Therapy for Patients With Schizophrenia

According to the Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America. Approximately 3.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with schizophrenia (n.d.), and it is one of the leading causes of disability. In practice, patients 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 nurse practitioner, you must understand the underlying neurobiology of these symptoms to select appropriate therapies and improve outcomes for patients.

This week, as you examine antipsychotic therapies, you explore the assessment and treatment of patients with psychosis and schizophrenia. You also consider ethical and legal implications of these therapies.

Reference: Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America. (n.d.). About  schizophrenia.https://sardaa.org/resources/about-schizophrenia/#:~:text=Quick%20Facts%20About%20Schizophrenia.%20Schizophrenia%20can%20be%20found,is%20one%20of%20the%20leading%20causes%20of%20disability

 

Objectives, analyze;

 

· client factors and history to develop personalized therapy plans for patients with insomnia

·factors that influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics processes in patients requiring therapy for insomnia

·ethical and legal implications related to prescribing antipsychotic therapy to patients across the lifespan

Discussion: Treatment for a Patient With a Common Condition

Insomnia is one of the most common medical conditions you will encounter as a PNP. Insomnia is a common symptom of many mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD (Abbott, 2016). Various studies have demonstrated the bidirectional relationship between insomnia and mental illness. In fact, about 50% of adults with insomnia have a mental health problem, while up to 90% of adults with depression experience sleep problems (Abbott, 2016). Due to the interconnected psychopathology, it is important that you, as the PNP, understand the importance of the effects some psychopharmacologic treatments may have on a patient’s mental health illness and their sleep patterns. Therefore, it is important that you understand and reflect on the evidence-based research in developing treatment plans to recommend proper sleep practices to your patients as well as recommend appropriate psychopharmacologic treatments for optimal health and well-being.

Reference: Abbott, J. (2016). What’s the link between insomnia and mental illness? Health. https://www.sciencealert.com/what-exactly-is-the-link-between-insomnia-and-mental-illness#:~:text=Sleep%20problems%20such%20as%20insomnia%20are%20a%20common,bipolar%20disorder%2C%20and%20attention%20deficit%20hyperactivity%20disorder%20%28ADHD%29

Psychopharmacologic Approaches To Treatment Of Psychopathology

For this Discussion, review the case Learning Resources and the case study excerpt presented. Reflect on the case study excerpt and consider the therapy approaches you might take to assess, diagnose, and treat the patient’s health needs.

Case: An elderly widow who just lost her spouse. 

Subjective: A patient presents to your primary care office today with chief complaint of insomnia. Patient is 75 YO with PMH of DM, HTN, and MDD. Her husband of 41 years passed away 10 months ago. Since then, she states her depression has gotten worse as well as her sleep habits. The patient has no previous history of depression prior to her husband’s death. She is awake, alert, and oriented x3. Patient normally sees PCP once or twice a year, denies any suicidal ideations, arrived at the office today by private vehicle and currently takes the following medications:

living organisms

Respond to all of the initial postings from your peers in your discussion group on different days of the week.

Peer 1

Initial Post: Identify all the components of a cell. Describe the function of each of these components.

All living organisms are composed of a cell which is the smallest structural unit of living matter. A cell acts as a powerhouse to sustain the functions of living organisms for them to be alive. And it is made up of different components performing different functions.  The organelles that make up a cell include the nucleus, mitochondria, plasma membrane, cytoplasm, vacuoles, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, Cytoskeleton, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Each of them acting independently to sustain the cell’s life.

The nucleus is the main headquarter of a cell and contains most of the cell’s DNA. Genetic code that contains hereditary information. It’s bounded in the eukaryotic cell membrane, and it controls and regulates cell growth and metabolism. Within the nucleus, a nucleolus is responsible for producing and assembling the cell’s ribosomes. Ribosomes as cell components consist of RNA and associated proteins that synthesize proteins (McCance & Huether, 2018). This protein is required in many cellular functions, such as directing chemical processes. The lysosome is another cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes. These lysosomes break down worn-out parts of a cell and may destroy invading viruses and bacteria. Peroxisomes are another bag of enzymes that destroy toxic materials.

cell’s cytoplasm

Mitochondria is the cell’s powerhouse located in the cell’s cytoplasm. Which plays an imperative role in cell respiration. It generates most of the chemical energy required to power the biochemical reactions of a cell (McCance & Huether, 2018). This chemical energy produced by the mitochondrion is stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The cytoplasm is another cell organelle that holds components of a cell and protects them from damage. It also stores molecules needed for cellular processes and gives the cell shape.

As another cell organelle. Cytoskeleton is responsible for maintaining the cell’s shape and provides mechanical support that enhances cell division and movement.

The plasma membrane, also known as the cell membrane. Transports nutrients into the cell and toxic substances out of the cell. It also provides additional support to the cell. Within a cell. We also have the Golgi apparatus, also known as Golgi bodies, which process and package proteins destined to be exported from the cell and lipid molecules (Wayne, 2019). Another organelle is the smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum responsible for producing proteins for the rest of the cell to function.

living organisms

The vacuole is another cell component that stores molecules, including water, food product, and enzyme. It also maintains the proper cell hydrostatic pressure as well as maintaining an acidic internal PH. It also isolates toxic materials that might be a threat to the cell.

References

McCance K., L., & Huether, S., E. (2018). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.) St Louis, MO: Mosby Inc.

Wayne, R. (2019). Golgi apparatus. Plant Cell Biology, 99-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-814371-1.00006-0

Peer 2

All the functions of the body rely heavily on the dignity of the cells. Therefore, to understand the disease, an understanding of cellular biology is inherently necessary. Through the process of differentiation, or maturation, cells become specialized, allowing certain cells to perform one function while others perform another. Plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus are the three major components of a cell.

Plasma Membranes

Membranes delineate the cell’s borders. Membranes are essential for normal physiologic function since they control the composition of the vacuum, or compartment, in which they enclose, whether they surround the cell or enclose an intracellular organelle. They can allow or disallow different molecules to travel in and out of space, as a result of the selective transportation systems. By regulating the passage of substances from one compartment to another, membranes have a significant effect on metabolic pathways. Directional transportation is aided by polarized fields, distinct apical and basolateral fields. Cell polarity retains natural cell and tissue structure for a variety of purposes. The most important of which is the transfer of nutrients in and out of the cell but is compromised in diseases like cancer. Aside from these features, the plasma membrane is essential for cell-to-cell identification. Other functions of the plasma membrane comprise cellular mobility and shape maintenance.

living organisms

Cytoplasm

    cytoplasmic matrix

Cytoplasm is an aqueous solution (cytosol) that fills the cytoplasmic matrix. Which is located between the nuclear envelope and the plasma membrane. The cytosol accounts for roughly half of the volume of a eukaryotic cell. It contains thousands of enzymes involved in intermediate metabolism and is densely packed with ribosomes. Which produce proteins. Protein synthesis and degradation are primarily carried out in the cytosol. In the absence of a sorting signal for transport to a cell organelle, newly synthesized proteins remain in the cytosol.

Organelles suspended in the cytoplasm are encased in biologic membranes. Allowing them to perform functions requiring multiple biochemical environments at the same time. Such roles include synthesis of proteins and hormones and their transport out of the cell. Separation and removal of waste products from the cell, metabolic processes, breakdown and disposal of cellular debris. And foreign proteins (antigens), and maintenance of cellular structure and motility. All of which are directed by coded messages carried from the nucleus by RNA. The cytosol also serves as a storage location for fat as well as carbohydrate, and secretory vesicles.

Nucleus

The nucleus is the largest membrane-bound organelle. It is surrounded by cytoplasm and is usually situated in the cell’s center. The nucleus’ key functions are cell division and genetic information regulation. DNA replication and repair. As well as transcription of data encoded in DNA, are among the other functions.

Reference

McCance, S.H. K. Pathophysiology. [South University]. Retrieved from https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/9780323583473/.

Biostatistics in Healthcare Administration Gestational Age Hypothesis Testing

This week we are learning about ordinal/categorical, continuous, and dichotomous variables. Using the Gestation Demographics SEU dataset that is located in the tabs at the bottom of the Framingham dataset

provided, perform the following problems using R Studio or Excel.

• Create a simple distribution graph (histogram) where we will explore the age of women after giving birth to their first child. Remember that a histogram consists of parallel vertical bars that show the frequency distribution of a quantitative variable in the graph. See the example in Introductory Statistics with R on pages 71-7 or pages 123-124 in EXCEL statistics A quick guide. The area of each bar is equal to the frequency of items found in each class.
• Determine the mean of the age of the women in the Gestation Demographics SEU dataset.
• We will be testing the hypothesis that assumes the mean age (μ = μ0) for women is 37 years in the Gestation Demographics SEU dataset.

