NU670 Unit 5 Discussion – Medications for Depression and Anxiety Related Disorders

Instructions:

It is anticipated that the initial discussion post should be in the range of 250-300 words. Response posts to peers have no minimum word requirement but must demonstrate topic knowledge and scholarly engagement with peers. Substantive content is imperative for all posts. All discussion prompt elements for the topic must be addressed. Please proofread your response carefully for grammar and spelling. Do not upload any attachments unless specified in the instructions. All posts should be supported by a minimum of one scholarly resource, ideally within the last 5 years. Journals and websites must be cited appropriately. Citations and references must adhere to APA format.

Classroom Participation:

Students are expected to address the initial discussion question by Wednesday of each week. Participation in the discussion forum requires a minimum of three (3) substantive postings (this includes your initial post and posting to two peers) on three (3) different days. Substantive means that you add something new to the discussion supported with citation(s) and reference(s), you are not just agreeing. This is also a time to ask questions or offer information surrounding the topic addressed by your peers. Personal experience is appropriate for a substantive discussion, however, should be correlated to the literature.

All discussion boards will be evaluated utilizing rubric criteria inclusive of content, analysis, collaboration, writing, and APA. If you fail to post an initial discussion or initial discussion is late, you will not receive points for content and analysis, you may however post to your peers for partial credit following the guidelines above.

Initial Discussion Question/Prompt [Due Wednesday]

• A 24-year-old female presents to your office stating that she is troubled by headaches and fatigue. She says that she always feels tired and can’t sleep well, often waking up early if she gets to sleep at all. She describes her headaches as dull, aching, and generalized. These symptoms began about three weeks ago and have been getting worse. She reports a lack of interest in her usual activities, even the ones that she used to enjoy. She also reports that she is missing work due to fatigue and inability to concentrate. Although both her children are in school, she is concerned that she is “losing them”. She is worried that she might have “something bad” because she has difficulty concentrating and is having frequent crying spells. She reports a loss of appetite, with a weight loss of 10 pounds in the last month.

  The patient has no significant past medical or psychiatric history and takes no regular medications. However, she takes ibuprofen for headaches. She denies using alcohol or drugs. The patient is married, with two elementary school-age children.

  1. What diagnosis do you believe may apply to this individual?
  2. What classifications of medications can be used to treat this disorder? Which medication do you recommend and why?

Responses need to address all components of the question, demonstrate critical thinking and analysis and include peer-reviewed journal evidence to support the student’s position.

Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with in-text citations and corresponding references in APA format.

Please review the rubric to ensure that your response meets the criteria.

Estimated time to complete: 2 hours

Discussion Peer/Participation Prompt [Due Sunday]

Please respond to at least 2 of your peer’s posts with substantive comments using the following steps:

• Substantive comments add to the discussion and provide your fellow students with information that will enhance the learning environment.
• References and citations should conform to APA standards.
• Remember: Please respect the opinions of others, even if their views differ. In other words, disagree professionally and respectfully.
• Plagiarism is never acceptable – give credit when credit is due – cite your sources.

Responses need to address all components of the question, demonstrate critical thinking and analysis and include peer-reviewed journal evidence to support the student’s position.

Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with in-text citations and corresponding references in APA format.

Please review the rubric to ensure that your response meets the criteria. Collaboration points will be forfeited if you fail to meet the response post guidelines.

Estimated time to complete: 1 hour