What type of drug should you prescribe based on your patient’s diagnosis? How much of the drug should the patient receive? How often should the drug be administered? When should the drug not be prescribed? Are there individual patient factors that could create complications when taking the drug? Should you be prescribing drugs to this patient?

These are some of the questions you might consider when selecting a treatment plan for a patient. As an advanced practice nurse prescribing drugs, you are held accountable for people’s lives on a daily basis. Patients and their families will often place trust in you because of your position. With this trust comes power and responsibility, as well as an ethical and legal obligation to “do no harm.” It is important that you are aware of current professional, legal, and ethical standards for advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority. In this Discussion, you explore ethical and legal implications of scenarios and consider how to appropriately respond.

Scenario 1:

As a nurse practitioner, you prescribe medications for your patients. You make an error when prescribing medication to a 5-year-old patient. Rather than dosing him appropriately, you prescribe a dose suitable for an adult.

Scenario 2:

A friend calls and asks you to prescribe a medication for her. You have this autonomy, but you don’t have your friend’s medical history. You write the prescription anyway.

Scenario 3:

You see another nurse practitioner writing a prescription for her husband who is not a patient of the nurse practitioner. The prescription is for a narcotic. You can’t decide whether or not to report the incident.

Scenario 4:

During your lunch break at the hospital, you read a journal article on pharmacoeconomics. You think of a couple of patients who have recently mentioned their financial difficulties. You wonder if some of the expensive drugs you have prescribed are sufficiently managing the patients’ health conditions and improving their quality of life.

To prepare:

• – Review Chapter 1 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text, as      well as articles from the American Nurses Association, Anderson and      Townsend, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Philipsend and Soeken.
• – Select one of the four scenarios listed above.
• – Consider the ethical and legal implications of the      scenario for all stakeholders involved such as the prescriber, pharmacist,      patient, and the patient’s family.
• – Think about two strategies that you, as an advanced      practice nurse, would use to guide your ethically and legally responsible      decision-making in this scenario.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post an explanation of the ethical and legal implications of the scenario you selected on all stakeholders involved such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family. Describe two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your decision making in this scenario.

– This work should have Introduction and conclusion

– This work should have at 3 to 5current references (Year 2012 and up)

– Use at least 2 references from class Learning Resources

The following Resources are not acceptable:

1. Wikipedia

2. Cdc.gov- nonhealthcare professionals section

3. Webmd.com

4. Mayoclinic.com

Required Readings

**Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

• Chapter 1, “Issues for the      Practitioner in Drug Therapy” (pp. 3–14)
       This chapter introduces issues relating to drug therapy such as adverse      drug events and medication adherence. It also explores drug safety, the      practitioner’s role and responsibilities in prescribing, and prescription      writing.
• Chapter 59, “The Economics      of Pharmacotherapeutics” (pp. 1009-1018)
       This chapter analyzes the costs of drug therapy to health care systems and      society and explores practice guideline compliance and current issues in      medical care.
• Chapter 60, “Integrative Approaches to      Pharmacotherapy—A Look at Complex Cases” (pp. 1021-1036)
       This chapter examines issues in individual patient cases. It explores      concepts relating to evaluation, drug selection, patient education, and      alternative treatment options.

**Crigger, N., & Holcomb, L. (2008). Improving nurse practitioner practice through rational prescribing. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 4(2), 120–125.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article explores issues relating to prescription drugs, specifically the frequency in which drugs are prescribed to patients. It also examines factors to consider before beginning drug therapy plans with patients.

**Philipsen, N. C., & Soeken, D. (2011). Preparing to blow the whistle: A survival guide for nurses. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 7(9), 740–746.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article examines issues that nurses encounter when reporting errors in medical settings. It also outlines the role of ethics and the responsibility of nurses to notify all individuals who are impacted by a medical error.

**American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Nursing World. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics-For-Nurses.html

This article outlines ethical standards in the nursing profession and identifies nine provisions of care that must be adhered to by all nurses.

**Anderson, P., & Townsend, T. (2010). Medication errors: Don’t let them happen to you. American Nurse Today, 5(3), 23–28. Retrieved from https://americannursetoday.com/medication-errors-dont-let-them-happen-to-you/

This article examines factors that lead to medication errors as well as consequences of these errors on patients and nurses. It also recommends methods for avoiding and eliminating medication errors.

**Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Mid-level practitioners authorization by state. Retrieved from August 23, 2012, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/practioners/index.html

This website outlines the schedules for controlled substances, including prescriptive authority for each schedule.

**Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/

This website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.

**Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2012). ISMP’s list of error-prone abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations. Retrieved from http://www.ismp.org/Tools/errorproneabbreviations.pdf

This website provides a list of prescription writing abbreviations that might lead to misinterpretation, as well as suggestions for preventing resulting errors.