H0 The mean age of women giving birth is 37 years old. (Null Hypothesis)
H1 The mean age of women giving birth is not 37 years old. (Alternative Hypothesis)

Present your findings in a Word document, by copying and pasting the histogram into the document. After your analysis state whether you accept or reject the null hypothesis and your reasoning why. Always use a title page, an introduction, a discussion where you interpret the meaning of the histogram, and a conclusion should be included. Your submission should be 2-3 pages to discuss and display your findings.

• Provide support for your statements with in-text citations from a minimum of two scholarly, peer-reviewed articles (must be published 2016-2021). One of these sources may be from the class readings, textbook, or lectures, but the others must be external..

Cognitive Pain Management Strategies

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Behavioral and Cognitive Methods for Treating Pain

This is a Content Question Board. Please view the instructions for interacting with this type of discussion forum here.

Writing the Content Question Answer and Providing a Response:

Content Question Answer Posting: The focus of this Content Question Discussion Board activity will be on pain treatment strategies. You will be posting on the approach to pain management that is listed below. With the first letter of your last name. In your discussion, assess how psychological methods might be effectively employed. To assist patients to manage and cope with pain. Be sure to distinguish how you might utilize your strategy differently with patients across the lifespan.

Last Names beginning with:

• A through C: Operant Approach (techniques to extinguish pain behavior and reinforce well behavior)
• D through F: Fear Reduction (reducing fear of pain to minimize behaviors that worsen function)
• G through J: Relaxation or Biofeedback (techniques to reduce stress)
• K through N: Cognitive – active coping (distraction, non-pain imagery, and/or pain redefinition to modify the pain experience)
• O through Q: Cognitive – pain acceptance (cognitive strategies to promote pain acceptance and improve functioning)
• R through T: Hypnosis, Stimulation Therapies, or Animal-assisted
• U through Z: Interpersonal Therapy (talk therapy to promote insight into the pain experience)

Your original post should be a minimum of 300 words. You must include a minimum of one scholarly or peer-reviewed reference published within the last five years to support your work. All references should be cited in APA format a
Cognitive Pain Management Strategies

Guided Response: Respond substantively to a minimum of one classmate’s initial post. Who was assigned a different pain reduction strategy than yours. In responding, summarize your thoughts on the availability and effectiveness of the strategy. Are any special resources required for their strategy and are they available in your location? Do you agree with your classmate’s assessment of the effectiveness of the strategy?. Have you ever used or observed the strategy or technique, and was it helpful?

Would you consider employing this strategy in the future. For your own pain management, or recommending it to others? Your response(s) should demonstrate that you have read any existing replies on the board. In your response, mention information and viewpoints already expressed by existing responses to the same post. Provide a courteous and interactive learning environment. (See the Netiquette Rules link on the About Discussions page in the left navigation if you have questions.) Continue to monitor the content board. Through 6:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Day 7 of the week and reply to anyone who has responded to your original post.

elimination of The Mosquito Species

1- John

I agree with the proposed deliberate elimination of some mosquito’s species, especially the ones that carries deadly diseases. I think this is the best solution to the problem that we can do in order to prevent people from getting sick from mosquito bites. This could bring multiple consequences to the eco system however it offers more positives than negatives. Eradicating some mosquitoes can lower the pollination activities that they provide to our eco system and reduce the amount of food for mosquito predators to eat however those predators can simply find other insects to eat.

Elimination of Anopheles and Aedes mosquito would only reduce 1 percent of the genetic diversity in the mosquito population which is not really a big deal to me. Mosquito disease carriers have always had big impacts in poor tropical places such as Africa, Asia and South America. Malaria which is a disease spread by the anopheles mosquito is responsible for 409,000 deaths in 2019. Most of those people affected were in young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty in these areas can promote the spread of malaria due to the fact that they don’t have the resources to combat its effect.

Malaria can also cause poverty to rise up by blocking the economic growth, research shows that it can impact some affected nations GDP by as much as 5-6 percent each year. Dengue on the other hand is common to more 100 countries and has mostly affected Asia with 70 percent prevalence estimated. Each year more than 400 million people are affected with dengue and 22,000 people die from severe dengue fever. Both of these diseases also affect south America and have the same consequences. Getting rid of these killer mosquitos will greatly help lower poverty rates in Africa, Asia and south America. It will also help bring the much-needed economic growth for the affected countries. And Lastly It will save Millions of people!

