: Assessing and Treating Clients With Psychosis and SchizophreniaPsychosis and schizophrenia greatly impact the brains normal processes

Week 6: Antipsychotic TherapyAccording to the National Alliance on Mental Illness approximately 100 000 people experience psychosis in the United States each year (NAMI 2016). In practice clients may present with delusions hallucinations disorganized thinking disorganized or abnormal motor behavior as well as other negative symptoms that can be disabling for these individuals. Not only are these symptoms one of the most challenging symptom clusters you will encounter many are associated with other disorders such as depression bipolar disorder and disorders on the schizophrenia spectrum. As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner you must understand the underlying neurobiology of these symptoms to select appropriate therapies and improve outcomes for clients.This week as you examine antipsychotic therapies you explore the assessment and treatment of clients with psychosis and schizophrenia. You also consider ethical and legal implications of these therapies.Photo Credit: Ingram publishing/Getty ImagesAssignment: Assessing and Treating Clients With Psychosis and SchizophreniaPsychosis and schizophrenia greatly impact the brains normal processes which interferes with the ability to think clearly. When symptoms of these disorders are uncontrolled clients may struggle to function in daily life. However clients often thrive when properly diagnosed and treated under the close supervision of a psychiatric mental health practitioner. For this Assignment as you examine the client case study in this weeks Learning Resources consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with psychosis and schizophrenia.Learning ObjectivesStudents will: Assess client factors and history to develop personalized plans of antipsychotic therapy for clients Analyze factors that influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in clients requiring antipsychotic therapy Evaluate efficacy of treatment plans Analyze ethical and legal implications related to prescribing antipsychotic therapy to clients across the lifespanLearning ResourcesNote:To access this weeks required library resources please click on the link to the Course Readings List found in theCourse Materialssection of your Syllabus.Required ReadingsNote: 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). Stahls 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 4 Psychosis and Schizophrenia Chapter 5 Antipsychotic AgentsStahl S. M. (2014b). The prescribers guide (5th ed.). New York NY: Cambridge University Press.To access information on the following medications click on The Prescribers Guide 5th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.Review the following medications:Naber D. & Lambert M. (2009). The CATIE and CUtLASS studies in schizophrenia: Results and implications for clinicians. CNS Drugs 23(8) 649-659. doi:10.2165/00023210-200923080-00002Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.Kay S. R. Fiszbein A. & Opler L. A. (1987). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia.