Week 3 Discussion Forum

• Why  is your research needed, and how will it affect social change or change  within your organization? Discuss the key people involved and how your  research will affect them.

The diagnosis of psychiatric emergencies can include a wide range of problems—from serious drug reactions to abuse and suicidal ideation/behaviors. Regardless of care setting, the PMHNP must know how to address emergencies, coordinate care with other members of the health care team and law enforcement officials (when indicated), and effectively communicate with family members who are often overwhelmed in emergency situations. In their role, PMHNPs can ensure a smooth transition from emergency mental health care to follow-up care, and also bridge the physical–mental health divide in healthcare.

In this week’s Assignment, you explore legal and ethical issues surrounding psychiatric emergencies, and identify evidence-based suicide and violence risk assessments. 

TO PREPARE

· Review this week’s Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide about psychiatric emergencies and the ethical and legal issues surrounding these events.

THE ASSIGNMENT

In 2–3 pages, address the following:

· Explain your state laws for involuntary psychiatric holds for child and adult psychiatric emergencies. Include who can hold a patient and for how long, who can release the emergency hold, and who can pick up the patient after a hold is released.

· Explain the differences among emergency hospitalization for evaluation/psychiatric hold, inpatient commitment, and outpatient commitment in your state.

· Explain the difference between capacity and competency in mental health contexts.

· Select one of the following topics, and explain one legal issue and one ethical issue related to this topic that may apply within the context of treating psychiatric emergencies: patient autonomy, EMTALA, confidentiality, HIPAA privacy rule, HIPAA security rule, protected information, legal gun ownership, career obstacles (security clearances/background checks), and payer source.

· Identify one evidence-based suicide risk assessment that you could use to screen patients.

· Identify one evidence-based violence risk assessment that you could use to screen patients.

THE ASSIGNMENT: 5 PAGES

For this assignment, you will develop a patient medication guide for treatment of depressive disorders in a vulnerable population (your choice for one vulnerable patient population to choose from: children, adolescents, older adults, dementia patients, pregnant women or one not listed of your choice!). Be sure to use language appropriate for your audience (patient, caregiver, parent, etc.). You will include non-copyright images and/or information tables to make your patient medication guide interesting and appealing. Limit your patient medication guide to 5 pages. You will create this guide as an assignment; therefore, a title page, introduction, conclusion, and reference page are required. You must include a minimum of 3 scholarly supporting resources outside of your course provided resources.

In your patient guide, include discussion on the following:

• Depressive disorder causes and symptoms
• How depression is diagnosed for the vulnerable population of your choice, why is this population considered vulnerable
• Medication treatment options including risk vs benefits; side effects; FDA approvals for the vulnerable population of your choice
• Medication considerations of medication examples prescribed (see last bullet item)
• What is important to monitor in terms of labs, comorbid medical issues with why important for monitoring
• Special Considerations (you must be specific, not general and address at least one for EACH category; you must demonstrate critical thinking beyond basics of HIPPA and informed consent!): legal considerations, ethical considerations, cultural considerations, social determinants of health
• Where to follow up in your local community for further information
• Provide 3 examples of how to write a proper prescription that you would provide to the patient or transmit to the pharmacy. 

Private, nongovernmental healthcare organizations may be either for profit (FP) or not for profit (NFP).

• Discuss the difference between not-for-profit and for-profit organizations.
• What happens if an NFP organization makes a profit?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of organization?
• Describe two specific examples of how risk management has influenced nursing documentation.

Submission Instructions:

• Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.