I personally had dengue in the Philippines when I was 10 years old. It was always hard to get rid of places where mosquitos lay their eggs because of how much it rained over there. Mosquitos were just everywhere and hard to get rid of. I remember ever year in our school someone would get dengue fever and we would have taken a week off for them to clean the canals where mosquitoes lay their eggs. It was just such a big problem for my community and we still relevant to this day. I have experienced the effects that mosquitos can do people and what It can do to poor countries so I totally Agree that we should bring extinction to those disease carrying mosquitos.

2- Kenna

diagnostic testing

Mosquito can be considered one of the deadest insects, due to the various diseases they transmit. This includes yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya, lymphatic filariasis, dengue, Zika and the most commonly known virus Malaria. Worldwide there are an estimate of 228 million Malaria cases, and approximately 1 million die each year. Africa has a higher mortality rate, because of the lack of resources and diagnostic testing, financial issues also mosquitos are developing resistance to certain pesticides. This is an ongoing public health concern that is affecting many individuals. With the capability of having the technology to develop a genetic element to eliminate specific species within the 3,500 mosquitos could be beneficial. Eradicating harmful mosquitos, such as the Anopheles and Aedes will protect countries tremendously that aren’t able to receive the same care as we do In the United States.

According to Dr.Mbogo who is the founder of Pan African Mosquito Control he explained that Sub Saharan Africa are also dealing with high numbers of Sickle Cell Disease, which makes it unlikely for a patient to recover, if they are also diagnosed with Malaria. Having the chance to be able to have a self-destruct gene to eliminate the disease carrying Mosquitos will give rural areas a possibility of living a longer life.

ecological change

Not only is Africa affected by these numerous diseases, it is also infecting thousands of people in Asia and South America. The Zika virus which is contracted by Aedes aegypti that are more common in tropical urban areas. Having the ability to reduce or even get rid of the specific species would decrease the mortality rate, and would lower the amount of disease outbreaks that are developed due to Mosquitos. It wouldn’t be right away, but overtime we would be able to see a change.

There also could be some cons when it comes to introducing this alteration to our ecosystem. Many fish species especially mosquitofish would have to find different food sources if this ecological change occurred. Mosquitofish thrive on mainly consuming mosquitos, which are even used for pest control in rice fields and swimming pools, and then that can end up going extinct. Many amphibians such as lizards, frogs, spiders, and salamander’s main source of food are mosquitos.

It might not be too drastic of a change, because they could find other bugs to consume, but we wouldn’t know until the after man of eliminating the species. Mosquitos also make up a large amount of biomass in aquatic ecosystems all around the world. They exist in a variety of ponds, to holes in trees and fed on decaying leaves, organic matter and microorganisms. Still we have no proof if other feeders would take place in doing this, but the water and location plays a factor into if any other organisms would be involved.

non-parasitic organisms

3-Jordan

Regarding “There are many more kinds of parasitic than non-parasitic organisms. Organisms that are not parasites are hosts of parasites. Most parasites are, themselves, hosts to other parasites.” At first-did not coincide with my previous perception of the various types of organisms in the world as I have only associated the word parasite with a negative connotation.

However, since reading Module 4c-Defining Parasites I have learned that parasitism is in fact all around us and means more than direct death or benefiting at the expense of another. I found it interesting that parasitism is not only a type of symbiosis but that there are three different kinds. Commensalism-which an organism benefits from the host but the host is not impacted nor affected. Parasitism- the type which comes to mind when thinking of an organism that does benefit at the expense of the other. Then there is Mutualism-when both partners benefit from the relationship.

how Capuchin Monkeys pollinate flowers

I personally loved the example of how Capuchin Monkeys pollinate flowers with residual nectar that they eat from the flowers as they swing from branch to branch. Mutualist symbiosis makes the most sense to me evolutionarily specifically trophic mutualism because that is when one resource is exchanged for another. According to Influence of evolution on the stability of ecological communities- graphs showed that communities that contain trophic mutualism interactions tend to be more stable compared to other interaction types which shows that relationships that benefit from one another create a stable ecosystem which then provides an environment that is more likely to evolve over time.

The statement “There are more kinds of parasitic than non-parasitic organisms.” also makes sense to me evolutionarily because understanding the relationship between the three types of symbiosis and the way they interact with various ecosystems can help ensure that life continues to evolve. For example, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi have symbiotic relationships with a vast majority of plants and provide nutrients, water and resistance to pathogens and the plant provides carbon. After learning more about the types of symbiosis I have expanded my perception and have realized how commensalism, mutualistic and parasitism foster growth within every ecosystem and play a vital role in evolution.