NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment – Step-by-Step Guide
The first step before starting to write the NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment: Assessing and Treating Patients with ADHD – Case Study: A Young Caucasian Girl with ADHD, it is essential to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. It is also important to identify the audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the university library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last words and go through each to check for credibility.
Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list. You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested to read through to the end. You should start with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.
How to Write the Body for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence conducted from the research, ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between each paragraph by using transition words and a flow of ideas.
How to Write the In-text Citations for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:
The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper, by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.
How to Format the Reference List for NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment
The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded, in sentence sentence care. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication.
Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:
References
Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456
Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.
An Example NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment Follows:
Assessing and Treating Patients with ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic childhood condition that is characterized by ongoing impulsivity-hyperactivity and inattention. This case scenario involves Katie, an 8-year-old Caucasian female patient. Her primary care physician prompted her visit to the psychiatric clinic. The parents come along with a copy of “Conner’s Teacher Rating Scale-Revised” that indicates that the patient is easily distracted, has inattention, is poor at reading, arithmetic, and spelling, and is forgetful. Her attention span is so short that she is not interested in school work and only pays attention to things that she finds interesting, and she does not complete most of her tasks. At the current visit, she is unbothered. She notes that her favorite subject is arts but says that sometimes she is absent-minded during classes.
Examinations reveal that the client is developed appropriately for her age. She has a logical, age-appropriate, clear, and coherent speech. She is alert and oriented X4. She says that she has not experienced any visual or auditory hallucinations. She is also appropriately dressed for the event and season. She has a bright affect during the interview. When asked to count backward in a series of 2s and 5s, she does well, indicating that she has intact concentration. She is diagnosed with ADHD, as she predominantly presents with inattention. This paper will delve into the best decisions to manage the patient while considering pertinent ethical principles behind the prioritized decisions.
Decision One
The initial priority decision is to start the patient on methylphenidate (Ritalin) chewable tablet 10mg PO in the morning. Ritalin is considered a schedule II medication that non-competitively inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, thus increasing their concentrations in the brain (Mechler et al., 2021). The author found Ritalin to be safe and effective, and it took only a short period for its action to kick in in the management of the severity and the frequency of ADHD symptoms and increased social functioning of the individuals without any adverse side effects. The study participants reported that their symptoms were relieved, which increased their attention, with the majority of them seeing increased cognitive control within one hour after administration of the drug (Mechler et al., 2021). the FDA approved the use of the medication as a first-line therapy in the management of ADHD in patients above six years, as an extended-release formulation. Administering the medication in the morning will ensure Katie has sustained concentration and attention throughout the day.
The administration of Wellbutrin (bupropion) XL 150mg PO OD was not considered because the drug has unreliable efficacy and safety. Studies by (Patel et al., 2016) showed that Wellbutrin took at least up to 2 weeks for the patient to experience relief of symptoms, and can take up to 6 weeks for the full effect of the drug to take place when compared to Ritalin, which only takes a short time. (Patel et al., 2016) noted that the participants of the study were likely to experience homicidal thoughts, arrhythmia, and depression, which can lead to mania and hallucinations. The effects of this drug would have been unfavorable for an 8-year-old patient. It is expected that after the administration of the medication, the patient will report an improvement in the severity of the symptoms at the next visit.
According to Jain (2017), Intuniv causes sedative effects when consumed, leading to poor tolerance and non-compliance. The medication has been routinely used for the management of Defiant Behavior; the patient is only presenting with poor concentration and inattention, which makes the medication not viable for the case. PMHNPs must adhere to the dynamic ethical principle scenarios that can present throughout the patient’s course of treatment. It is essential to ensure that the parents are educated on ADHD, its presentation, and how it can be managed. They should be allowed to make informed decisions whether they would like to adhere to the treatment plan or whether certain changes should be made. When patients are aware of their condition, they are likely to be compliant with treatment, which promotes trust between them and the PMHNPs.
