Please review the Discussion Board Participation grading rubric under Course Resources in the Grading Rubrics section.

This is important information that will ensure that you earn maximum points. Your postings should be qualitative and provide substantive depth that advances the discussion.

Please see the Writing Center located in the student portal for assistance with writing, APA, and online communication.

Topic: Application of Standards of Care

For the case scenario, discuss the standard(s) of care that the parties will be held to in this case. How will the standards of care and the Nurse Practice Act for your state be applied in a court of law if the case is sued?

Case Scenario

SK, age 61, was admitted to the hospital. Because of understaffing of nurses in the hospital, her assigned RN did not assess her often enough and did not monitor her oxygen level.

SK went to the hospital with what she thought was a bad cold, and was admitted with a diagnosis of pneumonia. Following admission, she became increasingly feverish and short of breath, but her family’s calls for help went unanswered. In fact, her daughter was unable to find anyone when she went to the nurses’ station looking for help. The patient eventually stopped breathing, and someone finally responded to the family’s desperate and frantic calls for help. SK was successfully resuscitated, but sustained brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. She was left unable to walk, talk, or care for herself.

There were 41 other patients on this unit. Although the hospital’s own staffing standards called for 5 registered nurses and 2 licensed practical nurses to staff this unit, only 3 registered nurses were on duty. Records for the unit in question indicated that the hospital failed to meet its own staffing standards for 51 out of 59 days before this incident.

3 references need

Post a response to each of the following:

1.     Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents.

2.     Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.

3.     Explain the role of epigenetics in pharmacologic action.

Explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to clients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a client in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication’s action

Assignment 2: Week 2 Practicum Journal: Safe Prescribing

There is probably no greater responsibility that the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner assumes than the responsibility of prescribing medications. While someone can be harmed by psychotherapy, the level and intensity of the harm generally does not come to the same level of harm that can occur from improper prescribing. The PMHNP must understand his/her responsibility both at a state and federal level when it comes to prescribing medications.

In this Practicum Journal Assignment, you will explore the legalities associated with prescribing controlled substances, as well as what a DEA number is, how to obtain one, and, most importantly, how to prescribe controlled substances in your state.

Students will:

• Analyze roles of the Drug Enforcement Administration
• Analyze PMHNP responsibilities when issued a DEA number
• Analyze DEA number application procedures
• Analyze state requirements for safe prescribing and prescription monitoring
• Analyze PMHNP responsibilities for safe prescribing and prescription monitoring
• Analyze Schedule II-V drug levels

To prepare for this Practicum Journal:

• Review the Learning Resources.

In 2-3 pages:

• Describe the role of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as it pertains to the PMHNP.
• Explain your responsibilities when having a DEA number.
• Explain how you apply for a DEA number.
• Explain your state’s requirements for a safe prescribing and prescription monitoring program. Explain your responsibility as a PMHNP to follow these requirements.
• Provide an example of a drug you may prescribe from each of the Schedule II-V drug levels.

LINKS:

PLEASE FOR THE ASSIGNMENT BELOW, YOU MUST READ THE INSTRUCTION IN THE ATTACHMENT BEFORE STARTING.  ALSO, REMEMBER TO INCLUDE INTRODUCTION, CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES (APA FORMAT)

                                 ASSIGNMENT

· Briefly describe the case you selected.

· Explain how you would treat the client differently if he or she were a child or

adolescent.

· Explain any legal or ethical issues you would have to consider when working with

a child or adolescent emergency case.

When treating children, prescribers often adjust dosages approved for adults to accommodate a child’s weight. However, children are not just “smaller” adults. Adults and children process and respond to drugs differently in their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Children even respond differently during stages from infancy to adolescence. This poses potential safety concerns when prescribing drugs to pediatric patients. As an advanced practice nurse, you have to be aware of safety implications of the off-label use of drugs with this patient group.

To Prepare

• Review the interactive media piece in this week’s Resources and reflect on the types of drugs used to treat pediatric patients with mood disorders.
• Reflect on situations in which children should be prescribed drugs for off-label use.
• Think about strategies to make the off-label use and dosage of drugs safer for children from infancy to adolescence. Consider specific off-label drugs that you think require extra care and attention when used in pediatrics.

By Day 5 of Week 11

Write a 1-page narrative in APA format that addresses the following:

• Explain the circumstances under which children should be prescribed drugs for off-label use. Be specific and provide examples.
• Describe strategies to make the off-label use and dosage of drugs safer for children from infancy to adolescence. Include descriptions and names of off-label drugs that require extra care and attention when used in pediatrics.