  • Briefly explain and summarize the case for this Assignment. Be sure to include the specific patient factors that may impact your decision making when prescribing medication for this patient. 

Decision #1 (1 page) 

  • Which decision did you select? 
  • Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature). 
  • Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples. 

Decision #2 (1 page) 

  • Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature). 
  • Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples. 

Decision #3 (1 page) 

  • Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 
  • What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature). 
  • Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples. 

Conclusion (1 page) 

  • Summarize your recommendations on the treatment options you selected for this patient. Be sure to justify your recommendations and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature. 

Note: Support your rationale with a minimum of five academic resources. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement. You should be utilizing the primary and secondary literature. 

 

Reminder : The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting. 

 

Learning Resources 

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)  

 

Freudenreich, O., Goff, D. C., & Henderson, D. C. (2016). Antipsychotic drugs. In T. A. Stern, M. Favo, T. E. Wilens, & J. F. Rosenbaum. (Eds.), Massachusetts General Hospital psychopharmacology and neurotherapeutics (pp. 72–85). Elsevier. 

 

American Psychiatric Association. (2019). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/Clinical%20Practice%20Guidelines/APA-Draft-Schizophrenia-Treatment-Guideline.pdf 

 

Clozapine REMS. (2015). Clozapine REMS: The single shared system for clozapine. https://www.clozapinerems.com/CpmgClozapineUI/rems/pdf/resources/Clozapine_REMS_A_Guide_for_Healthcare_Providers.pdf 

 

Funk, M. C., Beach, S. R., Bostwick, J. R., Celano, C. M., Hasnain, M., Pandurangi, A., Khandai, A., Taylor, A., Levenson, J. L., Riba, M., & Kovacs, R. J. (2018). Resource document on QTc prolongation and psychotropic medications. American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Directories/Library-and-Archive/resource_documents/Resource-Document-2018-QTc-Prolongation-and-Psychotropic-Med.pdf 

 

Kay, S. R., Fiszbein, A., & Opler, L. A. (1987). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 13(2), 261–276. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/13.2.261 

 

Levenson, J. C., Kay, D. B., & Buysse, D. J. (2015). The pathophysiology of insomnia. Chest, 147(4), 1179–1192. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4388122/ 

 

McClellan, J. & Stock. S. (2013). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with schizophrenia. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 976–990. https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(09)62600-9/pdf 

 

Naber, D., & Lambert, M. (2009). The CATIE and CUtLASS studies in schizophrenia: Results and implications for clinicians. CNS Drugs, 23(8), 649–659. https://doi.org/10.2165/00023210-200923080-00002 

 

 

Medication Resources (click to expand/reduce)  

 

 

U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (n.d.). Drugs@FDA: FDA-approved drugs. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm 

 

Note: To access the following medications, use the Drugs@FDA resource. Type the name of each medication in the keyword search bar. Select the hyperlink related to the medication name you searched. Review the supplements provided and select the package label resource file associated with the medication you searched. If a label is not available, you may need to conduct a general search outside of this resource provided. Be sure to review the label information for each medication as this information will be helpful for your review in preparation for your Assignments. 

  • amisulpride 
  • aripiprazole 
  • asenapine 
  • brexpiprazole 
  • cariprazine 
  • chlorpromazine 
  • clozapine 
  • flupenthixol 
  • fluphenazine 
  • haloperidol 
  • iloperidone 
  • loxapine 
  • lumateperone 
  • lurasidone 
  • olanzapine 
  • paliperidone 
  • perphenazine 
  • pimavanserin 
  • quetiapine 
  • risperidone 
  • sulpiride 
  • thioridazine 
  • thiothixene 
  • trifluoperazine 
  • ziprasidone 

 

Required Media (click to expand/reduce)  

 

 

Case study: Pakistani woman with delusional thought processes 
Note: This case study will serve as the foundation for this week’s Assignment. 