Decision Two
The ideal decision at this stage is to shift to Ritalin LA 20mg PO daily in the morning. When using medications, it is essential to modify the dosages to meet the patient’s needs and to promote tolerance with minimal side effects. Comparative studies carried out by Jordan and Andersen (2017) on the use of Ritalin LA indicated that the patient had a longer therapeutic response, mitigating the administration of multiple doses to meet the same response. The short-acting tablet has a half-life of about 3 hours; on the other hand, the LA has a half-life of up to 8 hours, which can cause a desirable prolonged therapeutic effect. Therefore, opting to use Ritalin LA can decrease tachycardia because of its released formulation, which is controlled. Continuing with the 10 mg chewable tablet would not be an effective therapeutic dose to cause the desired relief of symptoms. The formulation would not mitigate the symptoms effectively throughout the day; the patient still complains of inattention, tachycardia, and afternoon lapses, prompting an increase in the dosage.
Similarly, Adderall XR 15mg PO was not considered a viable option, as control trial studies by Coghill et al. (2021) indicated that when Adderall and Ritalin were used in the management of ADHD in children, Adderall was more potent. However, some of the subjects reported dry mouth, loss of weight and insomnia. Not administering this medication will protect the client from unwanted side effects.
The principle of nonmaleficence comes in handy at this point. The healthcare provider must ensure that their interventions do not bring any harm to the client. Starting with a smaller medication dosage can help ensure that side effects and the client’s response to the medications are monitored and essential changes are made to the care plan. Shifting to the Ritalin LA formulation ensures that the symptoms are resolved and that the client experiences the therapeutic benefits of the medications without experiencing any side effects. After four weeks with the LA formulation, there is increased improvement in academic performance, and the tachycardia has resolved, indicating that the medication is effective.
Decision Three
Ritalin LA has been shown to be effective in the management of the symptoms with minimal side effects; therefore, continuing with the same dosage and reevaluating the client after four weeks is the most effective decision to make at this point. Wolraich et al. (2019) observed that the patient can enjoy the beneficial effects of the medication where there are minimal or no side effects and when the medication’s bioavailability is prolonged. No justifiable reason arises for increasing the dosage to Ritalin LA 30mg PO daily, as the patient already shows effective relief of symptoms and minimal side effects when using the initial dose of 20 mg PO OD.
Lower dosages of the medications are recommended because they carry less risk of the client developing side effects. Studies by Mechler et al. (2021) on the use of Ritalin in patients aged 6 to 12 years indicated that they experienced relief of the symptoms but also side effects such as tachycardia. However, with dose adjustment and titrations, the subjects reported to tolerate the drug effectively after that. The recommended dosages range between 5 mg and 30 mg, depending on how the specific individual is responding to the medications. For Katie, it took 20 mg to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. A pulse of 92 bpm is appropriate for her age, rendering it inappropriate to conduct an EKG. There are no other relevant indications for the EKG.
If the patient adheres to this treatment regimen, they are expected to experience improved performance in school and relief of the symptoms. This stage calls for the principle of veracity, where the healthcare worker gives the parents a clear picture of the progress they have made so far and what other interventions may be necessary. For instance, the decision not to ask for an EKG because of the absence of an indication can help to prevent any additional costs; explaining this truth to the parents may help to alleviate their anxiety about the procurement of further tests. The PMHNP should educate the parents on the importance of compliance with treatment until full remission. They should also be informed of danger signs that should alert them when to report back to the clinic.
Conclusion
The management of ADHD can include skills training, counseling, parental training based on patient factors, and pharmacotherapy. Some of the major classes used in the management of the condition include psychostimulants, antidepressants, and non-stimulants. Current guidelines for the management of ADHD recommend the use of Ritalin as the first-line medication, which acts by increasing the concentrations of noradrenaline and dopamine by reducing their reuptake. The use of Ritalin has been shown to be effective in managing symptoms in individuals six years and above and is tolerated well. The drug exists in different formulations, whose choice of use is informed by the desired therapeutic effects and the tolerance of the medication.
