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
Learning Objectives
Students will:
· 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
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Prince, J. B., Wilens, T. E., Spencer, T. J., & Biederman, J. (2016). Stimulants and other medications for ADHD. In T. A. Stern, M. Favo, T. E. Wilens, & J. F. Rosenbaum. (Eds.), Massachusetts General Hospital psychopharmacology and neurotherapeutics (pp. 99–112). Elsevier.
Martin, L. (2020). A 5-question quiz on ADHD. Psychiatric Times.
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/5-question-quiz-adhd
Medication Resources (click to expand/reduce)
Note: To access the following medications, use the IBM Micromedex resource. Type the name of each medication in the keyword search bar. Be sure to read all sections on the left navigation bar related to each medication’s result page, as this information will be helpful for your review in preparation for your Assignments.
· armodafinil
· amphetamine (d)
· amphetamine (d,l)
· atomoxetine
· bupropion
· chlorpromazine
· clonidine
· guanfacine
· haloperidol
· lisdexamfetamine
· methylphenidate (d)
· methylphenidate (d,l)
· modafinil
· reboxetine
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/Walden/NURS/6521/05/mm/decision_trees/week_09/index.html
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:
· 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 ADHD.
The Assignment: 5 pages
Examine Case Study: A Young Caucasian Girl with ADHD. 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
WORK WITH THIS.
DECISION 1 :BEGIN RITALIN (METHLPHENIDATE) CHEWABLE TABLETS 10 MG ORALLY IN THE MORNING.
DECISION 2: CHANGE TO RITALIN 20MG ORALLY DAILY IN THE MORNING
DECISION 3: MAINTAIN CURRENT DOSE OF RITALIN LA AND RE-EVALUATE IN 4 WKS.