 

 

Optional Resources (click to expand/reduce)  

 

 

Chakos, M., Patel, J. K., Rosenheck, R., Glick, I. D., Hammer, M. B., Tapp, A., Miller, A. L., & Miller, D. D. (2011). Concomitant psychotropic medication use during treatment of schizophrenia patients: Longitudinal results from the CATIE study. Clinical Schizophrenia & Related Psychoses, 5(3), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.3371/CSRP.5.3.2 

 

Fangfang, S., Stock, E. M., Copeland, L. A., Zeber, J. E., Ahmedani, B. K., & Morissette, S. B. (2014). Polypharmacy with antipsychotic drugs in patients with schizophrenia: Trends in multiple health care systems. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 71(9), 728–738. https://doi.org/10.2146/ajhp130471 

 

Lin, L. A., Rosenheck, R., Sugar, C., & Zbrozek, A. (2015). Comparing antipsychotic treatments for schizophrenia: A health state approach. The Psychiatric Quarterly, 86(1), 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-014-9326-2 

 

 

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 

Title: NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 

 

Case Study: Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes 

Delusional Disorders Pakistani Female With Delusional Thought Processes 

 

 

BACKGROUND 

The client is a 34-year-old Pakistani female who moved to the United States in her late teens/early 20s. She is currently in an “arranged” marriage (her husband was selected for her when she was 9 years old). She presents following a 21-day hospitalization for what was diagnosed as “brief psychotic disorder.” She was given this diagnosis as her symptoms have persisted for less than 1 month.  

Prior to admission, she was reporting visions of Allah, and over the course of a week, she believed that she was the prophet Mohammad. She believed that she would deliver the world from sin. Her husband became concerned about her behavior to the point that he was afraid of leaving their 4 children with her. One evening, she was “out of control,” which resulted in his calling the police and her subsequent admission to an inpatient psych unit. 

During today’s assessment, she appears quite calm and insists that the entire incident was “blown out of proportion.” She denies that she believed herself to be the prophet Mohammad and states that her husband was just out to get her because he never loved her and wanted an “American wife” instead of her. She says she knows this because the television is telling her so.  

She currently weighs 140 lbs., and she is 5’ 5. 

 

SUBJECTIVE 

Client reports that her mood is “good.” She denies auditory/visual hallucinations but believes that the television talks to her. She believes that Allah sends her messages through the TV. At times throughout the clinical interview, she becomes hostile towards you but then calms down. 

A review of her hospital records shows that she received a medical workup from physician, who reported her to be in overall good health. Lab studies were all within normal limits.  

Client admits that she stopped taking her Risperdal about a week after she got out of the hospital because she thinks her husband is going to poison her so that he can marry an American woman.  

 

MENTAL STATUS EXAM 

The client is alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event. She is dressed appropriately for the weather and time of year. She demonstrates no noteworthy mannerisms, gestures, or tics. Her speech is slow and, at times, interrupted by periods of silence. Self-reported mood is euthymic. Affect is constricted. Although the client denies visual or auditory hallucinations, she appears to be “listening” to something. Delusional and paranoid thought processes as described above. Insight and judgment are impaired. She is currently denying suicidal or homicidal ideation. 

You administer the PANSS which reveals the following scores: 

-40 for the positive symptoms scale 

-20 for the negative symptom scale 

-60 for general psychopathology scale 

Diagnosis: Schizophrenia, paranoid type 

 

RESOURCES 

PANSS Scale. Available at: http://egret.psychol.cam.ac.uk/medicine/scales/PANSS  

  • Kay, S. R., Fiszbein, A., & Opler, L. A. (1987). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 13(2), 261–276. doi:10.1093/schbul/13.2.261

https://www.clozapinerems.com/CpmgClozapineUI/rems/pdf/resources/Clozapine_REMS_A_Guide_for_Healthcare_Providers.pdf  

http://www.ima.org.il/FilesUpload/IMAJ/0/40/20149.pdf 

 

Decision Point One 

Select what you should do: 

 

Start Zyprexa (olanzapine) 10 mg orally at BEDTIME  

 

Start Invega Sustenna 234 mg IM X1 followed by 156 mg IM on day 4 and monthly thereafter  

 

Start Abilify (aripiprazole) 10 mg orally at BEDTIME  

 

Decision Point One 

 

Start Zyprexa (olanzapine) 10 mg orally at BEDTIME  

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT ONE 

  • Client returns to clinic in four weeks 
  • Her PANSS decreases to a partial response (decrease in positive symptoms by 25%) 
  • She comes in today with a reported weight gain of 5 pounds. When questioned further on this point, she states that she can never seem to get full from her meals, so she is snacking constantly throughout the day  

