NURS 6630: Assessing and Treating Patients With Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health conditions, affecting individuals across various demographics. As healthcare providers, understanding the complexities of assessing and treating patients with anxiety disorders is crucial in delivering effective care.  Below is a sample of the NURS 6630 assignment we’ve completed, demonstrating how to approach this case study with a focus on patient-centered care and pharmacological considerations. Our expert guidance can help you tackle similar assignments with clarity and confidence.

NURS 6630: Assessing and Treating Patients With Anxiety Disorders

Case Study: A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety Decision Tree

Chest pains, shortness of breath, and other physical symptoms associated with anxiety disorders may be mistaken for a heart attack or another physical ailment. Patients frequently seek care from their primary care providers or emergency departments as a result of these manifestations. Once it is determined that these symptoms do not have an organic basis, patients are typically referred for anxiolytic therapy to a psychiatric mental health practitioner. Consider how you might assess and treat patients presenting with anxiety disorders in this Assignment as you examine the patient case study in this week’s Learning Resources.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The client is a 46-year-old white male who works as a welder at a local steel fabrication factory. He presents today after being referred by his PCP after a trip to the emergency room in which he felt he was having a heart attack. He stated that he felt chest tightness, shortness of breath, and feeling of impending doom. He does have some mild hypertension (which is treated with low sodium diet) and is about 15 lbs. overweight. He had his tonsils removed when he was 8 years old, but his medical history since that time has been unremarkable. Myocardial infarction was ruled out in the ER and his EKG was normal. Remainder of physical exam was WNL.

He admits that he still has problems with tightness in the chest and episodes of shortness of breath- he now terms these “anxiety attacks.” He will also report occasional feelings of impending doom, and the need to “run” or “escape” from wherever he is at.

In your office, he confesses to occasional use of ETOH to combat worries about work. He admits to consuming about 3-4 beers/night. Although he is single, he is attempting to care for aging parents in his home. He reports that the management at his place of employment is harsh, and he fears for his job. You administer the HAM-A, which yields a score of 26.

Client has never been on any type of psychotropic medication.

MENTAL STATUS EXAM

The client is alert, oriented to person, place, time, and event. He is appropriately dressed. Speech is clear, coherent, and goal-directed. Client’s self-reported mood is “bleh” and he does endorse feeling “nervous”. Affect is somewhat blunted, but does brighten several times throughout the clinical interview. Affect broad. Client denies visual or auditory hallucinations, no overt delusional or paranoid thought processes readily apparent. Judgment is grossly intact, as is insight. He denies suicidal or homicidal ideation.

You administer the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) which yields a score of 26.

Diagnosis: Generalized anxiety disorder

RESOURCES

Hamilton, M. (1959). Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Psyctests, doi:10.1037/t02824-0

Decision Point OneSelect what you should do:

Begin Zoloft 50 mg po daily

Begin Imipramine 25 mg po BID

Begin Buspirone 10 mg po BID

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 requiring anxiolytic therapy.

The Assignment: 5 pages

Examine Case Study: A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety. 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. Case Study A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety Decision Tree

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. Case Study A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety Decision Tree

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. Case Study A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety Decision Tree

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.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. Case Study A Middle-Aged Caucasian Man With Anxiety Decision Tree

Why Partner With Us for Your Nursing Assignments

When it comes to assessing and treating patients with anxiety disorders, understanding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics is essential for effective decision-making. Here’s how our support can help you excel in your nursing assignments:

1. Expert Guidance: We provide comprehensive assistance in analyzing case studies and making informed decisions about medication selection based on patient-specific factors.
2. Pharmacological Insights: Our team offers expertise in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to ensure that your medication choices are evidence-based and tailored to the patient's needs.
3. Clear, Concise Writing: We assist you in structuring your assignment clearly and concisely, ensuring that your recommendations are logically presented and well-supported.
4. Patient-Centered Care Focus: We emphasize the importance of individualized care, ensuring that your recommendations prioritize the patient's health and well-being.
5. Tailored Support: Whether you need help understanding complex pharmacological concepts or crafting a thoughtful case study response, our team offers personalized assistance to ensure academic success.

With our help, you can confidently tackle assignments related to the treatment of anxiety disorders, enhancing your nursing practice and improving patient outcomes.