**Byrne, W. (2011). U.S. nurse practitioner prescribing law: A state-by-state summary. Medscape Nurses. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/440315

**Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Code of federal regulations. Retrieved August 23, 2012, from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/cfr/1300/1300_01.htm

Write 3–4 pages describing the effective use of patient-care technologies, communication systems, and information systems across the care continuum of a health care system of your choice. Add a one-page executive summary your organization could use to disseminate these ideas.

Because a lack of knowledge when using technology can lead to errors in patient care, effective use of technology in health care is paramount to providing a safe health care delivery environment.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 3: Explain the use of information management tools and technologies to monitor and improve health care delivery and patient outcomes.       
  • Describe effective use of technology across the care continuum in a health care setting.
  • Describe how to manage change and technology to improve positive outcomes.
  • Support description of effective patient care with current nursing and informatics theoretical ideas.
• Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is consistent with expectations of a nursing professional.       
  • Write coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.

• How might standardized nursing language (SNL), interprofessional communication, information system support, staff and patient education, organizational culture, and state and national regulations influence technology use?      
  • What are the complexities in using technology across a continuum of care?
  • What are the opportunities?
  • What are the barriers?
• How can we manage change and technology use to develop improved patient outcomes?

Assessment Instructions 

In the role of a nurse leader, describe the effective use of patient-care technologies across the care continuum in a chosen health care system.

Preparation

Choose any type of health care system, for example, acute, ambulatory, or home health or telehealth.

Directions

Submit the following for this assessment:

Technology Across the Care Continuum

Include the following in your 3–4-page description:

• A brief overview of the care continuum in your selected health care system.
• Describe the types of patient-care technologies and how they are used across the care continuum in your system. Be sure to include communication and information systems.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in the systems and describe how to manage change and technology to improve patient outcomes.
• Support your description of effective patient care with current nursing and informatics theoretical ideas.

Executive Summary

Based on the description above, add a 1-page executive summary that captures the following points:

• Current state of technology across the care continuum in your system.
• Proposed improvements.
• Risks of making or not making changes or improvements.
• Recommended next steps.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Format resources and citations according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
• Number of resources: Cite a minimum of four peer-reviewed resources.
• Length: Submit 4–5 typed, double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12 point.

Write a paper (2,000-2,500 words) in which you apply the concepts of epidemiology and nursing research to a communicable disease. Refer to “Communicable Disease Chain,” “Chain of Infection,” and the CDC website for assistance completing this assignment.

Communicable Disease Selection

Choose one communicable disease from the following list:

1. Chickenpox
2. Tuberculosis
3. Influenza
4. Mononucleosis
5. Hepatitis B
6. HIV
7. Ebola
8. Measles
9. Polio
10. Influenza

Epidemiology Paper Requirements

Address the following:

1. Describe the communicable disease (causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, complications, treatment) and the demographic of interest (mortality, morbidity, incidence, and prevalence). Is this a reportable disease? If so, provide details about reporting time, whom to report to, etc.
2. Describe the determinants of health and explain how those factors contribute to the development of this disease.
3. Discuss the epidemiologic triangle as it relates to the communicable disease you have selected. Include the host factors, agent factors (presence or absence), and environmental factors. (The textbook describes each element of the epidemiologic triangle). Are there any special considerations or notifications for the community, schools, or general population?
4. Explain the role of the community health nurse (case finding, reporting, data collecting, data analysis, and follow-up).
5. Identify at least one national agency or organization that addresses the communicable disease chosen and describe how the organization(s) contributes to resolving or reducing the impact of disease.
6. Discuss a global implication of the disease. How is this addressed in other countries or cultures? Is this disease endemic to a particular area? Provide an example.

A minimum of three peer-reviewed or professional references is required.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. 

 

Examine Case Study: A Puerto Rican Woman With Comorbid Addiction. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this client. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the client’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.

Impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction are challenging disorders for clients across the lifespan. These disorders often manifest as negative behaviors, resulting in adverse outcomes for clients. In your role as the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, you have the opportunity to help clients address underlying causes of the disorders and overcome these behaviors. For this Assignment, as you examine the client case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Assess client factors and history to develop personalized therapy plans for clients with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction

· Analyze factors that influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in clients requiring therapy for impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction

· Evaluate efficacy of treatment plans

· Analyze ethical and legal implications related to prescribing therapy for clients with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction

Learning Resources

Note:  To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the  Course Materials  section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using this link. This link will take you to a log-in page for the Walden Library. Once you log into the library, the Stahl website will appear.

Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

To access the following chapters, click on the Essential Psychopharmacology, 4th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate chapter. Be sure to read all sections on the left navigation bar for each chapter.

· Chapter 14, “Impulsivity, Compulsivity, and Addiction”

Stahl, S. M., & Grady, M. (2012). Stahl’s illustrated substance use and impulsive disorder New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

To access the following chapter, click on the Illustrated Guides tab and then the Substance Use and Impulsive Disorders tab.

· Chapter 10, “Disorders of Impulsivity and Compulsivity”

Stahl, S. M. (2014b). The prescriber’s guide (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.