The choice of using Ritalin short-acting chewable formulation of 20mg did not effectively manage the symptoms throughout the day, which required the use of Ritalin LA to increase its bioavailability throughout the day to combat the undesired symptoms. Wellbutrin and Intuniv were not considered in this case because of their adverse side effects and the time of onset of action. Compared to Ritalin, which has a short onset of action, Wellbutrin takes up to 6 weeks to reach full effect, making it not an excellent first-choice medication. Some of the subjects who used Wellbutrin and Intuniv reported to have experienced side effects such as arrhythmias, which can be detrimental to younger patients. Ethical principles have been adhered to throughout the patient’s care to ensure that the care provided is safe and acceptable to the patient and that it is holistic by considering the patient’s comprehensive needs.
NURS 6630 Week 9 Assignment References
Coghill, D., Banaschewski, T., Cortese, S., Asherson, P., Brandeis, D., Buitelaar, J., Daley, D., Danckaerts, M., Dittmann, R. W., Doepfner, M., Ferrin, M., Hollis, C., Holtmann, M., Paramala, S., Sonuga-Barke, E., Soutullo, C., Steinhausen, H.-C., Van der Oord, S., Wong, I. C. K., & Zuddas, A. (2021). The management of ADHD in children and adolescents: bringing evidence to the clinic: Perspective from the European ADHD Guidelines Group (EAGG). European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01871-x
Jain, U. (2017). The use of guanfacine (Intuniv XR) in the treatment of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder – Clinical experience from telepsychiatry. European Psychiatry, 41, S442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.449
Jordan, C. J., & Andersen, S. L. (2017). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Dopamine☆. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-809324-5.02095-2
Mechler, K., Banaschewski, T., Hohmann, S., & Häge, A. (2021). Evidence-based pharmacological treatment options for ADHD in children and adolescents. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 230(230), 107940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107940
Patel, K., Allen, S., Haque, M. N., Angelescu, I., Baumeister, D., & Tracy, D. K. (2016). Bupropion: A systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness as an antidepressant. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, 6(2), 99–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125316629071
Wolraich, M. L., Hagan, J. F., Allan, C., Chan, E., Davison, D., Earls, M., Evans, S. W., Flinn, S. K., Froehlich, T., Frost, J., Holbrook, J. R., Lehmann, C. U., Lessin, H. R., Okechukwu, K., Pierce, K. L., Winner, J. D., & Zurhellen, W. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 144(4), Article e20192528. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2528
That was a successful week 9 assignment. I hope you have made progress in as far as this NURS 6630 class is concerned. In week 10 assignment, you will be assessing and treating patients with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction. This task will be based on a case study of a Puerto Rican woman with comorbid addiction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When approaching a 500-word essay, it’s essential to understand the nuances of this compact form of writing. These frequently asked questions will guide you through the process of crafting a concise and impactful essay.
How many pages is a 500-word essay typically?
A 500-word essay usually spans about one page if single-spaced or two pages when double-spaced, with standard margins and a 12-point font size.
Can you provide examples of a well-structured 500-word essay?
Certainly, to see the structure and flow of a well-written essay, you might want to take a look at a student’s writing guide that provides insights and examples.
Are there specific formatting guidelines for a 500-word essay?
Formatting guidelines typically involve using a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12, with double-spacing and one-inch margins on all sides. Check any specific requirements your instructor might have provided.
What are some effective strategies for writing a personal essay of 500 words?
For a personal essay, focus on a singular event or characteristic, ensuring your ideas are clear and you reflect on the significance of the subject matter. Use concise language and powerful imagery to maximize impact.
What topics are suitable for a concise 500-word essay?
Choose topics you can thoroughly address within the word limit, such as a personal anecdote, a critical analysis of a poem, or a focused argument on a singular point or issue.
How much time should you allocate to write a 500-word essay effectively?
Depending on your familiarity with the topic and writing proficiency, allocate anywhere from one to several hours for planning, drafting, and revising to ensure a well-presented essay.