Decision Point Two 

 

Decrease Zyprexa to 7.5 mg orally at BEDTIME  

 

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO 

  • Client returns to clinic in four weeks 
  • Result of next decision (what happened): Client worsens (her positive symtpoms scale increased by 25% and her negative symptom scale score decreased by 10% indicating improved negative symptoms), but her weight becomes stabilized and excessive hunger abates 
  • Husband explains that she is becoming less manageable at home, and he has to take time off from work because he is fearful of leaving her alone 

Decision Point Three 

 

Increase Zyprexa 10 MG orally at BEDTIME  

 

Guidance to Student 

Weight gain is a significant problem with Zyprexa. Next to Clozaril (clozapine), Zyprexa causes the most weight gain of all the atypical antipsychotics. This is a side effect that a significant number of clients will experience. There also appears to be an increased association of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus in clients treated with Zyprexa. Although this can be disease related in this population, Zyprexa is above what would be considered coincidental.  

Risperdal is a good option, although it is dosed twice daily and compliance in this population can be problematic. There is evidence that shows giving Risperdal all at once can be efficacious and therefore could be an option down the road should compliance become an issue. Weight gain is also possible with Risperdal, but it is not as great as that seen with Zyprexa. If compliance does become an issue with this client, Risperdal has a long-acting injectable formulation, Risperdal Consta, that could be used. Remember, Risperdal Consta has to be given every 2 weeks at the provider’s office, and therapeutic blood levels take time to achieve (on average 3–6 weeks or 2–3 injections). Oral overlapping therapy is required to bridge this period of time. Another option in someone who responds to Risperdal would be Invega Sustenna (paliperidone palmitate), which is the first metabolite of Risperdal and has greater activity at the D2 receptor than Risperdal. An advantage of Invega Sustenna over Risperdal Consta is that therapeutic blood levels are attained within the first 4–7 days, and overlapping oral therapy is usually not necessary. A disadvantage is that during the initiating phase of medication, the first two doses need to be given within 4–7 days of one another. This is followed by monthly injections. There is another product on the market called Invega Trinza, which is given once every 3 months. This product is for clients who have been stabilized on Invega Sustenna for at least 4 months where the last two doses were the same strength (two months of 156 mg injections).  

Increasing Zyprexa to 15 mg at bedtime will only worsen the weight gain side effect. While additional benefits from increasing the dose may be possible from an efficacy standpoint, side effects always need to be taken into consideration. “First, do no harm.” Qsymia is a weight loss medication that is a combination of phentermine and topiramate. It is only indicated to treat obesity. This client’s BMI (28.9 kg/M2) does not fit the definition of obesity (BMI >30 Kg/M2- Following from CDC website: Class 1: BMI of 30 to < 35, Class 2: BMI of 35 to < 40, Class 3: BMI of 40 or higher. Class 3 obesity is sometimes categorized as “extreme” or “severe” obesity). There are two things wrong with this therapy option. First, there are only a few occasions where add-on therapy to treat a side effect is acceptable, and weight gain is not one of those scenarios. Secondly, phentermine has a lot of cardiovascular toxicities (such as elevated BP, HR, and increased workload on the heart).  

 

Decision Point One 

 

Start Invega Sustenna 234 mg IM X1 followed by 156 mg IM on day 4 and monthly thereafter  

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT ONE 

  • Client returns to clinic in four weeks 
  • A decrease in the PANSS score of 25% (in positive symtpoms) is noted at this visit  
  • Client seems to be tolerating medication 
  • Her husband has made sure she makes her appointments for injections (one thus far)  
  • She has noted a 2-pound weight gain, but it does not seem to be an important point for her 
  • She does, however, complain of injection-site pain, telling you that she has trouble sitting for a few hours after the injections and doesn’t like having to walk around for such a long period of time  

Decision Point Two 

 

Continue same made but instruct administering nurse to begin injections into the deltoid at this visit and moving forward  

 