Review the following medications:

For insomnia

For obsessive-compulsive disorder

· Citalopram

· clomipramine

· escitalopram

· fluoxetine

· fluvoxamine

· paroxetine

· sertraline

· venlafaxine

· vilazodone

For alcohol withdrawal

· chlordiazepoxide

· clonidine

· clorazepate

· diazepam

· lorazepam

· oxazepam

For bulimia nervosa and binge eating

· fluoxetine

· topiramate

· zonisamide

For alcohol abstinence

· acamprosate

· disulfiram

For alcohol dependence

· nalmefene

· naltrexone

For opioid dependence

· buprenorphine

· naltrexone

For nicotine addiction

· bupropion

· varenicline

Book Excerpt: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (1999). Treatment of adolescents with substance use disorders. Treatment Improvement Protocol Series, No. 32. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64350/

· Chapter 1, “Substance Use Among Adolescents”

· Chapter 2, “Tailoring Treatment to the Adolescent’s Problem”

· Chapter 7, “Youths with Distinctive Treatment Needs”

University of Michigan Health System. (2016). Childhood trauma linked to worse impulse control in adulthood, study finds. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160120201324.htm

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Grant, J. E., Odlaug, B. L., & Schreiber, L. N. (2014). Pharmacological treatments in pathological gambling. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 77(2), 375–381. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04457.x

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Loreck, D., Brandt, N. J., & DiPaula, B. (2016). Managing opioid abuse in older adults: Clinical considerations and challenges. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(4), 10–15. doi:10.3928/00989134-20160314-04

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Salmon, J. M., & Forester, B. (2012). Substance abuse and co-occurring psychiatric disorders in older adults: A clinical case and review of the relevant literature. Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 8(1), 74–84. doi:10.1080/15504263.2012.648439

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Sanches, M., Scott-Gurnell, K., Patel, A., Caetano, S. C., Zunta-Soares, G. B., Hatch, J. P., & … Soares, J. C. (2014). Impulsivity in children and adolescents with mood disorders and unaffected offspring of bipolar parents. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(6), 1337–1341. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.04.018

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Required Media

Laureate Education (2016c). Case study: A Puerto Rican woman with comorbid addiction [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author

Note: This case study will serve as the foundation for this week’s Assignment.

To prepare for this Assignment:

· Review this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how to assess and treat adolescent clients requiring therapy for impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction.

The Assignment

Examine Case Study: A Puerto Rican Woman With Comorbid Addiction. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this client. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the client’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.

At each decision point stop to complete the following:

· Decision #1

· Which decision did you select?

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #1 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

· Decision #2

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #2 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

· Decision #3

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #3 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

Note:  Support your rationale with a minimum of three academic resources. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement.

Many genitourinary (GU) disorders such as kidney disease begin developing during childhood and adolescence (Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, 2010). This early onset of disease makes it essential for you, as the advanced practice nurse caring for pediatric patients, to identify potential signs and symptoms. Although some pediatric GU disorders require long-term treatment and management, other disorders such as bedwetting or urinary tract infections are more common and frequently require only minor interventions. In your role with pediatric patients, you must evaluate symptoms and determine whether to treat patients or refer them for specialized care. For this Discussion, consider potential diagnoses, treatment, and/or referral options for the patients in the following three case studies.

Case Study 1

You see a 3-year-old with a 2-day history of complaints of dysuria with frequent episodes of enuresis despite potty training about 7 months ago. She is afebrile and denies vomiting. Physical examination is normal. Dipstick voided urine analysis reveals: specific gravity 1.015, Protein 1+ non-hemolyzed blood, 1+ nitrites, 1+ leukocytes, and glucose-negative.

Case Study 2

Mark is a 15-year-old with complaint of acute left scrotal pain with nausea. The pain began approximately 6 hours ago as a dull ache and has gradually worsened to where he can no longer stand without doubling over. He is afebrile and in marked pain. Physical exam is negative except for elevation of the left testicle, diffuse scrotal edema, and the presence of a blue dot sign.

Case Study 3

Maya is a 5-year-old who presents for a well-child visit. She is a healthy child with no complaints. Physical examination is normal. Routine urinalysis indicates 2+ proteinuria; specific gravity 1.020; negative for glucose, blood, leukocytes, and nitrites. Her blood pressure is normal, and she is at the 60th percentile for height and weight.

To prepare:

• Review “Genitourinary Disorders” in the Burns et al. text.
• Review and select one of the three provided case studies. Analyze the patient information.
• Consider a differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Think about the most likely diagnosis for the patient.
• Think about a treatment and management plan for the patient. Be sure to consider appropriate dosages for any recommended pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic treatments.
• Consider strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the genitourinary disorder.

By Day 3

Post an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Include an explanation of unique characteristics of the disorder you identified as the primary diagnosis. Then, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including appropriate dosages for any recommended treatments. Finally, explain strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the genitourinary disorder.