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO 

  • Client returns to clinic in four weeks 
  • Her PANNS has been reduced by a total of 50% (in positive symptoms) from the initiation of Invega Sustenna 
  • When questioned about injection-site pain, she states it is much better in the arm  
  • Her weight has increased by an additional 2.5 pounds (total of 4.5 pounds in a 2-month period). She is somewhat bothered by the weight gain and is afraid that her husband does not like it. He is not present at this visit as she brought herself  
  • She likes how she feels on the Invega Sustenna but is wondering if there is another drug like it that would not cause the weight gain  

Decision Point Three 

 

Continue with the Invega Sustenna. Counsel client on the fact that weight gain from Invega Sustenna is not as much as what other drugs with similar efficacy can cause. Make appointment with a dietician and an exercise physiologist. Follow up in one month  

 

Guidance to Student 

Weight gain can occur with Invega Sustenna. It is modest in nature and can be controlled with proper nutrition and exercise. It is always a good idea to try and control a client’s weight through consultation with a dietician and exercise physiologist (life coach) before switching to another agent when a product is showing efficacy for at least 6 months.  

Abilify Maintena is a good option for someone who has good response to Abilify oral. Remember that Abilify does not bind to the D2 receptor for a great period of time (such as Invega) and can be less effective in certain individuals. Also, remember that akathisia can be a possible side effect. Once an IM long-acting medication is given, the effects of the drug (both efficacious and untoward effects) can be maintained for a long duration (up to a month or longer). Tolerability and efficacy should be established with oral medication before administering the first injection. Also a disadvantage to Abilify Maintena is that a 2-week overlap of oral therapy is required due to effective blood levels lagging behind the induction dose.  

Qsymia is a weight loss medication that is a combination of phentermine and topiramate. It is only indicated to treat obesity. This client’s BMI (28.9 kg/M2) does not fit the definition of obesity (BMI >30 Kg/M2- Following from CDC website: Class 1: BMI of 30 to < 35, Class 2: BMI of 35 to < 40, Class 3: BMI of 40 or higher. Class 3 obesity is sometimes categorized as “extreme” or “severe” obesity). There are two things wrong with this therapy option. First, there are only a few occasions where add-on therapy to treat a side effect is acceptable, and weight gain is not one of those scenarios. Secondly, phentermine has a lot of cardiovascular toxicities (such as elevated BP, HR, and increased workload on the heart). 

Decision Point One 

 

Start Abilify (aripiprazole) 10 mg orally at BEDTIME  

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT ONE 

  • Client returns to clinic in four weeks 
  • Client returns and looks disheveled. Upon questioning, her husband states that she has not been sleeping at night. He states she is up and down all night. It has been disrupting his sleep too 
  • The client is unable to participate in the PANSS rating tool because she is continually nodding off (sleeping) during the appointment 
  • The appointment is not productive for assessing how she is responding to the Abilify started 4 weeks ago 

Decision Point Two 

 

Change Abilify administration time to AM dosing  

 

RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO 

  • Client arrives at office appearing to have slept better. Her husband tells you that she is still up and down at night, but it is much less frequently  
  • He notices that it is better when she takes her medication as soon as she awakens, but some days she forgets and takes it when she remembers (in the afternoon) 
  • Her PANNS has decreased by 5% since her initial visit 

Decision Point Three 

 

Increase dose to 20 mg at bedtime and counsel client on the importance of taking this medication first thing in the morning due to akathisia and insomnia that can be problematic in some clients. Counsel the husband on setting up reminders for her at home to help avoid these symptoms at night. Submit an e-prescription to the client’s pharmacy for Ambien 10 mg orally at BEDTIME to help with sleep  

 

Guidance to Student 

This is week 8 since therapy was initiated. Although the client’s side effects seem to be better managed, her PNSS is not changing by much. An acceptable time frame for treatment is defined as 4–6 weeks at an acceptable dose. Increasing Abilify to 20 mg in the morning certainly is an option, but she seems to be forgetful of taking this medication first thing in the morning on occasion and is still experiencing side effects when it is taken later in the day. It might be a good time to explore other options.  

Latuda is a medication that behaves much like Geodon (ziprasidone). It offers a once-daily dosing option and weight gain is minimal. She would not be expected to experience the insomnia and akathisia that has been experienced on the Abilify. Tolerability can be an issue as doses are escalated. Particularly, nausea, vomiting, and extrapyramidal side effects can be problematic and therefore good counseling points to clients. Clients usually tolerate lower doses (40 mg) but significant GI distress and movement disorders can occur when doses are pushed upward toward the daily max of 160 mg.  

Invega oral therapy is a good option as it has a once daily dosing option, and it has a greater effect at the D2 receptor than Abilify and may offer more efficacy and less insomnia and akathisia than seen in Abilify. It has a long-acting option that can be given monthly (to start). With good efficacy maintained over a 4-month period, it can be changed to once every 3 months. This is a good option in someone where compliance can be problematic.  

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 

Title: NURS 6630 Case Study Pakistani Woman With Delusional Thought Processes Essay 

Mental health problems that include schizophrenia affect negatively the patient’s health. Schizophrenia affects the patient’s quality of life by increasing dependence on medications, lowering productivity, and predisposing them to premature mortality. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners play essential roles in providing appropriate treatments that minimize the worsening and progression of schizophrenia symptoms. In doing this, they consider the legal and ethical principles of their practice in the process of patient care. Therefore, this paper is a case analysis of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoid type.

The patient in the case study is a 34-year-old Pakistani female who has been brought to the unit for psychiatric assessment. She is currently in an arranged marriage. She has a history of 21-day hospitalization due to a brief psychotic disorder since the symptoms persisted for less than a month. The client also has a history of seeing Allah, and false belief of herself, as she considers that she is Prophet Mohammad. She also beliefs that her husband wants to marry an American wife since the television tells her so. Subjective data shows that she stopped taking Risperdal a week ago because she thinks her husband will poison her so that he can marry an American woman. PANSS was administered, which showed that the client scored 40 for the positive symptoms scale, 20 for the negative symptoms scale, and 60 for the general psychopathology scale. As a result, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoid type. The patient information that would be crucial for use in decision making includes her PANSS score, history of Risperdal use, obesity, illusions, and family social support systems available to her, as they influence the care outcomes.

Decision 1

Start Invega Sustenna 234 mg intramuscular X1 followed by 156 mg intramuscular on day 4 and monthly thereafter.

Reason for Selection

Studies have demonstrated that Invega Sustenna is highly effective in managing schizophrenia symptoms. The effectiveness can be seen in Patel et al. (2020) study where Invega Sustenna reduced patient claims for psychoses diagnoses, hypertension, depression, substance-related and addictive disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and sleep-wake disorders. The authors also found a significant reduction in the need for hospital visits, hospitalizations, and costs when patients were initiated on Invega Sustenna rather than Risperidone (Patel et al., 2020). Early treatment of schizophrenia with Invega Sustenna also results in enhanced treatment adherence and social functioning (Cassidy & Miles, 2021). According to Emsley and Kilian (2018), Invega Sustenna provides benefits that include its availability in long-acting injectable formulations and dose initiation, which causes rapid onset of action compared to other antipsychotics.

Why The Other Options Were Not Selected

Zyprexa 10 mg orally at bedtime was not selected because of the increased risk of poor adherence by the patient due to side effects that include memory loss, metabolic deregulation, and changes in the menstrual cycle. The safety risks associated with Zyprexa have made it a second choice of drug in schizophrenia (Citrome et al., 2019). Starting the patient on Abilify 10 mg orally at bedtime was not selected because studies have shown that psychotic symptoms worsen in the patient when switched from other antipsychotics to Abilify. In addition, case studies report the increased risk of adverse events and lack of efficacy with the use of Abilify in schizophrenia patients (Takeuchi et al., 2018).

Expected Outcomes

Invega Sustenna improves schizophrenia symptoms. As a result, I was expecting to witness symptom improvement, as evidenced by improvement in PANSS score, social functioning, and treatment adherence. I also expected minimal side effects associated with Invega Sustenna (Cassidy & Miles, 2021).

Ethical Considerations

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners should weigh the benefits and risks associated with the available treatments for mental health disorders. While the given antipsychotics have comparable effectiveness in schizophrenia, priority should be placed on treatment safety. Invega Sustenna demonstrated enhanced efficacy over Zyprexa and Abilify due to its safety in symptom management (Patel et al., 2020).

Decision 2

Continue the same decision made but instruct administering nurse to begin injections into the deltoid at this visit and moving forward.

Reason for Selection

The initial decision led to improvement in symptoms associated with schizophrenia. There was a 25% reduction in the PANSS score. The client reported mild side effects due to Invega Sustenna. Maintaining the current dose will be appropriate to prevent side effects such as further weight gain in the patient. According to Dehanov et al. (2020), dosage should be maintained in cases of symptom improvement in schizophrenia when antipsychotics are used to minimize the risk of agranulocytosis and dyscrasias.

Why the Other Options Were Not Selected

The decision to discontinue Invega Sustenna and start Haldol Decanoate (haloperidol decanoate) 50 mg IM q21weeks with oral Haldol 5 mg BID for the next three months was not chosen because Invega Sustenna had caused a moderate improvement in schizophrenia symptoms. The client also demonstrated adequate tolerance towards Invega Sustenna. Abrupt discontinuation of Invega Sustenna and starting new medications will increase the risk of side effects that include symptom worsening (Citrome et al., 2019). The decision to continue Invega Sustenna, begin injections into the deltoid, and add on Abilify Maintena 300 mg intramuscular monthly with oral Abilify 10 mg in the morning for 2 weeks was not chosen because there is no indication for augmenting the current treatment (Patel et al., 2020).

Expected Outcomes

The above decision was made with the expectation of a further increase in schizophrenia symptoms. It was expected that the PANSS score would reduce further with the maintained dose of Invega Sustenna. The decision was also made to reduce injection pain by injecting the deltoid muscle. Symptom improvement is expected to enhance the patient’s social functioning and quality of life (Patel et al., 2020).

Ethical Considerations

Psychiatric treatments aim at achieving optimum outcomes that include safety, efficiency, and quality. Psychiatric medications should be used cautiously with a consideration of systematic discontinuation to prevent adverse effects of the treatment. Similarly, titrations should be made until the desired therapeutic effect has been achieved. Increasing the dosage of Invega Sustenna or introducing a new medication will increase the risk of adverse events, poor adherence, and lack of treatment efficacy (Shin et al., 2021). Therefore, the decision to continue with the decision should be sustained.

Decision 3

Continue with Invega Sustenna. Counsel client on the fact that weight gain from Invega Sustenna is not as much as what other drugs with similar efficacy cause. Make an appointment with a dietician and an exercise physiologist. Follow up in one month.

Reason for Selection

The desired treatment outcomes have been achieved. Antipsychotics such as Invega Sustenna cause weight gain. However, the weight gain is incomparable to that seen with other medications, including Zyprexa. Lifestyle and behavioral interventions such as dietary modification and engaging in active physical activities will promote healthy weight gain (Cassidy & Miles, 2021).

Why the Other Options Were Not Selected

The decision to discontinue Invega Sustenna and start Abilify Maintenna 400 mg IM monthly (after a few test doses of Abilify oral have been tried and tolerated) with overlapping oral Abilify 10 mg orally in the morning was not chosen. The decision was due to the desired treatment outcomes being achieved. Changing the medication would increase the risk of adverse events such as symptom relapse and worsen. Continuing Invega Sustenna and add-on Qysimia for weight loss was not chosen because the patient can engage in physical activities, hence, no need for medication for weight control (Cassidy & Miles, 2021).

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcome from the above decision includes sustained symptom improvement. The other expected outcome includes the adoption of healthy lifestyles and behaviors by the patient. Medication adherence is also expected to improve for optimum treatment outcomes (Patel et al., 2020).

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations that include non-maleficence, beneficence, and autonomy should be considered in making decisions related to psychiatric treatments. Patients should be minimally exposed to any form of harm in the treatment process. Continuing with the current treatment and incorporating dietary modifications and physical activities will optimize the treatment outcomes by promoting healthy weight gain (Emsley & Kilian, 2018).

Conclusion

Schizophrenia is a mental health problem with adverse health effects. Effective treatment interventions should be explored for optimum symptom management. The case study analysis has demonstrated that Invega Sustenna is highly effective in treating symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The drug improves the adherence levels and social functioning among the affected patients. Invega Sustenna exists in rapid onset formulations that increase its efficacy in schizophrenia

References

Cassidy, C., & Miles, W. (2021).New Zealand community mental healthcare provider experience in schizophrenia management with 3-monthly paliperidonepalmitate.Australasian Psychiatry, 29(3), 299–304. https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856220928867

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